So This Is Christmas

[boingk]

Christmas has no meaning to me whatsoever. Despite having a catholic-schooled education, the concept of christianity never convinced me. Never, ever. Of course I was exposed to the concept of christmas as a child, which was more about the elements that everyone thus far has made mention of (family get together etc) and the modern interpretation of the origin (ie birth of Jesus, he who came to save the world yada yada yada) was never rammed down my throat. [SNIP]. Conversly though, I wasn't brougt up not to believe either. It was just dormant, stale old rhetoric, and the playing out of the concept.

That about sums me up - I was brought up through a Catholic secondary school and by parents who told me to believe in what I saw fit. We went to Church every so often when I was younger, but stopped in early highschool because it was fairly apparent I thought the notion of a higher power wasnt...well...my cup of tea, putting it mildly. Family, friends, giving gifts, general merriment...the usual. Thats Christmas for me.

Christmas (as a "season") has lost most of it's magic for me after working in retail for a few years. [SNIP].

Also sums me up. I just can't stand the commercialisation of it all..."BUY NOW AND SAVE", "LAY-BY FOR XMAS", "HUGE XMAS SAVINGS", "BUY USELESS CRAP AT INFLATED PRICES"...it just robs the value of family and friends, like you need to buy them off with gifts to make them happy. Kinda sad, I think sometimes.

My thoughts also, call me a hypocrite but your views are similar to mine with Halloween. [SNIP]

Another thing which I agree with - Halloween might be fun for kids and the like, but it never happened with me as a kid. Its a stricly American tradition...I'm hazy on the meaning behind it but I think I got the gist of it through an episode of The Simpsons. Pagan witch appeasal or something? Anywho...yeah.

Cheers all, and [Santa voice] Merry Christmas!

 

[datman510]

I was not brought up in a close family enviroment at all, we call each other when we need something (in a nice way not like a using way) and we might catch up once a year, this suited me fine.

My wifes family is "close" and i quote the word close because they cant stand each other yet they spend every christmas together and pretending to be happy to see each other. its the most uncomfortable time, it sucks but her parents say "its family and you have to do these things". I disagree.

Jesus is in the same category as the easter bunny and batman for me..... made up.

Thanks for listening and stay classy san diego.

 

[staggalee]

My first and last thoughts on some of the above......my Missus works for Qld Health, has done for 8 years, prev. to that, 19 years in the private sector. Seeing impending death and death itself is a regular thing in her game.
From what she tells me,an awful lot of people that believed in nothing but themselves have a change of heart when they see the old bloke with the reaping hook looking over their shoulder.
Just something to think about, and like I said, my first and last post on it....just stating a fact.
But anyway, a happy and safe Xmas to all on AHB.
Cheers

stagga.

 

[Cummins]

Christmas was the best day of the year up, until you realise Santa isn't real. Then it's just a day where people eat foods that they claim they love, yet they only eat it once a year.

 

[Trent]

So this is xmas, and what have I done?
Complained alot about it (have you seen the amount of extra traffic that comes to a holiday town?!?), and bought my wife some crap (that she needed anyway), cause she LOVES xmas - and, being away from her family, who are in Canada, it is important to her to try and enjoy xmas. While I, the heartless bastard, will sing loudly and often, to Steve Poltz and the Rugburns in their timeless classic song "I hate F##king Christmas".
To those that do enjoy xmas, I hope that this one is your most enjoyable yet, to those that dont enjoy xmas, I hope that you can at least enjoy the time off work. No point in us being completely miserable, eh?
Merry xmas, peoples. Hope all yer beers turn into winners.
And a big "bah humbug" to my kind.
Trent
PS My mother in law is the palliative care co-ordinator for her region, and she doesnt believe in anything, despite having seen death on a daily basis for the last 25 odd years, so that is something to think about too Sorry, had to be cheeky, but it is also a fact!

 

[Zwickel]

So This Is Christmas, And What Have You Done.....

what I have done?.....prepared everything to do at least two brews over Chrismas days.
What Im gonna do? .... brewing at least two brews, doing a little work at my brewery, drinking beers, hanging around...

What means Chrismas to me: Chrismas is a dictation of the industries just to spend your hard earned money, nothing else, I will not follow...

What I dislike: Rellies coming over, drink a lot, eat a lot and just talking twaddle

Cheers mates :icon_cheers:


ahem....and merry Chrismas

 

[Cube]

I am a very keen Astronomer, which lead me to physics and math.

I have papers in all of the above due to my love for Astronomy.

I believe in science, observation and experiments, not fiction ie: bible

I also believe in a special grand higher power, a power that doesn't demand 10%+ or your first born...... this divine power is called fermentation.

Fermentation is my god.

 

[Batz]

Holy Snapping Arseholes

Try smiling at someone,shake someones hand,cuddle someone.Even if you only do it at Xmas.

Have a look around you,really you are much better off than 70% of the worlds population.

As I said have a good one all......I love Xmas !

Batz :beer:

 

[boingk]

^ Represent, cube, represent. :beerbang:

 

[Trent]

Fermentation is your god! :lol: I like that. Reminds me of a kinda cheesy quote I read in a surf mag when I was younger:
"I am a surfer, that is my religion - and this is one of the many places where I worship". So I have included a picture of a nameless, yet dirty, stinky, perfect hellhole of a place where I have worshipped, with very few other worshippers - only 5 others, on this day! Man, if I could spend december 25 back at this place, with this swell, and a similar crowd, I would be a happy boy, and would honestly not even care what day it was. I probably wouldn't even think about beer until long after the sun went down!
Merry xmas, lets pray the waves turn on!
T.

 

[tourist]

Fair point, but the answer to your question is one that's probably to be assumed already. Christmas has no meaning to me whatsoever. Despite having a catholic-schooled education, the concept of christianity never convinced me. Never, ever. Of course I was exposed to the concept of christmas as a child, which was more about the elements that everyone thus far has made mention of (family get together etc) and the modern interpretation of the origin (ie birth of Jesus, he who came to save the world yada yada yada) was never rammed down my throat. I make mention of this because my ideals aren't borne from any psychological scarring at the hands of fundamentalist upbringing. Conversly though, I wasn't brougt up not to believe either. It was just dormant, stale old rhetoric, and the playing out of the concept.

But as I advanced into adulthood (I'll reluctantly get there one day!) and began questioning the basis of dogmatic theology, it dawned on me that to participate in a ritual that has it's basis in a concept that I consider fraudulent (ie christianity, and all its branching schisms), I would therefore be untrue to my personal belief structure if I were to participate in the myth. So for the past 10 years or so I have made the decision to be honest with myself & with others and simply 'not celebrate christmas'. You will recall that as being the initial statement I made in the other thread, and one I would have left alone if not for the murmers that followed.

Brad, does that answer your question ? No doubt my ensuing comments shall, if this thread has any legs.

Totally cool when some guy starts a (gay) thread on some topic completely unrelated to brewing beer for the purpose of airing their pointed views on a topic so that they can stand out from the rest of the chicks who don't believe in Christmas. If I didn't believe in Christmas, I'd make sure all my brewing buddies knew the hell what side of the egg my face was buttered with gravy and have my way on home, friends. Gayse71 is awse, but not all-grain. Take heed.

 

[Mantis]

I was bought up in a non christian home and xmas for me was just , presents, food, getting together, and laughing.
Now I have two daughters and it hasnt changed at all.


PS, I think a man called Jesus did walk this earth , but son of a god, nadda
Hey the bible was written when only a few men knew how to put words to paper so the chance of biased reporting was well, BIG.
Merry xmas all

 

[staggalee]

Calling someone gay just because they don`t like plum pudding with brandy custard is a bit over the top isn`t it?

stagga.

 

[bradsbrew]

Totally cool when some guy starts a (gay) thread on some topic completely unrelated to brewing beer for the purpose of airing their pointed views on a topic so that they can stand out from the rest of the chicks who don't believe in Christmas. If I didn't believe in Christmas, I'd make sure all my brewing buddies knew the hell what side of the egg my face was buttered with gravy and have my way on home, friends. Gayse71 is awse, but not all-grain. Take heed.

If I read that right- ******!

 

[jayandcath]

I am constantly amazed with this website and the threads that come up. I think that its a fantastic thread and I take my hat off to you Jase for starting it, because religion and politics are not normally condoned subject at my sessions (Its not that I don't agree with anybody else, quite the contrarry in fact), but because it all to often ends up with someone getting the ***** or there nose out of joint.
But a little about me, I wasn't raised a catholic or heavily religious and I will say I have always had faith but it was not very strong. Then as it happens I married a catholic (not a bible basher though), but this and moving to a small town and having children found us part of the church community which made me look at my faith a bit harder, but the thing for me was the priest we had, he made me think about life and all manner of things (and no not just the catholic or a church point of view), and I must say that I really enjoyed his surmons. So often I have been to different church's and the priest simply reads exerts for the bible, but father John made them somehow personal (not about me) but he always made me think. That and the fact he liked a drink of whisky and the rugby union also didn't hurt.
From there we moved and I don't go much now, just can't get into it, weird.

But Christmas for me is about catching up with family and friends, and then saying "Thank christ this only happens once a year, LOL" But most of the time everybody seems jovial and appriecitive of what they have and the time spent together.

Must stop tearing up

Merry Christmas to all, and to all......................Lets have a beer.

Jay

 

[jonocarroll]

Yaay.

 

[smudge]

Christmas is the bright red lipstick of your Mum's old Auntie (who's only allowed out for the day) that refuses to wipe off your face,
the ringing of bike bells at 6 o'clock in the ******* morning as the neighbours' kids try out their presents while you're still nursing
your hangover, the garbage bins of leftovers that could feed a third world country, the empties that make you wish the recycle
bin was emptied three times a week instead of one and the fact that even if you are 'getting on', some long lost relation will still say,
"Hasn't he grown up......"

Christmas is what YOU want it to be. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks it is, it's your time and your family's.

I've never met Batz - wouldn't know him from a bar of soap - but his outlook on life (and brewing) should be bottled (kegged??) and sold.

Whatever Christmas means to you......enjoy it.

Cheers,
smudge

 

[jonocarroll]

Just to add fuel to the flames...

[Seriously, I'll keep out of it. Consider this as my opinion.]

 

[jayandcath]

Totally cool when some guy starts a (gay) thread on some topic completely unrelated to brewing beer for the purpose of airing their pointed views on a topic so that they can stand out from the rest of the chicks who don't believe in Christmas. If I didn't believe in Christmas, I'd make sure all my brewing buddies knew the hell what side of the egg my face was buttered with gravy and have my way on home, friends. Gayse71 is awse, but not all-grain. Take heed.

You see what I mean, this is the kind of **** that always comes up. This type of person thinks its all well and good for anybody to have an opinion, as long as its the same as his.
And for that matter, who gives a **** if he is gay mate! its his choice to make, ya Numpty.

Dead set, there's always one.

 

[np1962]

Fermentation is your god! :lol: I like that. Reminds me of a kinda cheesy quote I read in a surf mag when I was younger:
"I am a surfer, that is my religion - and this is one of the many places where I worship". So I have included a picture of a nameless, yet dirty, stinky, perfect hellhole of a place where I have worshipped, with very few other worshippers - only 5 others, on this day! Man, if I could spend december 25 back at this place, with this swell, and a similar crowd, I would be a happy boy, and would honestly not even care what day it was. I probably wouldn't even think about beer until long after the sun went down!
Merry xmas, lets pray the waves turn on!
T.

Amen!