Merry December (Again)

As I'm SUPER excited for Christmas in 11 days I wanted to re-post my Atheist Christmas post from last year. In case anyone new wishes to read it.

Welcome to December, the month of yule cheer and Christmas tidings. Knowing that I'm an atheist as many of you do, you'll probably be either confused by this statement or wary, but fear not for I mean it.
I'm not here trying to tear down your holiday. I'm not here trying to demand that Christmas trees be taken out of government sanctioned areas - though I understand the point of those people, I think they're wrong.
I love Christmas, so to all you readers I say this;
Merry Christmas One and All.

As an Atheist I don't celebrate Christmas for the same reasons that Christians do. I don't believe that it was the day that Christ was born, partially because based on the information given in the bible Jesus wasn't born in the winter, but mostly because I don't believe in Christ.
I subscribe to the sentiment of Christmas not the Christian meaning. Kindness, giving, good will to all. This is the Christmas I subscribe to. I have a Christmas tree, I give gifts, and I celebrate family and togetherness.
I don't say grace, go to mass or thank the son of god, who is also god for sacrificing himself to himself.

I believe that Christmas has evolved past its Christian origins just as it evolved past its pagan origins and its Egyptian origins.
I believe that Christmas is a holiday the world over that encompasses a feeling of happiness, a time within the darkest, harshest season of the year that everyone gets together to remind themselves of the good things in their lives. Be it family or friends, a job or a hobby, Americans have thanks giving to figure out what they're thankful for, but for me it's Christmas.

You know I have a routine for Christmas; it's the same routine that me and my family have had for the last 25 years? Probably slightly less.
We go to my aunts for Christmas eve as it’s my cousin’s birthday, then we rush home before midnight, watching for Santa out the car window the whole way. We go to bed and wake up the following morning, rush down to the living room where Santa’s left our stockings (yes we all have stockings, me my mom my dad and my sister. No none of us are under 20) We open up our stockings together, while photos are taken and then (after my dad’s made the mandatory joke about leaving our main gifts until after Christmas dinner and we shoot him down) someone makes coffee and we move onto our main gifts. After we've had our main gifts we all collaborate in making Christmas breakfast. We then go our separate ways, my mother (with occasional help from other family members) prepares a turkey dinner and we all play with our gifts. At two-ish we have Christmas dinner together before retiring to the living room to watch a DVD. Everyone but me falls asleep and I slink away to carry on playing.
At seven we watch Doctor who Christmas special and then go our separate ways until Boxing Day when we spend the whole day at my nans house getting more gifts and enjoying the company of others.

So that's my Christmas tradition, what's yours?

Merry-ricky-gervais-the-happy-atheist-christmas
- James

Five of Fifty-Two

Movie
Kingdom of Heaven

Ok, there are two versions of this film, the theatre version and the directors cut version. The Theatre version is not worth watching, the Directors cut is one of the best nine films I have ever seen.
 People reading this who havent seen the two films - yes they are two fundementally different films - will likely be sat there thinking 'But how can adding a couple of scenes change it so thoroughly?' well, let me tell you; it does. It really does.
Sure there are a load of token scenes that don't change much but then there's the introduction of Baldwin the V of Jerusalem, the Queens son.
The addition of a single character changes the entire film completely. The queens motivations change, the bad guy seems all the more dastardly because he is at odds with a ten year old.
It's hard to explain how different the film is without putting in any spoilers, and while i could put in a spoiler warning at the top like I've done before I would prefer not to ruin the film for you, I'd prefer you all go out and watch it.

The film follows Orlando Blooms character Balian (the only Orlando Bloom character I've ever loved)druing the 1200 ad crusades, as he goes from simple blacksmith in a little french village to the Baron of Iblin in/near Jerusalem, I'm not sure exactly.
It is a pretty awesome story of Balian's struggle with his own faith after the death of his wife and still born son, while maneuvering through the gritty dark side of religion.
It has love, grusome violence and all sides of faith. That's one of the reasons I like it. You can see every face of god in it and every face of those who worship him. The loving god and those who deteste violence. The arrogant god and those who believe that because they carry his cross (in the case of christians) and his word then it will be impossible to defeat them. The vengeful god and those who kill simply because another does not worship the same way, and all those in between.


It occurs to me now, after writing the above I could have (and should have) said a single thing to convince you of how awesome it is;
It's directed by Ridley Scott and has Liam Neesan and Edward Norton in it.

'Nuff Said.
Kingdom-Of-Videos
- James

My Minority Opinion

Welcome to Minority Opinions, a web log or 'blog' if you will, to allow me - James - to express my lack of sanity in a safe and comfortable environment. Of course when I first thought 'safe environment' my mind went instantly to the Internet. Clearly my understanding of the Internet is suspect, but hey; what's the worst that could happen?
I should point out that Minority Opinions doesn't refer to the opinions of random minorities I meet on the street- though that could be interesting. Nor does it mean anything bad, I mean; I'm not sat here secretly harbouring a deep hatred for immigrants or anything. I'm simply of the understanding that I'm weird and people don't think like I do, thus my opinion is generally in the minority. Thus, thus 'Minority Opinions' was born.
I suppose as this is the first post I should also tell a little about myself, including a bunch of things you'll be able to gleam from the about section on the right (or at the bottom if you’re on a phone).
My name is James, and I'm ok with having a name that is so common that it's ranked in the top 10 for popular baby names my entire life.
I was born in early 1987, giving me 25 years’ worth of complaining experience - from what I understand I was a pro from an early age.
I went to university to study computer games design and now spend my time as either a QA tester - which is NOT just playing games, before you say anything - an unpublished fantasy author in the process of editing the second book of my first duology or simply unemployed.
I'm an atheist - not a big deal, just wanted to put in a little context to some things I may say - but unless you asked me you probably wouldn't have found out, I keep my lack of beliefs to myself but don't lie about them.
Lastly; I'm English. A Brit. A limey, as you north americans say, so i expect you to be reading this all in an english accent. But seriously, other than giggling inssessently when you quote british people by saying 'Bugger' without finding out that what it means first we don't have too many differences. It shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Um... I think that's it. Hope you'll read further. :)
- James