Atheists Love Too?

[MMI]

Christmas and Easter, at least, are simply pagan celebrations which were co-opted by religion. They have both religious and secular components. You can celebrate the secular aspects without bothering with the religious ones. Valentine's day, on the other hand is strictly a faux holiday, created by business to boost sales. Not at all religious, despite the name.

There can't possibly be any secular aspects of Christmas or Easter to celebrate, unless the secular have adopted and adapted them from the religious celebrations they are. If the non-religious have adopted a religious festival, they cannot be heard to complain that it has been forced down their throat.

Saint Valentine's Day has been associated with the celebration of love since Chaucer's time at least (per wikipedia), and there is no suggestion that it was introduced by mediaeval businesses to boost sales. There may be a question about which St Valentine Chaucer was referring to, but all saints are religious people, so I contend that the festival had more to do with religion than business originally. Now, however, modern business "owns" St Valentine's Day and virtually owns Christmas. Chocolate producers are well on the way to taking over Easter. They are even introducing Christmas into non-Christian countries such as Japan, and that can be for no other reason than to take advantage of the Japanese gift-giving culture.

Originally Posted by MMI
Money is being made out of these festivities by opportunist capitalists who have no respect for religions or for atheists, and where there is money to be made, other people's rights, moralities and expectations are swept aside.

Sorry, no sympathy here, either. I see no problem with businesses trying to make money. That's what they are in business for! I don't really care if some corporation "respects" someone's religion, or my lack of it. As a consumer I tend to ignore advertising, ignore commercialism, ignore the hype that these celebrations foster. I don't expect any gifts, nor do I give any. If I need something, I buy it for myself. I don't give a rip what anyone else does for the holidays. As long as they don't try to force me to follow their rules. And it isn't the corporations that are trying to do that!

I'm sure the Chief Purchasers of the shops and supermarkets you patronise would be delighted to learn that you believe you make your buying choices unaffected by advertising or any other influence. I suggest you buy whatever those shops choose to make available to you, and even if you are immune to the advertising you are subjected to, they are not. They won't stock many goods that the producers aren't willing to promote, because rival items that are actively advertised will move off the shelves faster. Christmas and other religious festivals are the most important times for sales in nearly every kind of business there is, and only a fool would refuse to capitalise on it.

You say you have no problem with business making money out of religious festivals. If the boot was on the other foot, and you wanted to utilise whatever product or service a business provided for your own purposes, you would be made to pay a royalty based on how much use you would be making of it. What royalties does Wallmart pay to the Vatican?