Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
Appropriated? Not hardly! Reclaimed, perhaps. Or just blended in with the religious holy days in order to keep from being harassed and tormented by "good" Christians. And I, at least, don't claim that religions are imposing themselves on my activities.
You don't regard being "harassed and tormented by good Christians" as an imposition? I have wronged you!

It would be interesting to learn, however, which non-religious festivals were appropriated by religions, as you imply.

Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
I only complain that religious people in governments are using taxpayer dollars to impose their religious symbols on all people, regardless of their religions.
My mistake. By impose I take it you mean display, or is it something more sinister?

Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
No, big business created Valentine's cards, and heart-shaped boxes of candy, and expensive jewelry to guilt men into buying such things for their wives and/or girlfriends. To my (uncertain) knowledge there was no religious festival for the day, simply a day that the church assigned to one of its saints. I'm quite certain that the Church would not have promoted the sexuality which has become such a big part of the secular celebrations.
I think you are partly right. St Valentine was not the patron saint of lovers: he was a martyr who might have officiated at "illegal" Christian weddings and who is reputed to have restored the sight of a young girl (supposedly the daughter of his judge or of his executioner). The association of his feast day with amourousness seems to have started with Chaucer, and to have continued throughout the centuries culminating with a story put out by an American business that St Valentine himself sent a message to the girl whose sight he had restored and had signed it, from your Valentine. Thus Valentinee's Day has gradually been commercialised by business, and it is these secular entities that are forcing their Valentine's Day products on all and sundry. It is not the Church forcing its faith onto the general public (quite the opposite of the reason why St Valentine was martyred, I would add!).

Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
Nope. Those are religious, and they are marketed to the religious. Very few atheists buy them, and based upon demographics, very few atheists sell them. Talk to the Christian business owners.
I find that hard to credit. It appears to me that atheists buy Christmas cards containing religious depictions/quotations without reservation; and I suspect no atheist business involved in selling Christmas cards would decline to stock such cards


Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
Well, the pagan religions, perhaps...
Religions none the less



Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
Sounds to me more like pornography.
{Chuckle} Yes, it does. And I camer across this 19th Century Valentine's Day message while reading up on Valentine's Day:


R stands for rod,
Which can give a smart crack,
And ought to be used
For a day on your back.

Wish I'd seen it sooner: I could have sent it to den.

+++++++++++++++++++

I am not merely implying that atheists use religious symbols for their own purposed, I am stating it as a fact, which I have illustrated above and in earlier postings. It is true but not relevant that Christianity appropriated pagan symbols for its own purposes: they were still religious symbols and often their original meanings were carried on under a new guise.

However, I now find you stating that atheists do not object to public display of religious symbols, but simply to the misappropriation of public funds to convert non-Christians to the "true faith". If that were true, it is unconstitutional in USA, so take action: enforce your rights. See if you can make a proper case in the courts rather than whingeing about your false impressions of Christian oppression.

As for objecting to "multicultural" displays, how can a Christian festival be anything but a Christian festival unless it is being appropriated, distorted and altered into something completely unChristian?