Christmas in Japan and Taiwan is almost completely secular and all about good food , cute gifts / decoration, and basically fun~ One of the many reasons of love going to those places!
I'm a Christian but I'm a liberal, open minded democrat who married a theist and have dear friends who are atheist, hindu, pagan, you name it. My atheist friends *love* Christmas. My (atheist) best friend's husband is a lot like your wife but I don't quite understand being against a holiday that for non religious people is still a pleasant experience that's basically about family, friends & goodwill. Secular Christmas is kind of like Thanksgiving 2.0! 🙂 I respect the fact that some people might find it too commercial though but to that I say just celebrate it in your own way and decommercialize it. Happy/Merry whatever you celebrate! *PS* #HBO Needs to Bring Back Bullshit! #BringBackBullshit
@0:55 I'm so sorry for your loss. I Love You and I am here to help you in any way I can to deal with your loss. I Love You. You're an awesome fantastic respectable man, and I'm sure your Mother would be proud of you - I am and she would be too. I Love You brother.
As a kid up in Canada Christmas was a focus away from the weather. People took what they wanted from it, the religious people focussed on the church, most on family and friends, some on staying drunk for days at a time but it was something to take your mind off six foot of snow and -30 temperatures. It was a Pagan holiday before a Christian one, they weren't stupid in this respect, you need something to help you through the bad weather and short days. Ideally, up there they could do with another big holiday about February (Valentines day doesn't cut it) as the weathers starting to get to many by then and a (less expensive) focus might be positive for some people.
I couldn't give up christmas, its just too pretty, with the tree and the same songs that get played every year, good cocktails, lots of baileys and the prawn cocktail ;-;
Halloween! How I love Halloween. I've loved it since I was a kid. I read Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (speaking of which, the bastards completely replaced Gammell's unbelievable illustrations), and all kinds of ghost stories. Things haven't changed much! It's also kind of leeched into my taste in music, now that I enjoy Black Metal and Dark Ambient and things of the like.
On the bit about pagans and Halloween: Nowadays Halloween is a separate secular holiday from the religious Samhain. I see it as roughly the same relationship as the religious Christmas and the secular New Years. It's no accident they're about the same time, but now have become different events.
@420simpson Hey, you spotted it! :D It's something he's always done to point out how powerful misdirection is. A good magician will have people looking where he wants them to look, to the point where they won't even notice a BRIGHT RED FINGERNAIL!! It's awesome.
Christmas and Halloween have always been religious at any given time (either to Pagans or Christians), but we have no issue with people dressing up as spider man and stuff and gathering candy or exchanging gifts. I agree with you when you said religion doesn't need to be in the mix, but some of us see it as a fun religious tradition as well.
I love Halloween. i am an Atheist and I also celebrate Christmas. Just because of the memories of Christmas as a kid. My best friend is also an Athiest and we both have a tree up, and I make dinner and exchange presents and the whole thing. But Halloween is awesome. I love candy and scary movies. People dressing up as freaks.
He's obviously never experienced Halloween in Mexico (Día de los Muertos). Unlike Halloween here in the States, it's taken as a quite literal "day of the dead".
I go to the USA every September, just as everybody is starting to gear up for Halloween and I love it. Every childish emotion & thrill I never had for Christmas, I feel around an American Halloween - it's all about fun, no religion, everybody's welcome, it's all inclusive. I love it. What I hate is coming back home to the UK and having to deal with the Limp-Dick Halloween every shop tries to force on us. It sucks!
Halloween comes from an ancient Celtic holiday called Samhain (pronounced Sow-Wen)--and yes, some of us do take it as religious, but I'm totally cool with people dressing up and having fun. :)
You are correct. The reason behind the adoption of those holidays where due to allowing a easier absorption of those of other faiths that where used to celebrating those days. Though of course, if you did not convert.. you where burned, but that is besides the point I am attempting to make.
just on the Christmas note; I am an atheist and this year I'm giving up Christmas and celebrating summer solstice instead, yes I get that it was something celebrated by the Pagans but the idea of people coming together in december, usually the shortest day of the year (longest day for me as I live in New Zealand) is something that almost every civilization has done. So yes presents are shared, yes food is eaten but there is no connection to god in anyway. I thought it was just a cool idea :)
It would be a smart business decision if that candy store would giveaway one of their candies to each family on Halloween including a pamphlet to their store and their candy.
Sadly, my former* across-the-street neighbors *(though they still own it, just don't live there) didn't celebrate Halloween b/c of religious reasons. They did "church bowling" or other stuff like that. Their boys also went to a school that forbid reading Harry Potter..so...good times. (The mom was also the ghost writer for Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue", if that gives you more of an idea...)
@monkeywolf To be honest I don't know. However, that story may not have originated in that region either, but again I don't know. The description though very much resembles a volcano that is active. It could be plausible that the pillar of smoke that "lead" them away was the ruler/leader/whatever's way of getting his\her\their people out of harm's way. Might also have given them the excuse they need to invade other lands in a less than peaceful manner. Just speculation of though.
Sadly I have relatives who forbid their kids from having anything to do with halloween. No dress up, no candy etc. They believe it's devil worship. Gad!
@monkeywolf Rage? You effectively called me an idiot. All those flood events are small and localised. There is never been any confirmed finding of any piece of ark material and certainly no ark would have been created in time for a specific flood. The mass exodus has NOT been confirmed by archeaologists and there is no evidence of 40 years of wandering either. In fact the overwhelming evidence is that 'moses' people are not from egypt at all but a local isreal regional tribe.
originally Christmas was the Germanic winter solstice and santa was saint nick the norwads had their own version.the fat guy in the red suit gave candy and coal to get thru the winter then the church got involved and took it over
@420simpson It's to honor his mom. When she was still alive he painted a nail just to be funny and he has been doing it ever since. She died a few years ago.
My family was always butthurt about halloween because "it's a pagan holiday" and then we'd get a lecture about the witchcraft and all that. They still believe it.
And all this time I thought Halloween was about making the hills run red with the blood of innocent children so that the druids could sacrifice something to their dark pagan gods.
Why, Penn??? WHY DID YOU CANCEL YOUR SHOW ON NOVEMBER 8TH?! (State Theatre in Easton, PA). I bought such good tickets! :( Hoping you'll come back to Easton...screw the secret show, I want my show! Just kidding, please just come back to The State Theatre when you're done doing your secret stuff.
There you had to go all technical and steal my thunder ;D Yes, I admit I was making a point by twisting the definition a bit. But seriously, the Greeks invented the word "Atheists" as an adjective first, for the people who didn't worship the gods of their culture, not deniers of any deities at all. The noun came later.
unfortunately the religious thing with holloween isn't done yet I'm 17 and when i have never been aloud to celebrate it because my parent wont let me because of the who religious thing.
Hey what's up neighbor? Just wanted to say WTF happened to Bullshit? I miss that show...Now I gotta pay 80 bucks just to see you two at the Rio and hope your social commentary has changed since the last time I saw you...lol...Cheers.
I believe Constantine did not kill people for not believing. Prior to himself converting to Christianity he did make it illegal to believe in Christianity. The God actually forbids adapting pagan beliefs with Him. In other words He forbids people from worshiping Him how the pagans do.
There's so much confusion about the Real meaning of holidays. Take Easter for instance, people think Easter bunny and chocolate. When in reality Christ was crucified ,died and buried for our sins and three days later he miraculously rose from the tomb, saw his shadow and there were six more weeks of winter.
@Mcfly88 Nice, I wish more people thought like this, there are plenty of gifts we're given every day that we don't need to overspend on a single day I mean it's fun, but too much wasted money
I think it is important to support Santa Claus. The entire "don't spoil it for the children' industry is so pervasive, so collusive... and then, one day, poof! Santa is a Myth. (Sorry, kids!) That just sets the stage for the later reveal about the whole Christian thing, and you come to believe that THAT MANY people would cooperate in perpetrating a story as being factual. Santa is a good precursor to Atheism because any argument for religion works for Santa too.
@Mcfly88 Christmas is awesome even if you aren't religious. Selling people a bunch of shit that makes them feel good. . . I'm all for it. The commercialization of Christmas is it's saving grace. :) Too bad all year couldn't be Christmas. It's a Capitalist wonderland. Woot!
Christmas is a pagan holiday that Constantine put into place. Constantine just put the label on it. December 25 goes back before it was named Christmas. it does go back to pagan beliefs including Santa Clause and The red balls on the trees. Halloween used to be pagan and than it went to a christian and now it is secular. Christmas is and will be more secular in years to come but I think Christians will still have Christ in Christmas. BTW Easter is also pagan.
Do some research on the Crusades. Also, you are talking about the Romans. While yes he was not as harsh as the others. Also I can tell you did not do any research on the origins of various "holidays" beyond looking towards what those in your religion say. While these celebrations did not remain entirely the same. They still had a lot of the same things carried over.
baby jesus is money, i work in retail electronics and face it head on. Nothing says rejoyce like hundreds of impatient ignorant consumers standing in line with the obligation to buy shit for family & friends that they don't need. I told my mom, all i wanna do for xmas is eat a 40 oz. steak and watch the christmas story over, and over, and over, and over again.
Why are people so against Halloween and Christmas, I came from Hong Kong and there are SO little christians here yet everyone celebrate christmas.... celebrating christmas doesn't really make u christian..
2:05 "BIG, FAT FROSTY THE SNOWMAN"
The passion is immense at that point.
Thanks Penn...Having a rough day here, and it was just good to see a good Penn Point.
Christmas in Japan and Taiwan is almost completely secular and all about good food , cute gifts / decoration, and basically fun~
One of the many reasons of love going to those places!
I'm a Christian but I'm a liberal, open minded democrat who married a theist and have dear friends who are atheist, hindu, pagan, you name it. My atheist friends *love* Christmas. My (atheist) best friend's husband is a lot like your wife but I don't quite understand being against a holiday that for non religious people is still a pleasant experience that's basically about family, friends & goodwill. Secular Christmas is kind of like Thanksgiving 2.0! 🙂 I respect the fact that some people might find it too commercial though but to that I say just celebrate it in your own way and decommercialize it. Happy/Merry whatever you celebrate! *PS* #HBO Needs to Bring Back Bullshit! #BringBackBullshit
@0:55 I'm so sorry for your loss. I Love You and I am here to help you in any way I can to deal with your loss. I Love You. You're an awesome fantastic respectable man, and I'm sure your Mother would be proud of you - I am and she would be too. I Love You brother.
The mental image of Penn as a kitty cat makes me laugh!
!!!HAPPY (almost) HALLOWEEN!!!
Great Video Penn when are you going to be doing more videos looks like its been 4 Years since you last anything hope you have something soon
As a kid up in Canada Christmas was a focus away from the weather. People took what they wanted from it, the religious people focussed on the church, most on family and friends, some on staying drunk for days at a time but it was something to take your mind off six foot of snow and -30 temperatures. It was a Pagan holiday before a Christian one, they weren't stupid in this respect, you need something to help you through the bad weather and short days. Ideally, up there they could do with another big holiday about February (Valentines day doesn't cut it) as the weathers starting to get to many by then and a (less expensive) focus might be positive for some people.
3:05, LOL at creepy guy watching all the little kids.
I couldn't give up christmas, its just too pretty, with the tree and the same songs that get played every year, good cocktails, lots of baileys and the prawn cocktail ;-;
Halloween! How I love Halloween. I've loved it since I was a kid. I read Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (speaking of which, the bastards completely replaced Gammell's unbelievable illustrations), and all kinds of ghost stories. Things haven't changed much! It's also kind of leeched into my taste in music, now that I enjoy Black Metal and Dark Ambient and things of the like.
On the bit about pagans and Halloween: Nowadays Halloween is a separate secular holiday from the religious Samhain. I see it as roughly the same relationship as the religious Christmas and the secular New Years. It's no accident they're about the same time, but now have become different events.
In the words of King Diamond "Every Night To Me Is Halloween".
anyone know why Penn usually has one nail colored? is there a story behind it or something?
@420simpson Hey, you spotted it! :D
It's something he's always done to point out how powerful misdirection is. A good magician will have people looking where he wants them to look, to the point where they won't even notice a BRIGHT RED FINGERNAIL!! It's awesome.
Christmas and Halloween have always been religious at any given time (either to Pagans or Christians), but we have no issue with people dressing up as spider man and stuff and gathering candy or exchanging gifts. I agree with you when you said religion doesn't need to be in the mix, but some of us see it as a fun religious tradition as well.
I LOVE your hair brother it looks badass.
@dude157 I don't know about you guys, but I'm celebrating Festivus this year instead of Christmas. I'm getting the pole and everything
I love Halloween. i am an Atheist and I also celebrate Christmas. Just because of the memories of Christmas as a kid. My best friend is also an Athiest and we both have a tree up, and I make dinner and exchange presents and the whole thing. But Halloween is awesome. I love candy and scary movies. People dressing up as freaks.
He's obviously never experienced Halloween in Mexico (Día de los Muertos). Unlike Halloween here in the States, it's taken as a quite literal "day of the dead".
I go to the USA every September, just as everybody is starting to gear up for Halloween and I love it. Every childish emotion & thrill I never had for Christmas, I feel around an American Halloween - it's all about fun, no religion, everybody's welcome, it's all inclusive. I love it.
What I hate is coming back home to the UK and having to deal with the Limp-Dick Halloween every shop tries to force on us. It sucks!
Halloween comes from an ancient Celtic holiday called Samhain (pronounced Sow-Wen)--and yes, some of us do take it as religious, but I'm totally cool with people dressing up and having fun. :)
I went to the Lindt store, that other chocolate store, they were giving away truffles. =)
why the red finger nail?
Penn, I don't think Godiva sells sealed individual candies, hence the commercial stuff. ; )
Can someone please explain to me what the word secular means, because he seems to use that word a lot in this video.
Would love to hear Penn's opinion on the Occupy movement.
i always love reading the tags lool
Norse mythology is awesome. Egyptian mythology has some cool characters in it too.
We're not even allowed to say "christmas" at work anymore -- we have to say "holiday"
You are correct. The reason behind the adoption of those holidays where due to allowing a easier absorption of those of other faiths that where used to celebrating those days.
Though of course, if you did not convert.. you where burned, but that is besides the point I am attempting to make.
just on the Christmas note; I am an atheist and this year I'm giving up Christmas and celebrating summer solstice instead, yes I get that it was something celebrated by the Pagans but the idea of people coming together in december, usually the shortest day of the year (longest day for me as I live in New Zealand) is something that almost every civilization has done. So yes presents are shared, yes food is eaten but there is no connection to god in anyway. I thought it was just a cool idea :)
It would be a smart business decision if that candy store would giveaway one of their candies to each family on Halloween including a pamphlet to their store and their candy.
Sadly, my former* across-the-street neighbors *(though they still own it, just don't live there) didn't celebrate Halloween b/c of religious reasons. They did "church bowling" or other stuff like that. Their boys also went to a school that forbid reading Harry Potter..so...good times. (The mom was also the ghost writer for Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue", if that gives you more of an idea...)
In the UK Christmas is virtually secular. Even my mum, who is a christian doesn't really think of it as a religious ceremony.
And yet, if I was a kid and came to a store with nestle bars for free... that's a good candy! That's better than the guy who gives you peppermints!
@monkeywolf Are you suggesting things like Noah and his ark are historically accurate?
"give them nestle... fuck them!" hhahah.
Why Do You Have An Red Nail ;-; 2:10
0:34 Michael Mcintyre?
@ArtAgainstAll pretty sure it means "not religious". so if he says "It seems pretty secular" he means "it seems pretty not religious"
@monkeywolf To be honest I don't know. However, that story may not have originated in that region either, but again I don't know. The description though very much resembles a volcano that is active. It could be plausible that the pillar of smoke that "lead" them away was the ruler/leader/whatever's way of getting his\her\their people out of harm's way. Might also have given them the excuse they need to invade other lands in a less than peaceful manner. Just speculation of though.
The Nestle at Godiva bit is funny shit!
The 'top secret project' is Celebrity Apprentice filming ;-)
DO ANOTHER VIDEO!!
Don't shoot me santa!!!
Sadly I have relatives who forbid their kids from having anything to do with halloween. No dress up, no candy etc. They believe it's devil worship. Gad!
I like holidays... they mean i don't have to go to work :D
@monkeywolf
Rage? You effectively called me an idiot. All those flood events are small and localised. There is never been any confirmed finding of any piece of ark material and certainly no ark would have been created in time for a specific flood. The mass exodus has NOT been confirmed by archeaologists and there is no evidence of 40 years of wandering either. In fact the overwhelming evidence is that 'moses' people are not from egypt at all but a local isreal regional tribe.
Screw Christmas and Halloween. Life Day and Galactic Moon Festival :D
originally Christmas was the Germanic winter solstice and santa was saint nick
the norwads had their own version.the fat guy in the red suit gave candy and coal to get thru the winter then the church got involved and took it over
@420simpson It's to honor his mom. When she was still alive he painted a nail just to be funny and he has been doing it ever since. She died a few years ago.
My family was always butthurt about halloween because "it's a pagan holiday" and then we'd get a lecture about the witchcraft and all that. They still believe it.
I'm sure a Penn dressed as Santa at a mall could inject some serious sexiness into our culture.
holy fucking shit!!!! when did you get old.. fuck when did i get old!
Nice... At least Halloween is sincere in it's presentation. Besides, who doesn't enjoy dressing up like a freak sometimes...?
Who the hell doesnt like Christmas? Im an atheist but i frickin love Xmas!
And all this time I thought Halloween was about making the hills run red with the blood of innocent children so that the druids could sacrifice something to their dark pagan gods.
Why, Penn??? WHY DID YOU CANCEL YOUR SHOW ON NOVEMBER 8TH?! (State Theatre in Easton, PA). I bought such good tickets! :(
Hoping you'll come back to Easton...screw the secret show, I want my show!
Just kidding, please just come back to The State Theatre when you're done doing your secret stuff.
@Klaus1386 No, I'm a Wiccan (which is a form of Paganism.) Wiccans celebrate Samhain (Halloween) and Yule. Look it up.
There you had to go all technical and steal my thunder ;D
Yes, I admit I was making a point by twisting the definition a bit. But seriously, the Greeks invented the word "Atheists" as an adjective first, for the people who didn't worship the gods of their culture, not deniers of any deities at all. The noun came later.
i love to Halloween more than XMAS
@korusi I was just watching Blair Witch 2, so I can't take Wiccans seriously. So your comment cracked me up. No offense!
I love Penn!
But I'm curious, what's with the red fingernail?
Love it Penn. I don't coincide with all your beliefs but i agree lol
Always remember: The "H" in "Jesus H. Christ" stands for "Harvey".
unfortunately the religious thing with holloween isn't done yet I'm 17 and when i have never been aloud to celebrate it because my parent wont let me because of the who religious thing.
In New York for a top secret project?
I wonder if it has anything to do with the new Batman film.
Go Halloween!
make a pennpoint about being on Real Time with Bill maher
Penn, you're older then me and yet I feel as if you have stolen every thought from my brain. Get out of my head!
i know some parents that do not let their children go out and get candy on Halloween because they think it is the devils holiday, no bullshit.
Hey what's up neighbor? Just wanted to say WTF happened to Bullshit? I miss that show...Now I gotta pay 80 bucks just to see you two at the Rio and hope your social commentary has changed since the last time I saw you...lol...Cheers.
Actually, Samhain is still celebrated by the Pagan community. It is a time to honor departed loved ones.
I believe Constantine did not kill people for not believing. Prior to himself converting to Christianity he did make it illegal to believe in Christianity. The God actually forbids adapting pagan beliefs with Him. In other words He forbids people from worshiping Him how the pagans do.
@Penn. When you say "my children", I smile.
Penn genes=my species better.
There's so much confusion about the Real meaning of holidays.
Take Easter for instance, people think Easter bunny and chocolate. When in reality Christ was crucified ,died and buried for our sins and three days later he miraculously rose from the tomb, saw his shadow and there were six more weeks of winter.
@Mcfly88 Nice, I wish more people thought like this, there are plenty of gifts we're given every day that we don't need to overspend on a single day
I mean it's fun, but too much wasted money
I think it is important to support Santa Claus. The entire "don't spoil it for the children' industry is so pervasive, so collusive... and then, one day, poof! Santa is a Myth. (Sorry, kids!) That just sets the stage for the later reveal about the whole Christian thing, and you come to believe that THAT MANY people would cooperate in perpetrating a story as being factual. Santa is a good precursor to Atheism because any argument for religion works for Santa too.
there is nothing "black" about the magic associated with the wiccan and pagan samhain
Missing the point......pun intended. C'mon Penn, bring on some new vids 😜
Christmas is basically yule, except without our homicidal carpenter.
It is supposed to be a Halloween video and dude talking about Christmas until minute 2:32
more more more!
@Mcfly88 Christmas is awesome even if you aren't religious. Selling people a bunch of shit that makes them feel good. . . I'm all for it. The commercialization of Christmas is it's saving grace. :) Too bad all year couldn't be Christmas. It's a Capitalist wonderland. Woot!
hahaha
@SebenFusion Oh okay thank you. :)
This episode of Pen Point starts right ....now.... que ads
Godiva is such a tease.
just change it to xmas so we can be like futurama already
Christmas is a pagan holiday that Constantine put into place. Constantine just put the label on it. December 25 goes back before it was named Christmas. it does go back to pagan beliefs including Santa Clause and The red balls on the trees.
Halloween used to be pagan and than it went to a christian and now it is secular.
Christmas is and will be more secular in years to come but I think Christians will still have Christ in Christmas.
BTW Easter is also pagan.
@emmaly72 : It's not April Fools yet silly.
Do some research on the Crusades. Also, you are talking about the Romans. While yes he was not as harsh as the others. Also I can tell you did not do any research on the origins of various "holidays" beyond looking towards what those in your religion say. While these celebrations did not remain entirely the same. They still had a lot of the same things carried over.
baby jesus is money, i work in retail electronics and face it head on.
Nothing says rejoyce like hundreds of impatient ignorant consumers standing in line with the obligation to buy shit for family & friends that they don't need.
I told my mom, all i wanna do for xmas is eat a 40 oz. steak and watch the christmas story over, and over, and over, and over again.
why is there no male equivilent to the word "slut"? ... and why does this guy change camera angles so often?!
Why are people so against Halloween and Christmas, I came from Hong Kong and there are SO little christians here yet everyone celebrate christmas.... celebrating christmas doesn't really make u christian..
you don't have santa for your kids? that is disgraceful, i'm 57 years old and santa still fills my
(somewhat worn) stocking!
Top Secret Celebrity Apprentice!
@monkeywolf Clouds of fire, incidentally could have been volcanic clouds, as at that time God was very much depicted as a volcano, heh.
In Britain it's strictly scary hollywood dress (and teenage sluts). Cats? Really?