December 25, 2003

An Atheist Xmas
by Liza Sabater

(To Karen S., because she asked)

I came to the realization about 7 years ago that not only did I not believe in a higher being but that I am highly allergic to organized religions. Thing 1 was newly born and the question had to be asked : "So, are we gonna baptiize him?" Mark's head almost came off it's socket --that's how forceful his reaction was.

Even though we had spent 10 years having these intense philosophical discussions about reality, the unknown, mysticism and the meaning of life, I had the knee-jerk reaction that any recovering Catholic probably has after a life-altering experience such as the birth of a child.

"He's going to die and end up in Purgatory!!!!"

It lasted about 5 minutes but it marked the closing of a chapter in my life. I had spent years studying the likes of Lezama Lima, Borges, Nietzsche, Marx, Foucault, Gongora, Sor Juana, Bataille, Pessoa and most importantly Frasier, Pagels and Campbell. It's through poetry and art that I've come to respect people's choice in believing in a supreme being all the while loosing my attachment to it.

I appreciate the mythology, the stories, the magic. Who does not read the St. Matthew's 'Gospel' and just enjoy it for the epic story? How about the stories of the saints, like Sta. Teresa de Ávila or St. Francis of Assisi? Or the story of the miracle of Lourdes? And of course, the story of St. Nicolaus? These are the myths of our times and I appreciate them for exactly that.

The story of Santa Clos (that's how people call him in Puerto Rico), wether it is through King Wenseslaus or St. Nicholas, is a story of compassion, charity, humility. The trees, the lights, the presents, they all represent hope. Hope for lighter, warmer, friendlier days. Hope for lightness, kindness and friendship during the darkest days of the year. Hope of love, abundance and prosperity.

Just because I don't believe in a messiah it does not mean that I do not enjoy the ritual of celebrating the messiah, the child of light, in all of us. Last week, I went to see The Metropolitan Museum of Art's special exhibition of El Greco. It was like going home. I grew up looking at cheap imitations of most of his religious paintings. In truth, Jesus is the Spanish-speaking world look's like El Greco's Jesus. I may not believe he is god, nor that there is such a thing but I believe in the power of El Greco's ability to speak about the divine through his painting. And that brings great joy to me. The art, the story-telling.

So my kids, and this kid, will open Santa's presents tomorrow. And we'll ready stories about the season. And we'll dance and sing songs about reindeers, kissing santa and pasteles. And we'll make some christmas crafts. Thanks to the myths, the art and the story-telling.

Yes Karen, atheists do celebrate christmas. At least this one does :)

Posted by Liza Sabater in Parenting
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