December 3, 2023: 3 Wise Men, 2 Maccabees, and a Spaghetti Monster in a Pear Tree:
Celebrating Religious Holidays in a Secular Society. 

 

Discussion Questions

Please discuss the questions in any order you'd like. Numbers are just there for easier reference. 

​

1. What are your personal winter holiday season practices? Do any of them connect with religious traditions or ideas?

2. Have you ever experienced a religious celebration from a tradition you were unfamiliar with?

3. Have you considered the difference between a pluralist society and a secular society before? Are secularist policies discriminatory (Ex. Quebec’s religious symbols law)?

4. Is Christmas primarily a secular holiday now, with a smaller subculture seeing it as religious?

5. Have you experienced ever one religious or secularist philosophy demanding its own expression while excluding others?

6. What do you think the holiday season is like for new immigrants to Canada from cultures that are significantly different from the dominate Calgary culture?

7. What unifying elements are there across cultures, religions, and the non-religious at this time of year?

8. Beyond cultural disconnects there is also a socio-economic disconnect around Christmas with gift marketing adding another agitant to those experiencing poverty. What efforts to mitigate poverty as part of the holiday season are you familiar with?

9. There is a heavy emphasis on family and friend relationships at this time of year. Can religious gatherings help those experiencing loneliness? How can religious and non-religious groups facilitate relationship building?