Christmas is a meaningful observance for members of one religion on one planet in our vast Universe. Since the Universe harbors trillions of suns, it is safe to assume that there are at least millions of planets similar to Earth, many thousands of which are inhabited by humanoid populations similar to our own. With that probability in mind, one wonders whether the simplistic beliefs associated with Christmas are universal or purely a fabrication of human thought, creativity and culture.
Most human societies support religious freedom as long as those groups or intstitutions do not impose their beliefs on others or invoke those beliefs to abolish or restrict the rights of others. Unfortunately, the indoctrination of innocent children with religious faith, often reinforced by guilt and fear, is a common practice in human society and seems to acknowledge the fact that mature, experienced and educated adults may not be as receptive to such beliefs.
Religous faith is clearly distinct from morality and, in many cases, has been used to justify immoral behavior. Furthermore, despite the strong convictions of the faithful, there is no reason to believe that religious dogma has any relevance beyond the realm of human civilization. The application of simplistic human beliefs to our vast and complex Universe is, at least intellectually, problematic.
