Atheists -- Show Me Your Holidays

It hit me this evening -- I have had too many conversations with my daughter about her not wanting to practice piano.  Those of us with adolescent children know the drill.  Do your work -- learn your skill -- whether it be piano, or a sport, or a craft, or whatever.

But there is one thing that I -- and I would propose every parent reading this -- has not said to my child.  And that is: do nothing and claim something for it.  Never have I said sit there, and then claim something gained. And it's quite obvious why: because there is nothing gained.

And it occurred to me that I have that same feeling regarding art -- yes, many styles, many different ways of expressing things -- but there is some "art" for me that is no art at all.  And it boils down to this: art that required no effort on the part of its creator, is worthless as a "work of art" of its creator.  Sorry Jackson Pollock.

Now at this point you might be saying "Whoa, Johnnie Baby, don't get philosophical on me here.  I need a beer." That's OK.  But hang with me.

Because I have a challenge for my atheist friends out there -- and that is this: I respect your right to believe there is no God, but I am challenged on how you call it a religion, when it has no organization, no holidays, no formal documents, no means of study or advancement.  Nothing.  If I decide to be an athiest, there is nothing I am aware of that differentiates the novice from the expert athiest.  Where's the black belt?  Where's the work?  Where's the effort to learn something?  Are there atheist holidays?

John Cage wrote a piece called 4 minutes 33 seconds.  It is 4 minutes and 33 seconds of utter slilence where the "music" is that which incidentally occurs in the room.  Fancy, Mr. Cage.  And from the Father of Chance Music, we could expect such.  But you and I are just as good as John Cage at creating a 4'33" experience anywhere anytime.  It requires no effort.  No skill.  No education.

I am starting to view atheism as the 4 minutes and 33 seconds of religions.  Because I do not understand how you get good at it.  Or what makes you a more advanced atheist than someone else.

So help me out here!  Are there atheist mission trips of which I am unaware?  Do Atheists gather under that name to help the poor?  And what about Christmas Dinner?