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What gets me is my local news talking heads stumbling over doing their best NOT to say Christmas. It's "the holiday", "holiday shopping", "holiday tree", "holiday cards". Really stupid.
Or you could simply respect that not everybody is Christian, and just wish them a Happy Holidays? Christmas is included in the phrase, you know.
This.
Aren't there more important things to be worrying about?
At the same time, precisely BECAUSE there are more important things to worry about, I also don't understand why anyone would get in a twist because some people want Christmas-specific decorations, etc., or because some people say "Merry Christmas" rather than Happy Holidays, etc.
People need to get over themselves. Both the folks who act like it's a major offense to celebrate Christmas or mention it by name, etc., as well as the people who shout "Waaah! We're being persecuted! This is WAR!" because some office policy dictates something less exclusive than a Christmas-specific format (which I still contend is a silly thing to try to ban or alter.)
You're offended because someone is openly celebrating Christmas?
Who cares? Tough poop. Get over yourself and get on with your life.
You're offended because someone wants you to take down your cubicle tree or say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas?"
Who cares? Tough poop. Get over yourself and get on with your life.
One thing certain, though--this whole idea of Christians being persecuted, marginalized, etc., is the biggest heap of bunk in our society at the moment, and that's saying a lot.
The vast, vast majority of US citizens self-identify as Christian. Christians have their own publishing companies, record labels, clothing lines, chains of retail outlets, radio stations, television stations, etc., etc. Not to mention you can't drive 4 blocks in any town or city in this country without seeing a church, or go ten miles without seeing a super-huge mega-church, church billboards, church people going door-to-door, Christian groups have mobilized political organizations, we still have sin taxes and blue laws, etc., etc.
AND THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD! THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE! (Well, aside from Christian-based legislation.)
This is a free country. People should be and are free to worship how they wish (or not at all) and even as a non-believer I 100% endorse this freedom and would be the first to fight alongside those who would protect these freedoms should they actually come under attack.
But don't pretend that, given all the facts above, and the pervasiveness of Christian belief, doctrine and commerce in our society, that Christians are then somehow maltreated, persecuted, pushed to the margins, etc.
Biggest load of nonsense imaginable.
Please realize the difference: numbers of congregants falling off and fewer and fewer people signing up to be a church member, etc. is NOT the same thing as Christianity coming under attack. Horse puckey.
What gets me is my local news talking heads stumbling over doing their best NOT to say Christmas. It's "the holiday", "holiday shopping", "holiday tree", "holiday cards". Really stupid.
Holiday tree is stupid because I am not aware of other holidays this time of year to include a tree as part of their celebrations. Maybe there are, of course, but it seems like it would be pretty minimal.
But holiday shopping, cards, etc. - believe it or not, people who celebrate other holidays this time of year do in fact shop, make festive meals, send out cards, etc. How horrible that a tv station would feel like it wants to include everyone when they make comments or report activities. Perhaps I'm mistaken and they are forcing people to show proof of Christianity before they are allowed into Walmart and Target to do their shopping?
Holiday tree is stupid because I am not aware of other holidays this time of year to include a tree as part of their celebrations. Maybe there are, of course, but it seems like it would be pretty minimal.
Well, there are the earlier, pre-Christian pagan festivals that included trees and which Christianty took over/absorbed.
Both the Christmas tree and the Easter egg are clearly pre-Christian pagan remnants.
But who really cares? I love Christmas! And I will proudly say "Merry Christmas!" to people. Why? Because whatever issue you have with it, Christmas is a part of our culture and our history in this country. I certainly make room for the end-of-year, Winter celebrations and holy days of other cultures. Fine and dandy! But this is Christmastime to me.
I am not a believer in gods. Nor a part of any church body or religion. But this is still a special time of year for me, with great childhood memories, etc. Anyone who doesn't like it can stuff it.
I may be an agnostic/atheist, but I can still understand and find deep meaning and beauty in the ideas behind Christmas--selflessness, giving, sharing, being charitable, sacrifice and redemption, and so on--all of which Christianity (as well as most other religions) are (at least ostensibly) founded upon.
Just as while I may not believe the literal truth of much of The Bible, the stories it contains are still very profound to me and, IMO, speak to the human condition in amazing ways. (And I find great truth and beauty in parts of the holy texts of other cultures as well.)
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But holiday shopping, cards, etc. - believe it or not, people who celebrate other holidays this time of year do in fact shop, make festive meals, send out cards, etc. How horrible that a tv station would feel like it wants to include everyone when they make comments or report activities.
See, I understand this viewpoint also. But if I say "Merry Christmas" or decorate a tree, to me I am just celebrating the way I always have, in a way that is meaningful to me. I don't mean at all to preclude anyone else from their own beliefs or ways of celebrating.
See, I understand this viewpoint also. But if I say "Merry Christmas" or decorate a tree, to me I am just celebrating the way I always have, in a way that is meaningful to me. I don't mean at all to preclude anyone else from their own beliefs or ways of celebrating.
Agreed. And if I say "Happy Holidays," I'm doing the same.
Agreed. And if I say "Happy Holidays," I'm doing the same.
Exactly. I don't get offended if someone says Merry Christmas to me, and I will say it back to them even though I am Jewish and don't celebrate Christmas. But I think it's absurd when people get offended if someone says Happy Holidays instead. Christmas is included in that, it's just not excluding everything besides Christmas.
Agreed. And if I say "Happy Holidays," I'm doing the same.
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Originally Posted by emm74
Exactly. I don't get offended if someone says Merry Christmas to me, and I will say it back to them even though I am Jewish and don't celebrate Christmas. But I think it's absurd when people get offended if someone says Happy Holidays instead. Christmas is included in that, it's just not excluding everything besides Christmas.
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