Merry Christmas! vs. Happy Holidays! (Iran, Iraq, myth, support)

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Ever Adrift

People complain that this is 'too pc' but I'd say that being pc has nothing to do with it, its about being polite rather than rude. Many Americans are not Christian, to wish them a Merry Christmas is inconsiderate.

Bingo. Since when did common courtesy become "too PC?" I'll never be rude when somebody wishes me a Merry Christmas, but I do get an awkward moment of "what do I say in return?" - especially when they start asking questions, like what I'm doing for Christmas and such. Just weird, nothing more.

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

Nope, I can't... at least not without research, as I haven't studied American history since 10th grade. Seriously, that's why I said "if I'm not mistaken" - but I can look it up if you are curious.

I do know that one of the Founding Fathers of the Conferderacy was Judah P. Benjamin who was a Jew.

http://www.thesouthernamerican.org/files/CSJEWS1.html

[delusianne]

Originally Posted by BringTheContent

The great thing about growing up and living here is that ANYONE can feel in the majority in NYC. There's room for everyone here no matter where they come from or what they believe or don't believe in. The nice thing is how willing people are to share their backgrounds with people who would be thought of as "outsiders" in other cities. There really aren't any outsiders in NYC. That's not to say that everything is a bed of roses here, but there are plenty of places where people can go to feel comfortable in their own culture... or in someone else's.

Not what you would expect to see posted by a conservative, which I am, but then my conservatism is pretty much limited to what goes on inside of my four walls. Once I'm out in the city I see the good in almost everyone.

Thanks for posting this BtC, I was just reading this thread and thinking about the diversity of NYC and other big cities, and how much I miss it sometimes. I live in a little midwestern town that is as homogeneous-white-Religious Right as can be, but I'm not from here and lived a number of years in New York (E. 7th St. btw 1st and 2nd ) as well as in other cities and metro areas. And I MISS the variety of people and customs and approaches to life! I miss Jewish friends who had to be home before sunset on Friday! I miss different foods, smells, music, face and body structures! I miss constant noise! I miss people who've "run away to be themselves"! When I go to a larger town and see black people it's like water to the desert! This sounds overwrought but believe me, it's almost a physical thing sometimes.

</untoward outburst>

[Huckleberry3911948]

say merry christmas to christians.

[gizmo980]

Not the best sources (I'd have to dig deeper), but here's a little about their religious beliefs...

Religion of the Founding Fathers of America
Founding Fathers of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by CamaroGuy

Could you name me the non-Christian Founding Fathers? I know Jefferson was agnostic but I'm sure he was baptized as an infant.

They were all Christian, nominally. That doesn't really tell us anything about what they believed, necessarily. Many of the "big name" Founding Fathers (especially Jefferson and Franklin) were Deists (and possibly agnostic, when you boil it down).

I don't really know what their nominal religion has to do with anything, though.

[chielgirl]

Happy Holidays.
It's inclusive, not exclusive.

Why push exclusivity, you're not a special club that owns the holidays.
The xians stole it from the pagans anyway.

[Rita Mordio]

Originally Posted by Greatday

Merry CHRISTmas to you and yours

Chanukah Sameach to you and yours.

Originally Posted by charolastra00

This year on Christmas, I'll be lighting the 4th candle and going out for Chinese food and a movie with my boyfriend and his family- and will still be wishing people Happy Holidays on that day!

This year on Christmas Eve, I'll be enjoying the Christmas Eve Dinner, then lighting my Menorah, opening my present, and finally going out to look at Christmas lights. On Christmas morning, I'll open the gifts marked for Christmas with my extended family. Enjoy a nice long day of absolutely nothing, eat dinner, light the Menorah and finish up with Japanese food and a movie. ((There's no good Chinese, but there's a nice Japanese place that is open!))

Oh, and I forgot to initially add - I celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah with my extended family. We all do both as a sign of love for the family-togetherness. My husband was even so brave as to learn the prayers!

[BringTheContent]

Originally Posted by Kuharai

Chanukah Sameach to you and yours.



This year on Christmas Eve, I'll be enjoying the Christmas Eve Dinner, then lighting my Menorah, opening my present, and finally going out to look at Christmas lights. On Christmas morning, I'll open the gifts marked for Christmas with my extended family. Enjoy a nice long day of absolutely nothing, eat dinner, light the Menorah and finish up with Japanese food and a movie. ((There's no good Chinese, but there's a nice Japanese place that is open!))

Oh, and I forgot to initially add - I celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah with my extended family. We all do both as a sign of love for the family-togetherness. My husband was even so brave as to learn the prayers!

There's no good Chinese food where you live???

[MonaLisaVito]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

My point was that people DON'T get upset, at least not in my observations... I've been wished a Merry Christmas for 32 years now, and it's never upset me or caused a riot. So once again, my point is that this is an invented - and ridiculously inane - so-called crisis. Don't we have bigger things to worry about, like the fact that so many Americans can't even afford to celebrate? Let's just be thankful for what we have, and leave this nonsense behind for the rest of the year. Deal??

I've never heard or seen anyone in real life get upset over this in my entire life either. Like you said on another post, it must be the media. The only time I ever hear this stuff is on City Data or on the news once in a while with some story.