Merry Christmas! vs. Happy Holidays! (tax, USA, school, goverment)

[PRothport]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

LMAO. You do realize that a Jewish holiday occurs at the same time (Chanukah runs right through Christmas this year), and our religion has been around for.... ummmmm... 5769 years, give or take. So we already have our own holiday, thanks, which has been around much longer than Christmas. But I don't insist on pushing Chanukah in your face for 2 months, so can you please stop pushing yours in my face?

Nice try.

Hannukah is a MINOR Jewish holiday. It was only elevated in the 20th Century by Jews to compete with and dilute the Christians' holiday.

You don't see the Muslims ever pushing Ramadan to hurt Christians.

What would Jews think if Christians took a page out of the Jewish playbook and decided to elevate a minor saint's feast day right in between Yom Kippur and Rosh Shoshana?

Hannuakah has always been a minor Jewish holiday, but because of their antipathy for Christians and in the desire to not let Christians celebrate their Christmas holiday in peace, the Jews decided to elevate Hannukah beyond all historical tradition, for the sole purpose of competing with the major Christian holiday and messing it up. That is the mentality of the Jew as perceived by the Christian.

gizmo, will probably disagree, but he/she doesn't have an outside perspective on it outside her religion.

There is no comparison between the level of the two Holidays, Hannukah and Christmas, and one would think that the Jewish people would respect the Christians' major holiday.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

Some kids in my youth group at church here in PA said that in their school they are not allowed to wear crosses. I don't have a link to a story, I'm just going by what the kids said. I think the liberal left-wingers are the cause of all these problems with Christmas and other hot topics. The left-wing bleeding heart liberals are just as dangerous as the extreme religious- right kooks. I see myself as a moderate with leanings to the right.

As a reference librarian, I can say that "hearsay" doesn't constitute an accurate source. Like I said, I work in a very liberal area, and see plenty of children wearing crosses... not buying it.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by PRothport

Nice try.

Hannukah is a MINOR Jewish holiday. It was only elevated in the 20th Century by Jews to compete with and dilute the Christians' holiday.

Nice try... we don't care about competing with Christmas, and never did. More likely it was elevated by the retailers, in an attempt to get our business in December too. And I realize it is a "minor" holiday, but the poster I was responding to claimed Christmas was there first - and all other holidays at that time are fake. Chanukah may not be a major holiday, but it sure ain't fake, and you can't argue which is older.

gizmo, will probably disagree, but he/she doesn't have an outside perspective on it outside her religion.

I'm a she... and I do have some outside perspective, as my religious beliefs are actually Agnostic/Atheist. I don't need an outside perspective anyway, since this whole concept is ridiculous even to the Christians I know.

[Guero]

Originally Posted by JTraik

That is nice and all but this is America, and like it or not there are more Christians here than any other religion... Christmas is a big part of our culture. I don't understand why anyone would consider any sort of greeting as offensive, that's just ridiculous to me. I am an advocate of "Merry Christmas" mainly because I am disgusted with how it's commercialization has been the main culprit in bringing about this "Happy Holidays!" pc bullcrap and the other reason is well... it is actually Christmas time and none all this joy and happiness would exist if that were not so.

I think the "pc bullcrap" is coming from those who are so worried about their holiday falling under a generic blanket for commercial endeavors. Several religions have their holidays at that time of the year so it's just good business sense to use "Happy Holidays". No one's forcing them to do it, and they don't all do it.

I don't find "Merry Christmas" offensive, but it does tell me something about a person if they go out of their way to make a point by using it. They think that having the majority somehow makes their religion the rightfully dominant one,and that it should be used in commercials and so on. I suspect that this is because they had their way for so long that they feel entitled now. If it bugs people so much that a company that they don't own and don't have to buy from doesn't use their specific religious terminology, then perhaps they should just not do business there.

Those are the people who invented the imaginary "war on Christmas".

Gross hyperbole for the win!

[Who?Me?!]

Originally Posted by PRothport

Ok, it's not the Muslims or the Hindus, it's not the retailers, it's not the Jews (cough, cough), it's the "MEDIA" because a non-Christian says so? Gizmo, you are out of our league talking about a subject you KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

God, stop trolling here please.

WHEN has anyone stopped YOU from celebrating that stupid holiday? I can answer that ...NEVER. NO one has stopped you from saying Merry Christmas or getting drunk for Christmas or spending yourself into debt for Christmas.....you have been stopped from NOTHING!!!

So why don't you stop with the hate and racism and illogic that plagues your over stressed posts....GAWD! You're making a case against Christmas!!!!!!!

[bentlebee]

I'm Jewish and don't care if someone says either of them. I know they wish me something nice.

If you have to watch every word you say ...how much fun is that...!

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by PRothport

Nice try.

Hannukah is a MINOR Jewish holiday. It was only elevated in the 20th Century by Jews to compete with and dilute the Christians' holiday.

You don't see the Muslims ever pushing Ramadan to hurt Christians.

In Europe the muslims are already demanding to have the Ramadan of the National calendar and make it a National Holliday and they are trying to get other Hollidays of the calendar!!!

What would Jews think if Christians took a page out of the Jewish playbook and decided to elevate a minor saint's feast day right in between Yom Kippur and Rosh Shoshana?

Hannuakah has always been a minor Jewish holiday, but because of their antipathy for Christians and in the desire to not let Christians celebrate their Christmas holiday in peace, the Jews decided to elevate Hannukah beyond all historical tradition, for the sole purpose of competing with the major Christian holiday and messing it up. That is the mentality of the Jew as perceived by the Christian.

You are having another problem with Jewish people and IMO it is more anti semetic or jealousy, but since I don't know you and I can only go by what I read it sound more to something combined.
The truth is that the retailers are using it to their best interest and that is to sell more stuff by using smart advertisement towards Jewish people, and nothing is wrong with that.

gizmo, will probably disagree, but he/she doesn't have an outside perspective on it outside her religion.

There is no comparison between the level of the two Holidays, Hannukah and Christmas, and one would think that the Jewish people would respect the Christians' major holiday.

I respect and even celebrate Chrismakah, combination of Christmas and Hannukah. We have a menora and a tree and many lights outside, but we only give the presents on Hannukah days, but sometimes it is on the same day and I don't care if some one wishes me Happy Holidays or a Merry Christmas. By the way I like a lot of Christmas songs and some of the most famous once were made by Jewish people.

[Canine*Castle]

Christmas is about the birth of Christ; it's as simple and wonderful as that. From that, we get holidays (holy days).

[wolfeyes]

Even though The "Christmas" celebrations were around long before Christ,..but, The word "Christmas" occurs nowhere in the Bible. It is an old English word that means "Christ's Mass" which refers to the celebration of the Lord's Supper, i.e. the Mass. The earliest occurrence of the word on record is 1038 A.D. Christians at this time considered the Mass (Lord's Supper) to be the most important part of the celebration of Christ's birth, hence it came to be called Christmas.

I really don't think it matters how someone is told.. whether it be merry Christmas or happy holidays.. It all means the same! Everyone should be thankful for what they have in life and that they have each other during these wonderful holidays.

[Rita Mordio]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

I'm a she... and I do have some outside perspective, as my religious beliefs are actually Agnostic/Atheist. I don't need an outside perspective anyway, since this whole concept is ridiculous even to the Christians I know.

I just noticed something quite funny. The majority of us (here) who celebrate Chanukkah are agnostic/atheist but yet hold to our Jewish upbringing.

Originally Posted by bentlebee

I respect and even celebrate Chrismakah, combination of Christmas and Hannukah. We have a menora and a tree and many lights outside, but we only give the presents on Hannukah days, but sometimes it is on the same day and I don't care if some one wishes me Happy Holidays or a Merry Christmas. By the way I like a lot of Christmas songs and some of the most famous once were made by Jewish people.

I also celebrate a "Chrismakah!" In fact, I've celebrated Chrismakah almost every year because my dad is Jewish and my mom Catholic. ((I'm a cashew.))

Basically, everyone gets one small gift on the first night of Chanukkah; on Christmas is when the other gifts get opened. We also use different wrapping paper for the gifts so that they don't get mixed up.

Since Christmas and Chanukkah seem to cross paths this year, I'm looking for a Menorah tree topper that I can change for each night.