The War on Christmas

[sun rise]

Does it bother you that so many non-religious people celebrate Christmas as a time to be with their family/loved-ones, focusing on generosity, love, and nourishment instead of Christ? If so, why? Aren't those the things that Jesus encouraged so much?

Non-Christians who want to celebrate at this time of year are 100% ok in my book. Jews celebrate Hanukkah around that time and it has nothing to do with Christmas. Others celebrate various holidays such as Pagans celebrating the winter solstice. It's all good. But "Christmas" is to me a celebration of the birth of the Christ (no matter the actual birthday).

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

No one is requiring anyone to celebrate anything. When a business does not use the word Christmas to avoid offending non-Christians then they wind up offending Christians. If they want to mention other holidays then that is up to them but to remove the word Christmas just to avoid offending someone is not the answer. Most Christians would not be offended if a store mentioned a Jewish or Muslim holiday but the non-Christians are offended by the mention of Christmas.

 

[leibowde84]

Non-Christians who want to celebrate at this time of year are 100% ok in my book. Jews celebrate Hanukkah around that time and it has nothing to do with Christmas. Others celebrate various holidays such as Pagans celebrating the winter solstice. It's all good. But "Christmas" is to me a celebration of the birth of the Christ (no matter the actual birthday).

It's fine that it means that to you, but what if it doesn't have that meaning to others? My girlfriend is an atheist, and she loves Christmas. Does that bother you?

 

[leibowde84]

No one is requiring anyone to celebrate anything. When a business does not use the word Christmas to avoid offending non-Christians then they wind up offending Christians. If they want to mention other holidays then that is up to them but to remove the word Christmas just to avoid offending someone is not the answer. Most Christians would not be offended if a store mentioned a Jewish or Muslim holiday but the non-Christians are offended by the mention of Christmas.

It's pretty absurd for Christians to be offended by the absence of the word Christmas in stores, don't you think?

 

[jonathan180iq]

Most Christians would not be offended if a store mentioned a Jewish or Muslim holiday but the non-Christians are offended by the mention of Christmas.

Who? Which group of people are grossly offended by the overt celebration of Christmas? Other than Christians who want more Christian references in their holiday experience, I've never experienced anything like that you guys are talking about.

 

[SkepticThinker]

No one is requiring anyone to celebrate anything. When a business does not use the word Christmas to avoid offending non-Christians then they wind up offending Christians. If they want to mention other holidays then that is up to them but to remove the word Christmas just to avoid offending someone is not the answer. Most Christians would not be offended if a store mentioned a Jewish or Muslim holiday but the non-Christians are offended by the mention of Christmas.

If they want to say "Happy Holidays" or something like it, what's so offensive about it?

You're making Christians out to be big cry babies.

My grandmother used to say, "somebody can only offend you if you allow them to offend you." Smart lady.

 

[SkepticThinker]

Who? Which group of people are grossly offended by the overt celebration of Christmas? Other than Christians who want more Christian references in their holiday experience, I've never experienced anything like that you guys are talking about.

Me neither.

 

[jonathan180iq]

It's pretty absurd for Christians to be offended by the absence of the word Christmas in stores, don't you think?

It's like me complaining about stores not having enough atheist references... It would be stupid.

"I just can't understand why Starbucks would directly attack my worldview by releasing cups with holiday themed colors! Don't they know that I think it's all just ridiculous mumbo jumbo?!? I feel so oppressed right now because when I go to order a coffee, I'm forced to put up with the painful reminder that I'm grossly outnumbered in popular opinion. I'm going to start ordering my coffee with the name "Bah Humbug" so that everyone knows I'm special!"

Also, see how self-centered it is?

 

[Draka]

No one is requiring anyone to celebrate anything. When a business does not use the word Christmas to avoid offending non-Christians then they wind up offending Christians. If they want to mention other holidays then that is up to them but to remove the word Christmas just to avoid offending someone is not the answer. Most Christians would not be offended if a store mentioned a Jewish or Muslim holiday but the non-Christians are offended by the mention of Christmas.

Why should Christians be offended over a business not using the word Christmas? Speaking as a non-Christian, and I do believe most other non-Christians here have implied the same, I don't give a crap if someone says Merry Christmas or references Christmas in any way. I simply don't care. The reason some businesses and other places are keeping it more secular is to be more welcoming to those of all religions. Honestly, if Christians get offended over not having preferential treatment they sound like whiny little children. My children act better than that.

 

[sun rise]

It's fine that it means that to you, but what if it doesn't have that meaning to others? My girlfriend is an atheist, and she loves Christmas. Does that bother you?

If that bothered me I'd spend my entire life in a despondent state of botheration. And if I expected everyone to agree with how I see things, I would be insane. In fact my wife who's a non-believer puts up a Christmas tree every year because it evokes warmth and nostalgia for her. I carry boxes from the garage and she does her thing and we're both happy.

 

[girlchristian]

• Ramadan (Muslim)
• Eid al-Fitr (Muslim)
• Saint Nicholas Day (Christian)
• Eid'ul-Adha (Muslim)
• Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican)
• St. Lucia Day (Swedish)
• Hanukkah (Jewish)
• Christmas Day (Christian)
• Three Kings Day/Epiphany (Christian)
• Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish)
• Kwanzaa (African American)
• Omisoka (Japanese)
• Yule (Pagan)
• Saturnalia (Pagan)

...Well, that was easy...

So, 14 displays on gov't property? What about atheists or those that fall in the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate during this time of the year...you've now left them out. So do they get displays whenever their religious holidays come up?

All 14 get to sing songs celebrating their holiday at the holiday concert at school? Then what about atheists? What about the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate at this time of year? Do they get a concert at a different time of the year? How do your recognize all without leaving out some or making all feel included?

No matter what you do, you've left out someone, right? Isn't the whole point of not focusing on "Christmas" is that it's a way to include all?

 

[Rick O'Shez]

http://www.landoverbaptist.org/news1206/santacritical.html

 

[jonathan180iq]

So, 14 displays on gov't property? What about atheists or those that fall in the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate during this time of the year...you've now left them out. So do they get displays whenever their religious holidays come up?

All 14 get to sing songs celebrating their holiday at the holiday concert at school? Then what about atheists? What about the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate at this time of year? Do they get a concert at a different time of the year? How do your recognize all without leaving out some or making all feel included?

No matter what you do, you've left out someone, right? Isn't the whole point of not focusing on "Christmas" is that it's a way to include all?

What?

 

[Ouroboros]

What?

I had a hard time following that too.

 

[metis]

So, 14 displays on gov't property? What about atheists or those that fall in the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate during this time of the year...you've now left them out. So do they get displays whenever their religious holidays come up?

All 14 get to sing songs celebrating their holiday at the holiday concert at school? Then what about atheists? What about the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate at this time of year? Do they get a concert at a different time of the year? How do your recognize all without leaving out some or making all feel included?

No matter what you do, you've left out someone, right? Isn't the whole point of not focusing on "Christmas" is that it's a way to include all?

But that's really not how it works-- or at least should work. It's typically those of particular faiths that put up displays, so if a group of Whatchamacallums want their holiday displays, they can do it. The same holds true of the secular, who can legally tout their atheism.

 

[kerndog]

I think Christians have twisted their own holiday. From what I understand, this holiday is supposed to be your god's birthday. Yet all I see is unmitigated greed for presents. The commercialism has taken over your religious significance. If this "war" only involves the color of Starbuck cups or how businesses decorate their own shops, then your "war" is already lost.

 

[McBell]

So, 14 displays on gov't property? What about atheists or those that fall in the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate during this time of the year...you've now left them out. So do they get displays whenever their religious holidays come up?

All 14 get to sing songs celebrating their holiday at the holiday concert at school? Then what about atheists? What about the other 4,000 plus religions that don't celebrate at this time of year? Do they get a concert at a different time of the year? How do your recognize all without leaving out some or making all feel included?

No matter what you do, you've left out someone, right? Isn't the whole point of not focusing on "Christmas" is that it's a way to include all?

You seem to think that they ALL want to be included....
It isn't an all or nothing.
It is an all who want to or nothing.

 

[Aset's Flames]

Ah...but people want their national holiday, don't they? So, make it non-religious', and it's not a ''problem''...

If people want to pretend that ''Christmas'', isn't a religious oriented holiday, that isn't my problem.

Why not just have a holiday called The Winter Festival?

 

[kerndog]

I personaly can not freaking believe the nastiness of people this time of year, it goes from bad , to off the charts. I do not celebrate it or have anything at all to do with it, dont care in the least whether you people do or not, does not offend me in the least, as long as someone does not try the tired old song and dance about it being christian, nothing the least bit christian about it, ...crap ! They dont even get their own natvity scenes right for crying out loud ! I work for
Wal-Mart, the sheer greed and hostility i see every year should make them totaly ashamed of their behavior, but alas, they continue to show what a lot of christians care about, GREED, VIOLENCE, ME FIRST ATTITUDE, Christ goes right out the window the very minute our employees cut the plastic on the skids of limited merchandise on Black Friday, act like animals at a kill. So yea, nothing scriptural about christmas , pagan to its very core, trying to pass it off as christian, is like trying to cover a terd with all kinds of pretty wrapping and decorations, maybe spray little pine scent on it, but underneath , you KNOW that a duscusting terd is under all those pretty decorations ! SO KNOCK YOURSELVES OUT, but as for me, no christ in christmas, it is not HIS way !!

 

[Desert Snake]

Why not just have a holiday called The Winter Festival?

Why? It already has a title, Christmas.