There are people in my office talking about boycotting local businesses because they have signs that say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.
Who cares?!
There are a number of “Christian sub-culture” issues that just blow me away.
Like refusing to celebrate with Santa Clause (based upon an actual St. Nicholas), refusing to shop at stores that say, “Holiday tree” or “Happy Holidays.”
I watched a debate on TV with people who were flamin’ mad because President Bush sent out a “holiday” card that said, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”
There are more than one holidays between Thanksgiving and New Years. Can’t we celebrate them all?
The whole issue of having manger scenes and the 10 Commandments on public property bugs me too. I don’t believe either is constitutional. But people who claim they’re faith is so strong, feel they have to have things like this to remind them of their faith in the public square.
If you want a manager scene, or 10 commandments, put them on your church property or your own house.
When was the last time you saw a church with the 10 commandments posted? Or a house with a large sculpture with the 10 commandments?
Come on. Don’t expect the rest of the world to do something you wont.
I hope all the baptists that flocked to see The Chronicles of Narnia, didn’t forget the boycott they had against Disney for so many years.
I’m quite sure Disney hasn’t changed their stance on anything, but because they produce a movie that was based on a Christian’s writing, its OK to be a Disney fan now. Geeze.
Maybe I’m missing the point here, but its really bugging me and I think something should be said.
So there. I said it.
Seriously…
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Jonathan,
I am having trouble with my computer. I have been unable as of late to comment on blogs as my computer immediately closes pop up windows as soon as they are opened.
I enjoyed your latest posting but I think our opinions will differ on this one.
This years Political Correctness has been stepped up in terms of not referencing Christmas. Heck, I am game for celebrating all holidays, except for Ramadan and Kwanzaa (I’m not black!) I am also happy to let other groups celebrate what they will.
But it’s another thing when a Christmas tree can’t be called a Christmas tree without fear of offending someone. Crimenee!
I have a different take…
For years I have heard church folks complain about Christmas being over commercialised. I have heard a quote stating that some businesses don’t wa! nt anything to do with Christmas.
This is a blessing in disguise.
What an opportunity for Christians to reflect and try to rediscover traditions other than frenzied gift buying. Let’s take this opportunity and scale back give gifts from the heart rather than out of obligation which I suspect is the main reason lots of gifts are given.
Also, I am broke this year. Maybe it’s a good thing.
I am all for letting people celebrate whatever holiday they want but I am willing to call each event by it’s name rather than white wash it under the Holiday banner.
Jonathan, Keep writing. I enjoy the heck out of your posts.
Your Friend.
Michael
Why is it that suddenly this year everyone thinks there’s an attack on Christmas.
The Whitehouse has been sending cards that say Happy Holidays since 1992 and no one’s took notice.
George H. W. Bush was the last president to send “Merry Christmas” and even then he sent one or two cards that said “Happy Holidays”
Now suddenly there’s “an attack” on Christmas?
Nothing has changed. Sure, it can be political correctness. Or maybe people really are conspiring to take Christ out of Christmas, but personally I don’t want to give them that much credit.
Do you really think the news directors at ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and others sent out mass emails one day and said, “How can we get rid of Christ at Christmas?”
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'” – I Cor 1:18-19
I’m going to celebrate Christmas how ever I please this year. It doesn’t matter if Target tells me Happy Holidays (which comes from HOLY-days). It doesn’t matter if my Christmas Tree is called a Holiday Tree.
It doesn’t change my outlook on the season.
People are lost. I can’t hold that against them.
I’m not going to judge them because they don’t use the “proper terminology.”
And I agree with the commercialization of Christmas.
I’ve told everyone not to buy me gifts this year. I don’t need anything. I have a garage full of crap that I don’t have room for in my apartment now.
I’ve just told everyone if they really want to buy something – give it to Angel Tree in my sisters name. I don’t need it.
Why are we suddenly making such a big deal about Christmas? If you don’t want to celebrate it the way I do – WHO CARES!?
I can guarantee they don’t celebrate Easter like I do. And they don’t get mad when I don’t celebrate Halloween the way they do.
PC or not – I don’t care. Get over yourself (not referring specifically to you) and enjoy the season rather than yelling at each other on the news over the President losing his faith this Christmas season.
I think saying “Holiday Tree” is insulting. What ‘Holiday’ is it? It’s only for Christmas, we’re not stupid.
Do we say ‘Happy Holiday’ for Easter and Thanksgiving? Do we see signs for ‘Holiday pyrotechnics’ for 4th of July? Do stores sell “Holiday masks” for Halloween? No. But perhaps in 2006 we should refer to every holiday as just ‘holiday’ and see how long it takes for people to refer to us as freaks. We could quickly retort, for example after all, only 7% percent of the world is American so why should we be so exclusive to say “Happy 4th of July” and exclude 93% of the world?
If a store doesn’t wasn’t want to say Christmas. I am fine with that. If people don’t want to buy from a store that doesn’t want to say “Christmas” I am fine with that as well. I am sure more than 80% of people in this country celebrate ‘Christmas’ if they find it laughable a store wants to say “Holiday Tree” instead of ‘Christmas Tree’ because they don’t want to offend people but still want to cash in on the holiday.
Similar parallels can be found with the whole Dixie Chicks Iraq War fiasco. The Dixie Chicks are free to express their opinion. However a lot of people thought no one else had a right to disagree the Dixie Chicks and gasp especially had no right to not buy their cds because of it.