Posted on 07/13/2004 2:01:55 PM PDT by Ebenezer
I do that, too, and some years the search is more difficult than others. I occasionally find next years selection in the January sales!
I truly think that we should make every effort to only support businesses which honor Christmas and/or Hannukah. They big box stores have decided that religious holidays are offensive. Those of us who are offended by their offense should purchase our gifts from small businesses who need and appreciate our support. Many skilled and clever Americans create and sell unique items. Many of these folks will wish us "Merry Christmas".
Ummmmm, it is a Christian holiday. Non Christians who celebrate it are goofy.
Celebrate as you choose.
How do you celebrate Rosh Hashana? Ramadan? May day? Cinco de Mayo? Boxer day?
(Excuse spelling errors if I have made them)
Holiday = Holy day. Holy = separate, apart, different.
Furthermore, some of us who are Christians don't celebrate it as a religious holiday. I don't view it as a "Christian" holiday since there is no scriptural mandate for such a thing. I just observe it as a secular holiday like the 4th of July.
Also true that the words "Merry Christmas" used to not make people's ears bleed. Speaking from personal experience, my company last year at the Christma---er HOLIDAY party had a representative from Human Resources stand with the DJ and only select songs that would not mention of the words "Christmas", "Holy", etc.
BTW, I don't work for a government agency.
None is required. It's Christian because it is something Christians celebrate. The birth of the savior. The gift of salvation from God.
People who don't believe in salvation or that Jesus of Nazareth is the savior have nothing to celebrate.
I just observe it as a secular holiday like the 4th of July.
It has a different meaning and importance to most Christians. Those who think their salvation and God's kingdom as more important than the day a group of people signed a document in which they announced their decision to no longer concider themselves under the control of the King of England.
It ain't secular, despite what you view it as.
Exactly right. BTTT.
True
I wish others Merry Christmas some wish me Happy Hanukkah, etc.
It makes sense for you as a jew to wish me a merry Christmas if you truly mean it, but it makes no sense to me to wish you a Merry Christmas if you are a jew. Happy Hanukkah would be more appropriate for me to say to you.
Not always knowing the other person's persuasion or anything about their holiday, I stick to my own holiday and hope they take it the right way.
OK. But it's nothing that God has asked for. And it has certainly become a secular holiday, regardless of the origin, which is partly pagan, anyway.
"One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it." - Romans 14:5-6
If one does not not know what holiday a person celebrates, why feel compelled to comment one way or the other? I never wish Merry Christmas to people unless I know they are Christians. I never would wish someone "happy" Ramadan unless I knew they were moslem and knew if it was appropriate to do so.
Celebrating someone else's holiday is well,,,goofy. Wishing them well on the one they celebrate makes perfect sense if it is genuine.
Spreading cheer! Hopefully persons who do not celebrate Christmas are not so insecure in their beliefs that they take offense.
God asks for people to be happy and give thanks to him for gifts he has given. He didn't bother to pick a date, that is up to you. He did set aside one day a week, the sabbath. He actually asks that you do it continually, but particularly on the sabbath. Setting aside a special day to do so is perfectly legitimate.
And it has certainly become a secular holiday, regardless of the origin, which is partly pagan, anyway.
Non believers and pagans have co-opted a religious holiday, Christians have allowed it. They have recently been exerting their rights to express their opinion to these goofy people that they are tired of being insulted by the attempt to secularize a joyful religious holiday.
So you think it would be cheerful for me to wish you a happy Boxer day? LOL, thats a good one.
Hopefully persons who do not celebrate Christmas are not so insecure in their beliefs that they take offense.
It's not a matter of offence, it's just a goofy thing to do. If someone walks up to me and wishes me a happy Ramadan or passover, I would just look at them funny, raise my eyebrows and say thanks. As I walked away I would say to myself, "that person must be goofy", and forget the whole thing, it's no big deal, it's just goofy.
Which is great. I'm just pointing out that there are reasons for some of us to not use Merry Christmas that aren't attempts to make it a secular holiday. It's a time of giving and celebration, some of the folks we give to and celebrate with might be of other persuasions. When I'm cycling in purely Christian circles I stick to Merry Christmas, but most of the time I'm in mixed circles.
That's great. Stay in the shallow water.
What does that mean? Please explain.
Forget the whole thing, it's just goofy.
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