Posted on 11/30/2005 9:13:12 PM PST by churchillbuff
You can not equal or elevate either Christmas of Hanukkah, the religious observance.
What you are talking about is the Season. The Season is not a religious observance, it's a commercial social experience.
In American culture, the Season has come to incorporate both holidays because they are similar is their gift giving nature.
But the days you actullay celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas(always at the same time) or that Jews celebrate Hanukkah religiously should not be equal or equivalent to either group.
>>>>>>No sir, all the Jewish holidays have been banished to an Orwellian memory hole except for one, and that one is remembered only as a sort of Jewish "kwanzaa" to promote multiculturalism.
This is precisely why we hear so much about Hanukkah. Some people don't like to hear this, but the fact reamains that one of the first successful acts of political correctness was the elevation of Hanukkah to an eqaul of Christmas, when it is not--either from a theological, cultural, or historical perspective. Christmas is the second most important feast on the Christian calendar; Hanuakkah is a minor festival, with no basis in the canonical Hebrew Bible.
That's an ironic observation to make considering that chr*stmas has absolutely no basis in the "new testament" either.
Chanukkah is older than chr*stmas. It was not invented to counter it in any way (in fact, the opposite is more likely). And while it's true that Chanukkah is a minor holiday, there is an element of irony in this that is lost when it is turned into a major holiday. In the messianic era the world will be so inundated with holiness that the special sanctity of the G-d-ordained holidays will be "swallowed up" by it, but the sanctity of the two festivals ordained by the Sages (Purim and Chanukkah) will not be. In fact, in the messianic era all the Prophecies and Hagiographa will have fulfilled their purpose and will no longer be retained as Scripture while only the Holy Torah and the Book of Esther will remain (only these must be written on scrolls in accordance with strict rules). Anyway, the irony of the "smallest" festival being the simultaneously the "brightest" is lost when Chanukkah is turned into the "Jewish chr*stmas," G-d forbid.
One could argue that a true understanding of Chanukkah and its adoption by the nations of the world in place of chr*stmas and other such holidays would do much to heal our shattered world. Chr*stmas actually has much to answer for. It celebrates a shallow religiosity and (by being celebrated on a date chosen not as the actual anniversary but to make use of the winter solstice as a didactic mechanism, and by its use of the myth of Santa Claus to teach a "truth") also promotes the concept of non-factual religious truth, which is why so many chr*stians today (and in the oldest, most traditional churches, at that) insist that the Bible cannot be interpreted literally but merely conveys "non-factual truth" by means of myths and symbols.
And btw, theologically e@ster should be the biggest chr*stian holiday. Its eclipse by chr*stmas is because of the influence of the pagan winter solstice celebration, just as the influence of chr*stmas has distorted Chanukkah.
Excuse my typos, anytime. I post to FR and do other things simultaneously and errors are a consequence.
Wonderful, Thank you! (and an early Happy Chanukah to you.)
Please excogitate as to which holidats were superceded, and why more specifically..
That is a truth some folks can't handle..
I'm reminded of what might have been the single dumbest comment I have ever read on FR- and as you know that's not an easy choice.
In a discussion on displaying the Ten Commandments, there was the usual claim that the controversy is all Liberals and Liberal- to some- translates as Jews.
To which one genius wrote something to the effect that it's proof that Jews hate Christianity in that they don't want the Ten Commandments displayed.
It's all quite amazing..
That's exactly how it works. I'm glad Jews and Judaism helped to shape America, and I'm proud of that, and I happily accept that America is a Christian nation and that helps account for much of its success. Because to be Christian, it means there needs to be a Judeo-Christian basis. ;)
I'm in the minority. It's not right that the majority has to change to suit me. As long as I'm free to practice as I wish, and will be fully accepted, that's good enough for me.
Amen. Though I'd've just said all Americans.
I will forevermore be in the debt of Rabbi Daniel Lapin, whose book The Myth of HItler's Pope gives the definitive smackdown against anyone who vilifies the actions of Pius XII during WWII.
Ha, ha! I would like to tell them worse!
My guess is that most Jews who receive a Christmas card react to it in the same manner that most Christians would react to receiving an 'Eid ul-Fitr' card from a Muslim coworker.
IE - Thanks for the sentiment (wrong holiday, though).
:-)
Of course. It's good for business.
It's about time our Jewish cousins stood up for us. Maybe they can start do it more....
It doesn't offend me to say Happy Hanukkah. In fact, it's a feel good thing to say to my Jewish friends. For those who like to mix the two holidays, there's Happy Christmakkah cards showing elements of both traditions.
Off to check out the site mentioned in article. I wish 'em good fortune and the Lord's blessings.
Kudos to the founders of this organization.
You're so right. It seems sometimes that we are living in the era of 'Constant Indignation'.
Now git. 'afore I get offended by you for some reason.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.