Merry Christmas! (No offense)

World Net Daily ^ | December 22, 2007 | Pat Boone

[rhema]

How long, how much farther, will we let an angry, disaffected, alienated, faithless few push us from our God-given liberty to express our joy and faith – whenever and wherever we choose?

Has it not become insufferable, inexcusable, for any of us to feel cowed and almost forbidden by some notion of "political correctness" to even exclaim "Merry Christmas!" to shop clerks, airline stewardesses, delivery men, even passersby on the streets and in the stores? How long will we let this go on?

The latest brouhaha, claiming "lead-item" status on the news and talk shows, is a simple, warm and earnest Christmas greeting from presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. In 30 seconds, he guesses that folks want to enjoy the season without ever-present and clamorous campaign messages, so he offers a plain, old-fashioned "Merry Christmas" greeting. He notes that the day is meant to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus, a time for family and friends to come together and enjoy hearth and home, and a time of peace and love. And he wishes us all those very things.

Cunning? Calculated? An unprincipled, callous manipulation of Christmas to further his political aims? What about those bookshelves behind his head that suggested a cross? Wasn't that an obvious premeditated ploy to remind the voters that Huckabee is the Christian candidate? The political analysts and the talk show hosts on the news networks had a field day, variously and sometimes angrily accusing Huckabee and his "handlers" of those very things. The idea that a man, even a Baptist minister, might actually and sincerely want to wish everybody a "Merry Christmas" with no other motive at all, was simply unthinkable. Who would spend campaign bucks, of which Huckabee has relatively few anyway, to do something as meaningless and altruistic as that?

[piytar]

Merry Christmas!

And frankly, I don’t care if I give offense. If someone takes offense to that simple wish, then it’s their problem, not mine!

[NCBraveheart]

I wish everyone a Merry CHRISTmas for 2 reasons. One, I really mean it. Two, I really really want to find some nitwit who is offended by it. Thus far I have not, I think the MSM blows it out of proportion

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

[crghill]

How long, how much farther, will we let an angry, disaffected, alienated, faithless few push us from our God-given liberty to express our joy and faith – whenever and wherever we choose?

It will continue until we repent of the pansy, effeminate, humanistic, ignorant Christianity that is so prevalent in our society, and return to the God-centered, intellectual, academic, assertive faith of the reformation!

[Mark was here]

... and a Happy New Year!

[thefactor]

i was working yesterday and the mailman came to drop of the mail. as he was leaving he said, "ok, have a good one."

i gave him a loud, "merry christmas!"

upon hearing that, he promptly stopped, turned around, looked at me and gave me a huge smile and responded, "hey, thank you very much. merry christmas to you!"

i could tell he was so tired of hearing "happy holidays" that he had simply given up. it's merry christmas for me. if anyone is offended by that statement, i ask them if they are going to show up for work on december 25th. that usually stops them cold.

[Dan Evans]

Who defines what is offensive? To me, implying that a “Merry Christmas” greeting is somehow offensive is, well, offensive.

[mewzilla]

Related link....

Merry Christmas Is NOT Offensive (Rabbi Daniel Lapin Urges Respect For Christian Holiday Alert)

And Merry Christmas! :)

[bleachboy]

I am an atheist, and I’m certainly not offended by “Merry Christmas”. I’ve never heard of anybody, in fact, who is offended by the word “Christmas”.

Can someone point me to the group on the left that is lobbying against the use of the word “Christmas”?

[navygal]

What I have learned, is that most of the time the other people are afraid to say merry christmas. So, I say it first to them, then they will say it right back to me.

[LowCountryJoe]

The idea that a man, even a Baptist minister, might actually and sincerely want to wish everybody a "Merry Christmas" with no other motive at all, was simply unthinkable.

Come on, Pat, are you that naïve?

Who would spend campaign bucks, of which Huckabee has relatively few anyway, to do something as meaningless and altruistic as that?

Let me take a stab at this one: a politician pandering for votes? Do I win anything?

[mplsconservative]

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

[Lokibob]

I have said it over and over:
The holiday season runs from Thanksgiving, through New Years Day, including Christmas, and Hanukkah.

If you send a gift basket for the holidays, say “Happy Holidays”. If it is for Christmas, say “Merry Christmas”. If New Years, say “Happy New Years”.

A cheese log intended to cover the holidays, is a “Happy Holiday” gift.

A New Year bottle of wine is a “Happy New Year” gift. (I am open to any FReeper sending me a New Years gift)

......Bob

[LowCountryJoe]

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Thank you! Merry Christmas.

[Camel Joe]

The company I work for gives boxes of cookies to our clients every Christmas which we hand deliver. I wish a Merry Christmas to those whom I deliver to and have had some very enthusiastic responses. Even yesterday I was somewhat surprised to hear it was the first Merry Christmas they had heard all season. Even more surprising is the depth to which PC has crept into places I would not have suspected. One delivery is to the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who never reply to Merry Christmas with Merry Christmas, instead their heads are lowered and a meek thanks is offered up. It makes me feel as if I have offended them in some way by mentioning Christmas, I honestly cannot understand this.

[TommyDale]

Merry Christmas! Even to the ACLU and Barry Lynn.

[Earthdweller]

Oh my Gosh...I see a cross in this article!

Do you all see the letter ‘t’...it has a secret message!

Merry Christmas all!

[Camel Joe]

Oh yes, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

[Dan Evans]

I’ve never heard of anybody, in fact, who is offended by the word “Christmas”.

You're lucky. A lot of us have pagan liberal inlaws who ride this anti-Christian bandwagon.

Sometimes I wonder if these people are just rebelling against the social pressure that compels them to go out and fight the Christmas shopping crowds and do all the holiday decorations and such. They feel controlled by Christmas and they resent it.

But if you don't want to celebrate Christmas don't do it.

[mplsconservative]

And a Happy New Year to you too, Joe!