Posted on 11/08/2004 7:28:03 PM PST by carrier-aviator
Is anyone else as sick as I am of the one-for-one substitution of the word "Hoilday" for "Christmas," as in Holiday Party, Holiday Shopping, Holiday Season, the Baby's First "Holiday." Christmas is a federal holiday just like Veterans' Day or Thanksgiving. Why shouldn't we mention it?
Take the pledge: refuse to use the word "Holiday" when "Christmas" is correct. To your neighbors and fellow employees say MERRY CHRISTMAS, never Happy Holidays, and if they object simply tell them you are wishing them happiness on the upcoming federal holiday. If they object further, ask them if they'll be going to work on December 25th.
LMAO! No, I don't want my holidays elevated at all. They are very meanigful to me. I unlike you, do not need the federal approval of my days.
But you never answered me earlier...are you going to be one of the posters with their panties in a bunch when you see the President's card this year? The last 4 years they have all read, "Happy Holidays". I look foward to your spittle laced thread about it this year.
No spittle. Just a sad recognition that even the Head of the Government that bestows the Holy Day Christmas with designation as one of ten federal Holidays has fallen prey to our PC times.
The designation of the Holy Day Christmas as a Holiday was done by the democratic process of a law passed by the Congress and signed by the President. This designation is the law of the land and the will of the people. If people like you don't like that law; or if you don't like uttering the official name of the Holiday that falls on December 25th, I suggest a letter-writing campaign to your Representatives and Senators. But, until you get the law reversed I suggest you honor the nation and the democratic institutions that have chosen to honor December 25th as Christmas Day. I can assure you that if Purim were to ever get a similar designation I would never, ever call it anything but P-U-R-I-M.
Blogs like this one help to expose the prejudices of people like you. Perhaps some future President, energized by a populace who gets to read your undemocratic and prejudicial words, will return to the words that were good enough for all Presidents from Washington to Nixon: Merry Christmas.
Blogs like this one help to expose the prejudices of people like you.
Ok, newbie. Whatever you say.
But, until you get the law reversed I suggest you honor the nation and the democratic institutions that have chosen to honor December 25th as Christmas Day.
No, you don't get to tell Jews what to do. Sorry.
Perhaps Chanukah would have been a better example than Purim. Because, as a native New Yorker, I have heard and seen an awful lot of "Happy Chanukahs" by the Jewish population of New York, at the same time that the Christian population there was cowed into saying "Happy Holidays" for fear of offending Jews with the words "Merry Christmas."
Read carefully: I only suggested that you honor the nation and its democratic processes. You, of course, are free to disregard this suggestion.
But just as people in the election of 2004 sent a messsage to the unelected judges who decided to dishonor the democratic process (re: gay marriage), these same people will rightly judge you as someone who doesn't honor our democracy, its majority culture, or its traditions. You probably don't care what they (we) think. You probably think they (we) are all religious nuts. But, the same people that rejected the undemocratic judges on Novembver 2nd might just vote all kinds of new laws or even Constitutional Amendments to enshrine their (90%) Christian traditions in the documents of our nation. And, if that happens, it will be in direct reaction to the attitudes of people like you who have shown your hostility to the people, their traditions, their Holidays, and their laws.
You seem to have more of a problem with Jews than I do with Christians. Our all purpose holiday greeting is Chag Sameach. Happy Holiday. Chanukah is only made into an overblown fuss by relatively unobservant Jews. Chanukah is not a major holiday to us. Nor is Purim. They are not non-work holidays.
these same people will rightly judge you as someone who doesn't honor our democracy, its majority culture, or its traditions.
Ooooh....scaring me now. Actually most FReepers do not seem to have the same disgust you have for Jews who do not honor or celebrate your holidays or traditions.
So, care to tell us what your screen name used to be?
Um...you do understand that Christians take much of their law and teachings from Jews, right? You didn't create anything new. Judaism had the first fair law codes that did not give lighter sentences to those who had more $$.
WHAT DO $$ HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?
You seem to have more of a problem with Jews than I do with Christians. Our all purpose holiday greeting is Chag Sameach. Happy Holiday. Chanukah is only made into an overblown fuss by relatively unobservant Jews. Chanukah is not a major holiday to us. Nor is Purim. They are not non-work holidays.
IF CHANUKAH IS MINOR, THEN WHY MUST EVERYTHING DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON THAT WOULD NORMALLY UTILIZE THE WORD "CHRISTMAS" BE DILUTED TO THE WORD "HOLIDAY" TO ACCOMMODATE THE PRESENCE OF THIS MINOR HOLIDAY OBSERVED BY 2% OF THE POPULATION? CONSIDERING YOUR ASSERTION ABOUT CHANUKAH, YOU OUGHTA BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS I AM ON THIS.
these same people will rightly judge you as someone who doesn't honor our democracy, its majority culture, or its traditions.
Ooooh....scaring me now. Actually most FReepers do not seem to have the same disgust you have for Jews who do not honor or celebrate your holidays or traditions.
NO DISGUST WITH JEWS AT ALL. I AM A CHRISTIAN AND I TOTALLY HONOR THE FACT THAT THE TRADITIONS OF MY RELIGION COME FROM YOURS. BUT I RESENT TINY MINORITIES (WHETHER THEY BE JEWS, MUSLIMS, OR THE LADIES OF THE D.A.R.) FROM INTERFERING WITH THE MAJORITY TRADITIONS AND LAWS OF THE PEOPLE.
So, care to tell us what your screen name used to be?
SCREEN NAME? THIS IS MY FIRST AND ONLY FR SCREEN NAME.
THIS WILL BE MY LAST POST ON THE TOPIC. IT'S TOO BAD YOU GOT DISAGREEABLE AND WENT IN TO THE AD HOMINEM MODE. BUT AT LEAST OUR OPINIONS ARE OUT THERE, AND OUR FELLOW FREEPERS CAN JUDGE THE MERITS OF OUR ARGUMENTS. I HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY CHANUKAH. I PLAN ON A JOYOUS FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ON DECEMBER 8TH, AND I WILL CELEBRATE THE HOLY DAY AND HOLIDAY OF CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25TH.
We don't live in a "democracy", we live in a republic.
its majority culture, or its traditions
So what? Where is it written that the majority is entitled to have its culture and traditions "honored" by minorities who don't share the same traditions? Celebrate your holidays however you want, but don't expect me to "honor" them.
just vote all kinds of new laws or even Constitutional Amendments to enshrine their (90%) Christian traditions in the documents of our nation.
Your solution to "Happy Holidays" is a constitutional amendment? Good luck with that.
I was using the example of people getting off with lighter sentencs because they had more $$ as an example. My point was that Jewish civil law has served as basis for civil law in many civilizations.
IF CHANUKAH IS MINOR, THEN WHY MUST EVERYTHING DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON THAT WOULD NORMALLY UTILIZE THE WORD "CHRISTMAS" BE DILUTED TO THE WORD "HOLIDAY" TO ACCOMMODATE THE PRESENCE OF THIS MINOR HOLIDAY OBSERVED BY 2% OF THE POPULATION? CONSIDERING YOUR ASSERTION ABOUT CHANUKAH, YOU OUGHTA BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS I AM ON THIS.
Marketing? Hallmark and the lot have decided to make Chanukah something it is not to observant Jews. Most of us ignore it.
Shalom.
It isn't. X is the first letter of Christ in Greek.
My apologies in advance if somehow wising you an extra measure of happiness on a day you might find totally meaningless offends you.
But "I" is, I think, the first Greek letter in Greek version of the name Jesus.
Somehow, I often get the feeling that those who refer to Christians as "Xians" derive some sort of satisfaction at using an "X" to describe Christ.
I confess that I could be quite wrong about that. But I do wonder why they never refer to us as "Iians". My own guess is that "I" somehow does not have the same effect as an "X".
Har Har.
I just want to wish everyone a happy Universal Celebration Day. Here are some fun activities you might enjoy for UCD:
Take a tour of the UN building in New York.
Collect your guns and turn them over for destruction at the local police station. If your neighbors have any guns that might be unlicensed, be sure to tell the police while you're there.
Visit a poor neighborhood and hand out money to those who were less lucky in the economic lottery.
If undocumented immigrants work in your area, invite one or more to stay in your home over the holidays.
If you made more money this year than last, show your appreciation by sending an additional 5% of your income to the US Treasury.
Visit NAMBLA. Use the opportunity to discuss alternative lifestyles with your children.
I don't think the Baptist's I know would put up with that!
Because we are not "Jesusians," we are "Christians." If you are going to use an initial, odds are it would be the "X" from the Greek for "Christ," rather than the "I" from the Greek for "Jesus."
While I am not at all offended by your wishes for my happiness on Universal Celebration Day (In fact, let me thank you for wishing me happiness on that day), I am a bit offended by your suggestions as to how I ought to spend that day.
What I decide to do on any given day is my own business. UCD holds very little meaning for me, and I find your suggestions that I do things that appear to me to "celebrate" a day that has no meaning for me to be sticking your nose in my business.
I do hope you see and understand the difference between offering wishes for happiness on a particular day and offering suggestions on how to celebrate that day.
That's right. I agree with you there.
You are not going to get me to say that I find meaning or exceptional joy on December 25th. It is a normal day for me, unless it is Shabbat. Then it is more important.
I don't believe that I have ever suggested that you say something you clearly do not believe.
I don't believe that I have ever suggested that you find meaning or exceptional joy on December 25th.
I did note, perhaps mistakenly, that you appear to find December 25th (except those that happen to fall on Saturdays) to be a bit -- depressing is the word that comes to my mind, but perhaps I overstate your own feelings.
I would never presume to suggest HOW you spend December 25th.
But I still insist that I can wish you a Merry Christmas (or a Happy Veteran's Day or a Happy February 4th, for that matter) without that greeting -- in and of itself -- being offensive.
My wishing you "Merry Christmas" does NOT require you to believe in the divinity of Jesus. Nor does it require you to acknowledge the Apostles' Creed.
It merely wishes you happiness on a particular day of the year. And, for many of us, if we wish people joy and happiness on no other day of the year, Christmas is the ONE day we decide to do so.
If you wished me a Merry Christmas I would say to you, "Thanks but I do not celebrate Christmas. Have a good one.".
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