Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

WAL-MART BANS CHRISTMAS: BOYCOTT LAUNCHED
Catholic League ^ | 9 November 2005 | William Donohue

Posted on 11/09/2005 11:50:22 AM PST by big'ol_freeper

WAL-MART BANS CHRISTMAS:

BOYCOTT LAUNCHED

A woman who recently complained to Wal-Mart that the store was replacing “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” received an e-mail response from Customer Service. It appears below in its exact form:

“Walmart is a world wide organization and must remain conscious of this. The majority of the world still has different practices other than ‘christmas’ which is an ancient tradition that has its roots in Siberian shamanism. The colors associated with ‘christmas’ red and white are actually a representation of of the aminita mascera mushroom. Santa is also borrowed from the Caucuses, mistletoe from the Celts, yule log from the Goths, the time from the Visigoth and the tree from the worship of Baal. It is a wide wide world.”

To which Catholic League president Bill Donohue says: “This statement was signed by someone called Kirby. When I read it, I thought he might be drunk. But I was wrong. We sent Kirby’s response to Wal-Mart’s headquarters only to find that Dan Fogleman, Senior Manager, Public Relations, agrees. After acknowledging that he read Kirby’s response, Fogleman said, in part, the following”:

“As a retailer, we recognize some of our customers may be shopping for Chanukah or Kwanza gifts during this time of year and we certainly want these customers in our stores and to feel welcome, just as we do those buying for Christmas. As an employer, we recognize the significance of the Christmas holiday among our family of associates…and close our stores in observance, the only day during the year that we are closed.”

Bill Donohue says: “It’s nice to know that Wal-Mart is closed on a federal holiday. Now here is why I am asking the leaders of 126 religious organizations that span seven religious communities to boycott Wal-Mart. Go to its website and search for Hanukkah and up come 200 items. Click on Kwanzaa and up come 77. Click on Christmas, and here’s what you get: ‘We’ve brought you to our ‘Holiday’ page based on your search.’ In other words, Wal-Mart is practicing discrimination.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 7970forchristmas; antichrsistmas; bigots; brooklynbridge; catholicleague; christianbashing; christianity; christians; christmas; credulity; email; fodderforsnopes; fraud; grinchstolechristmas; hatewalmartbs; hoax; makechinaricherbuywm; religion; religiousintolerance; urbanlegend; urbanmyth; walmart; waronchristmas
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340 ... 441-459 next last
To: Lunatic Fringe
And if it is a legitimate email, who cares? They are absolutely right... Wal-mart is the largest retailer in the world and they have to cater to more than the Christians during the month of December.

You assessed correctly except for month of December attributed to Christians, or so we think.

The birth of Osiris coincided with the day of the summer and winter solstice, depending on the hemisphere, and on this day the sun god would ride through the heavens in his chariot. The sungod Helios would ride through the sky in his sun chariot drawn by horses as depicted in the great fountain of Versailles. In the Hindu culture, it is the Sûrya, and his horse-drawn sun chariot, driven by his charioteer Aruna who rides across the sky, and in other cultures the chariot is drawn by other animals such as the goat (Zeus) or the reindeer. This same pagan practice is held in high esteem to this day, and has virtually successfully supplanted Jesus Christ as the main feature of Christmas. On the 25th of December, Santa rides across the skies in his reindeer drawn chariot. He is made acceptable by his friendly rotund appearance as introduced by Walt Disney, but he has the same characteristics as the ancient sun deities.

Origin of Santa Claus: 4th century: Historical evidence shows that St. Nicholas never existed as a human. He was rather a Christianized version of various Pagan sea gods —the Greek god Poseidon, the Roman god Neptune, and the Teutonic god Hold Nickar. In the early centuries of the Christian church, many Pagan gods and goddesses were humanized and converted to Christian saints. When the church created the persona of St. Nicholas, they adopted Poseidon’s title “the Sailor.” They picked up his last name from Nickar. Various temples of Poseidon became shrines of St. Nicholas.[xxiv]

The theology of Santa is also in line with this thinking, since Santa, as taught to most children, has the attributes of God.

1. He is virtually omnipresent. He can visit hundreds of millions of homes in one night.

2. He is omniscient. He monitors each child; he is all-seeing and all-knowing; he knows when they are bad and good. He can manufacture gifts for hundreds of millions of children, and deliver them in one night — each to the correct child.

3. He is all-good and all-just. He judges which children have shown good behaviour and rewards them appropriately. Bad children are bypassed or receive a lump of coal.

4. He is eternal.

Want to know about Ishtar (Easter)also?.

click here: http://www.amazingdiscoveries.org/wineofbabylon-p3.html

301 posted on 11/09/2005 1:54:19 PM PST by Clay+Iron_Times (The feet of the statue and the latter days of the church age)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

I agree. I hadn't read any of the thread when I pingified people. If you hear any more about this, let me know.

Right at the moment, I'm not cheerful about the fate of the world. If you hear any good news, make sure you share it with me!


302 posted on 11/09/2005 1:54:36 PM PST by little jeremiah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 288 | View Replies]

To: Lunatic Fringe

Wal-Mart's base is in the U. S. and it started in the U. S.
therefore, Those Wal-Mart stores that are in the U. S. should show christian holiday greetings, symbols, etc.


303 posted on 11/09/2005 1:54:51 PM PST by upcountryhorseman (An old fashioned conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog
Because it's your irritation that gives them joy.

ROFL!!!!!!!!!

I love these WalMart bashing thread, they bring so much hilarity!!!

304 posted on 11/09/2005 1:55:30 PM PST by Gabz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 253 | View Replies]

To: Clay+Iron_Times
, as taught to most children, has the attributes of God.
Not in my Home - we exchange gifts, but we don't do Santa.

GE
305 posted on 11/09/2005 1:57:27 PM PST by GrandEagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 294 | View Replies]

To: Talking_Mouse

I disagree. When you go to ANY of those pages, the left side gives you a "narrow your results" option. The point is that you go through the annoying "are you sure you didn't really mean HOLIDAY instead of CHRISTMAS" page first, whereas the others don't.

Just be consistent. Either take down the obnoxious intermediate page from Christmas, or add it to Chanukah and Kwanzaa!


306 posted on 11/09/2005 1:58:16 PM PST by ssaftler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 240 | View Replies]

To: All

Oh, for crying out loud. It's not even Veteran's Day yet. Some of you people need to enjoy the good things in life instead of searching far and wide for ways to get pissed off.


307 posted on 11/09/2005 1:59:02 PM PST by Doohickey (If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice...I will choose freewill.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

"They give their employees paid time off for Christmas."

I'll bet their Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist employees get "discriminated" against by getting the same paid day off as the other "Christmas" celebrants employed by the chain. (sarcasm on!)



308 posted on 11/09/2005 1:59:02 PM PST by mdmathis6 ("It was not for nothing that you were named Ransom" from CS LEWIS' Perelandra!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Lunatic Fringe

Sorry for the multiple post Fringe, no excuse anyhow due to lost connection


309 posted on 11/09/2005 2:01:24 PM PST by Clay+Iron_Times (The feet of the statue and the latter days of the church age)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: dandelion
Whoa there, partner - part of my family is Jewish and we think of Hanukkah as being very MUCH as an important Holiday. Time for Latkes!!

When I wrote that I was thinking of Kwanza in particular because that's what the poster brought up, no offense to Hanukkah was intended.

But from a retail sales perspective, I think even Hanukkah is not on the scale of Christmas.

Lets remember the point, OK? The thread alledged that WalMart had banned mention of Christmas.... It's not only a wacky and suicidal idea for a store like WalMart, it didn't turn out to be true.

310 posted on 11/09/2005 2:01:28 PM PST by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ 1,000 knives and counting!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 300 | View Replies]

To: big'ol_freeper

Go to its website and search for Hanukkah and up come 200 items. Click on Kwanzaa and up come 77. Click on Christmas, and here’s what you get: ‘We’ve brought you to our ‘Holiday’ page based on your search.’

On the holiday page is a link saying "not what you are looking for click on the link to match your word Christmas. Click on the link and 7970 items to match Christmas. That's over 20 times as many as both of the others combined.

311 posted on 11/09/2005 2:01:38 PM PST by armymarinedad (Never let a peacenik go unchallenged.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pablo64

That passage is referring to creating and carving totem poles and the like for worship of lesser Gods.


312 posted on 11/09/2005 2:01:53 PM PST by TaxRelief ("Conservatives are cracking down!" -- Rush Limbaugh, October 13, 2005)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 276 | View Replies]

To: schoolsinsession3
I hate the Liberals who get outraged when we celebrate Christmas and I get mad at people who think any of our holidays is exclusively Christian.

A voice of reason.......

This has got to be one of the most ridiculous discussions I have seen in quite some time.

313 posted on 11/09/2005 2:03:31 PM PST by Gabz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 281 | View Replies]

To: dirtstiff

Get over yourself. Click the "View a list of items that match your search for "Christmas" link and enjoy perusing the 7,970 items are returned.


314 posted on 11/09/2005 2:05:58 PM PST by Doohickey (If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice...I will choose freewill.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah

bttt


315 posted on 11/09/2005 2:07:07 PM PST by Guenevere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 302 | View Replies]

To: big'ol_freeper; NYer
The Wal-Marts I visit sell statues of Jesus...made in CHINA of all places. I've also see posters of Pope John Paul II sold at Wal-Mart right in front of the check out registers!

Sometimes I think there are forces trying to manipulate Wal-Mart into becoming tied down with unionized shipping/trucking. I just haven't found enough evidence to say "Wal-Mart is the devil". In fact, I've even run into Target managers scouting out Wal-Mart to see how it's done the right way.

If there's a department store that bucks the trend, I'll bet it's Wal-Mart. Who knows, since most of the stores are in the back woods and rural areas, Wal-Mart shoppers wouldn't be offended to see Christ put back in "Christ"mas. Wal-Mart may just take up the banner on this and soundly defeat anyone who gets offended with religious imagery.

"Don't like it? Don't buy it."

I have to walk by near-nudy women magazines all the time. I get ramped-up like a rocket ship every time I see a busty bikini babe flirting at the camera. I'd rather not have to gimp along poking a hole through my pants zipper; yet, our nation makes this something I have to deal with. Thus, everyone is going to have to deal with a Crucifix in the face the same way I have to put up with busty bikini making all of the women feel inadequate babes at the news stand.
316 posted on 11/09/2005 2:13:23 PM PST by SaltyJoe (A mother's sorrowful heart and personal sacrifice redeems her lost child's soul.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah
FYI - Walmart head honchos think the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is equivalent to "Kwanza",

Is this for real? It seems like a hoax.

317 posted on 11/09/2005 2:14:58 PM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 282 | View Replies]

To: big'ol_freeper

Bill Donahue is a drama queen.


318 posted on 11/09/2005 2:15:15 PM PST by Clemenza (In League with the Freemasons, The Bilderbergers, and the Learned Elders of Zion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HairOfTheDog

No, they didn't "ban" Christmas. But they do redirect you to the "Holiday" page, and that is not done for any other holiday search term. When it comes down to it, the "Holiday" buffer page adds an EXTRA step to the process rather than expedite it.

Beyond all the brouhaha, this is simply a matter of opinion. To those whom it matters, they will let their voice be known, as any other American is free to do. To those to whom it doesn't matter, they will do nothing. Both persons are simply exercising their rights, and it doesn't offend me for them to do as they wish either way. Perhaps it really DOESN'T matter either way -

But IF it doesn't matter either way, then it certainly won't hurt for Wal-Mart to simply call the "Holiday" "Christmas" either...

My head hurts. I need some Holiday generic potato pancakes... or maybe some Holiday generic egg drink with nog...


319 posted on 11/09/2005 2:21:58 PM PST by dandelion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 310 | View Replies]

To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

I totally agree.

Still stop by and visit me at Radio Shack.

My wife and I, and I have noticed a trend that it is the same with others, have moved away from the commercialism, buying only a couple gifts, and making more( I do stained glass) to give as gifts.

I have no idea what anybody wants. I do know what I want though. See the picture on the Helmet laws thread.


320 posted on 11/09/2005 2:22:21 PM PST by Sensei Ern (Now, IB4Z! http://trss.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 271 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340 ... 441-459 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson