The War on the War on the War on Christmas
I think this is as good of an encapsulation of the whole mess as you're going to get. (thanks to Crooks and Liars)
My own take? If 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and 88% have no problem with people saying 'Merry Christmas,' then how could there actually be a 'war' on it? There's more of a war on Halloween/Samhain, quite frankly.
This is pretty much the same thing that's been going on since the 1920's, when Henry Ford claimed that Christmas was under attack, and the 1950's, when others made the same claims.
Some people, worried that they might offend the easily-offended, take steps so they don't have to deal with someone getting in their face, and then others get even more offended for those persons' spinelessness. Worried someone might get offended over 'holy' while singing 'Silent Night' at a school? Replace it with 'cold' - problem solved ... except that someone, somewhere else complains, and adds it to the iceberg of similar (in)actions, and then BLAM!Instant War on Christmas.
My take? I'm a Pagan who was raised nominally Christian. I celebrate Yule, but I'll be giving and receiving Christmas gifts this season, same as always - after all, Christmas is a pagan holiday. And when I'm at work, I don't even bother to wish people anything; I thank them for shopping with us and let them do the wishing, instead, at which point I thank them and wish it right back, just like I did with Ramadan and Eid over in the UAE.
Where's the problem?
My own take? If 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and 88% have no problem with people saying 'Merry Christmas,' then how could there actually be a 'war' on it? There's more of a war on Halloween/Samhain, quite frankly.
This is pretty much the same thing that's been going on since the 1920's, when Henry Ford claimed that Christmas was under attack, and the 1950's, when others made the same claims.
Some people, worried that they might offend the easily-offended, take steps so they don't have to deal with someone getting in their face, and then others get even more offended for those persons' spinelessness. Worried someone might get offended over 'holy' while singing 'Silent Night' at a school? Replace it with 'cold' - problem solved ... except that someone, somewhere else complains, and adds it to the iceberg of similar (in)actions, and then BLAM!Instant War on Christmas.
My take? I'm a Pagan who was raised nominally Christian. I celebrate Yule, but I'll be giving and receiving Christmas gifts this season, same as always - after all, Christmas is a pagan holiday. And when I'm at work, I don't even bother to wish people anything; I thank them for shopping with us and let them do the wishing, instead, at which point I thank them and wish it right back, just like I did with Ramadan and Eid over in the UAE.
Where's the problem?
posted by J. Edward Tremlett at 7:38 AM
3 Comments:
The problem my friend is that you don't see what's been happening in this country to keep the Truth from being told. If you see Christmas as a "pagan holiday" it's because you have been swayed by those who reject the Christ. The mistake many have made is trying to appease those who are offended by Truth. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the Christ...any other reason is counterfeit.
"If you see Christmas as a "pagan holiday" it's because you have been swayed by those who reject the Christ."
Actually, no.
The parents of a former girlfriend of my father belonged to a church that recognized Christmas' pagan origins - the winter solstice observance - and refused to celebrate it for that reason.
That was the first I'd ever heard about it, and it's been borne out over the years as I've learned more. If anything, THAT'S the truth that's not being told.
But it is out there...
J
Here is some documentation on that. It's but the tip of the iceberg.
That said, it doesn't really matter. I don't think a loving, merciful god would be really that offended if his Son's supposed birthday wound up supplanting the pagan celebrations he came here to save us all from.
And if he would be... well, maybe you should follow someone with a better sense of humor ; )
J
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