***Very OT*** CHRISTMAS ***OT***

They are wrong. Truly wrong.

Sara

I know. I'm just reporting, not sympathizing. :-) Dianne

You probably missed the connection, Katrina-Head of FEMA-resulting disaster for many people.

I do agree that it is very interesting how different religions have different theological perspectives on what degree of interaction with other religions is permissible. (Sorry I misread your post--it seemed like you might be getting at the idea that it's silly for people to get touchy about how much Christmas can be celebrated in public institutions when even non-Christians, or at least Sikhs, don't mind it themselves.)

Best wishes, Ericka

Well, I think it`s silly for anyone to get touchy about any religious celebration being held! It harms no-one and adds a lot of cheerfulness to a dull old world, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of the year!

Pat P

I don't think anyone has a problem with others

*having* a religious celebration. I think people get ruffled when they perceive that they are being asked to *participate* in a religious activity not of their choosing. What gets tricky is what people consider "participating." Some feel that having their kids sing Christmas carols or hymns in public school is participating. Some think having their public tax dollars go to local government holiday displays is participating. Etc. Where you fall on those issues often depends, in part, on your religion's perspective on whether it's okay to participate and what constitutes participation in other religion's festivities. I think the arguments about the all-Christmas- all-the-time stuff just comes down to an issue of taste, and it seems like a lot of Christians are just as sick of being hammered with Christmas decorations practically before Halloween as some non-Christians are ;-)

Best wishes, Ericka

Mrs PP , this is rather interesting, and might be the opinion of a small minority , does this also happen in their own country ? mirjam

Hear, Hear!

Not to mention the easter eggs/bunnies which wiull be bombarding us before Christmas is decently buried! LOL!

Pat P

No kidding. Between over-hyped holidays of all sorts and the ever-increasing number of family birthdays/anniversaries/ etc. I start to feel like I'm *always* rushing to take care of one gift-giving event or another, even though I don't think I go overboard for any particular event personally. It just creates a *feeling* that there's never just a normal day without a big to-do brewing.

Best wishes, Ericka

I just happened to watch a little of Fox & Friends yesterday. E.D.Hill said her husband had received the White House Christmas Card and, although it didn't say "Merry Christmas", it did have a scriptual quote on it.

Since I am unlikely to receive one, I can't vouch for the authenticity of this (VBG).

Gillian

Well. there`s no harm in wishing non-religious people "Happy Christmas", is there? It`s long become a season of jollity and generosity whatever your beliefs, or lack of them. I`m not upset if people send me religious Christmas cards - it`s a lovely story, after all. I do try to send religiously inclined cards to people I know are believers and would appreciate them - on the other hand I usually send a comic one to our friend who happens to be a vicar with a great sense of humour. He loves them!

Pat P

I think it very much depends on context. In a void, no, there's no harm. In a situation where said non-Christian is in a society where Christmas is shoved down his throat

24/7, he encounters a lot of hostility toward non-Christians, and he's had to struggle to get the day off work to celebrate his own holiday because his boss doesn't think it's important enough to warrant missing work, to have the friend who knows darned well he isn't Christian wish him a "Happy Christmas" (never having wished him well on his holiday), well, sometimes it's just the straw that broke the camel's back. I think with all the excess and the fussing, we've actually created a situation where the tensions are heightened in the US, especially in some areas. Intolerance breeds more of the same, and in many ways we haven't been a very tolerant society lately (and we've got groups actively and vocally pushing for less tolerance, so it's not like non-Christians are just being overly sensitive). It doesn't surprise me, therefore, when non-Christians get testy over the whole thing, and it makes me inclined to be extra cautious and sensitive about the issue.

Best wishes, Ericka

Then I`d say "Tough! The problem is yours ! Get over it!" (not YOUR`S - but THEIR`S ;-)) I`m heartily sick of pussy-footing around oversensitive minorities in our own country. Although to be fair it`s not really so much them who complain but the over-the-top do-gooding politically correct brigade who are mostly to blame! I`m not a Christian so to me "Happy Christmas" is just the same as saying "Happy Holidays". Some people think too much and look for problems where hardly any actually exist.

If there is no problem - well - they just have to invent one!

Pat P

Ericka Kammerer wrote: [snipped lots of good stuff] . . . It doesn't surprise me,

But where I'm hearing the loudest screaming is from Christians who state that their Christmas is being stolen. That it (Christmas) is as American as baseball and apple pie. That Christ is being removed from Christmas. It's almost as if (and I can't pretend to speak for them . . . just an observation) they're frightened of losing another bit of Americana. As if their country is being hijacked. Some Christians are screaming loudly about this. They don't seem able to separate the two (a religious holiday versus an American melting pot).

Dianne

Pat P

I think you have that exactly right Ericka - I have non Christian friends (I don't mean agnostics like myself) who are heartily sick of being expected to enjoy being included in Christmas festivities but are not expected to mention their own high days and holidays, far less actually take a Christian normal working day off to celebrate it.

I'm confused. What does Christmas have to do with Americana? My definition of Americana is as you rightly state, baseball and apple pie and football games on Thanksgiving. Those things are not affiliated with any church or religion that I know of and are enjoyed by everyone. Isn't Christmas still celebrated in a church and isn't it a religious holiday and isn't it restricted to those who believe?

Am I missing something here?

Lucille

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