Only you and jungmark are getting upset that other religions have holidays around the same time as Christmas. You're the ones with your yuletide panties in a bunch. If you know someone is Christian then say Merry Christmas, if you know you're they're Jewish you should say Happy Hanukkah, if you know they are Jehovah's Witnesses you don't tell them to celebrate any holiday or their birthday. If your faith is so shaken by telling being happy for someone not of your church then I feel bad for you. I will pray for you.
Who's getting upset? You atheists are upset that Religious holidays are mentioned in public. God forbid you see from a public sidewalk churches decorated for Christmas.
Again, I'll say Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I'll ask what you do celebrate? Good day.
The trite phrase, 'Happy Holidays' excludes all religions, but makes it sound okay for atheists.
How does the evolved form of 'Holy day' exclude religions?
If I remember correctly, you're a Brit, and probably use the word 'holiday' for what Americans would call a vacation. So that word for you might have different meanings, and feelings.
Around Christmas, schools have extended holidays and workers generally take about a few days to a week off work. The reason for the holidays stemmed from Christmas. The school holidays are about three to four weeks, whereas Christmas is only twelve days, and really, the main festival is one day plus Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day get caught up as another excuse for a holiday.
So the holiday aspect is a lot longer than the relatively short period of Christmas. If you greet someone at that time with 'Happy Holidays,' you are actively denying the existence of Christmas by simply referring to the wider holidays. Therefore it comes across as a petty snub. We don't say 'Happy Holidays' at our very long summer holiday (vacation) because there is no big religious festival then.
'christmas (sic) is not in the...old (sic) testament (sic).'
Hilarious!
NEWSFLASH: The Old Testament took place before Christ was born.
I can see that learning the Bible by rote was a completely wasted effort for you, as you neglected to actually absorb the meaning of the words. Guess it was just a big dictionary for you. Oh well; live and learn.
"god will provide himself a sacrifice." genesis 22:8. There is this thing called prophesy. You might have heard of it.
Yes; prophesies take place before things happen-that's why they're called prophesies.
God forbid you see from a public sidewalk churches decorated for Christmas.
Some might think decorating a church as sacrilege for celebrating a pagan observance. Not me. I don't care what any religion does so long as they stay out of my affairs. I just don't think churches should receive tax free status in the US.
Around Christmas, schools have extended holidays and workers generally take about a few days to a week off work. The reason for the holidays stemmed from Christmas. The school holidays are about three to four weeks, whereas Christmas is only twelve days, and really, the main festival is one day plus Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day get caught up as another excuse for a holiday.
So the holiday aspect is a lot longer than the relatively short period of Christmas. If you greet someone at that time with 'Happy Holidays,' you are actively denying the existence of Christmas by simply referring to the wider holidays. Therefore it comes across as a petty snub. We don't say 'Happy Holidays' at our very long summer holiday (vacation) because there is no big religious festival then.
You're also forgetting that Christmas used to be a 12 day affair, and still celebrated that way in Latin countries. [@]mstone[/@] would verify that.
Who's getting upset? You atheists are upset that Religious holidays are mentioned in public. God forbid you see from a public sidewalk churches decorated for Christmas.
Again, I'll say Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I'll ask what you do celebrate? Good day.
1) You two are when it was mentioned that not everyone is Christian
2) Oddly you labeled me an atheist for suggesting you tell Christians Merry Christmas, the Jewish Happy Hanukkah, and if you don't knownto use an agnostic term until you do. That shows you're just reaction irrationally without considering what is being stated.
Not in Panama or Costa Rica. It is a full schedule of events during the days leading up to christmas day with lots of nativity plays and christmas music concerts but we don't count the 12 days off. In my town we have a central plaza where they perform the christmas story with about ten different Mary and Jesus actors. It is really amusing, but lots of people get to play the parts. Everyone really enjoys it.
Around Christmas, schools have extended holidays and workers generally take about a few days to a week off work. The reason for the holidays stemmed from Christmas. The school holidays are about three to four weeks, whereas Christmas is only twelve days, and really, the main festival is one day plus Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day get caught up as another excuse for a holiday.
So the holiday aspect is a lot longer than the relatively short period of Christmas. If you greet someone at that time with 'Happy Holidays,' you are actively denying the existence of Christmas by simply referring to the wider holidays. Therefore it comes across as a petty snub. We don't say 'Happy Holidays' at our very long summer holiday (vacation) because there is no big religious festival then.
You're also forgetting that Christmas used to be a 12 day affair, and still celebrated that way in Latin countries. @mstone would verify that.
I just said that in my post that you quoted; read more carefully.
Who's getting upset? You atheists are upset that Religious holidays are mentioned in public. God forbid you see from a public sidewalk churches decorated for Christmas.
Again, I'll say Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I'll ask what you do celebrate? Good day.
1) You two are when it was mentioned that not everyone is Christian
2) Oddly you labeled me an atheist for suggesting you tell Christians Merry Christmas, the Jewish Happy Hanukkah, and if you don't knownto use an agnostic term until you do. That shows you're just reaction irrationally without considering what is being stated.
PS: My religion is the best¡
Well, it certainly comes across that you have bees in your bonnet about racism and religion. Having said that, I was surprised at some of the good posts you wrote earlier in this thread about the original topic of diversity, so there's hope for you yet.
Not in Panama or Costa Rica. It is a full schedule of events during the days leading up to christmas day with lots of nativity plays and christmas music concerts but we don't count the 12 days off. In my town we have a central plaza where they perform the christmas story with about ten different Mary and Jesus actors. It is really amusing, but lots of people get to play the parts. Everyone really enjoys it.
God forbid you enjoy something associated with religion.
"god will provide himself a sacrifice." genesis 22:8. There is this thing called prophesy. You might have heard of it.
You forgot Isaiah 53:3-7:
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Not in Panama or Costa Rica. It is a full schedule of events during the days leading up to christmas day with lots of nativity plays and christmas music concerts but we don't count the 12 days off. In my town we have a central plaza where they perform the christmas story with about ten different Mary and Jesus actors. It is really amusing, but lots of people get to play the parts. Everyone really enjoys it.
You don't celebrate "Dia de Reyes"(day of the 3 magi) in Panama?
Why people like you get your panties in a twist because Christians celebrate their religion in a traditional manner defies reason.
Only you and jungmark are getting upset that other religions have holidays around the same time as Christmas. You're the ones with your yuletide panties in a bunch. If you know someone is Christian then say Merry Christmas, if you know you're they're Jewish you should say Happy Hanukkah, if you know they are Jehovah's Witnesses you don't tell them to celebrate any holiday or their birthday. If your faith is so shaken by telling being happy for someone not of your church then I feel bad for you. I will pray for you.
I have no idea what holidays heathens or other religions have around Christmas; neither do I care.
I appreciate your prayers; I need them, as long as they're to God and not Satan.
God forbid you enjoy something associated with religion.
Catholicism is part of the social fabric of Central America. Even people who wear a star of david are still considered christians. I'm not against christmas at all. I just see it for what it is. I would never deny a child the joy of celebrating christmas. They are too young to know the meaning anyway. We put up a christmas tree and lights and invite people over for a party every year, but there is no prayer or anything remotely religious about it.
God forbid you enjoy something associated with religion.
Catholicism is part of the social fabric of Central America. Even people who wear a star of david are still considered christians. I'm not against christmas at all. I just see it for what it is. I would never deny a child the joy of celebrating christmas. They are too young to know the meaning anyway. We put up a christmas tree and lights and invite people over for a party every year, but there is no prayer or anything remotely religious about it.
Then you're a hypocrite for taking the garb of a religious festival in vain. You're also incredibly condescending to children, who can apparently study trigonometry and write symphonies, but whose feeble minds can't cope with understanding 'the meaning of Christmas.'
You don't celebrate "Dia de Reyes"(day of the 3 magi) in Panama?
In my town, no. The event is depicted as part of the nativity plays though. We do eat the cake but all during the week of christmas. In Panama it is one giant festival from November the 8th, which is Mother's Day all the way through the first week in January. We also have two independence days during that time. Fireworks almost every night. Don't plan on getting much sleep if you live in town. I live about 5 km away and you can still hear all the partying until the early hours of the morning.
If you know someone is Christian then say Merry Christmas, if you know you're they're Jewish you should say Happy Hanukkah
It's not just Christians who celebrate Christmas though, it has been commercialized as Christmas to everyone as the event involving Santa, fir trees, stockings, snow, open fires, presents etc. Easter is similarly a specific event, which is a Christian-oriented occasion but it has been commercialized with eggs, bunnies and so on and companies tend to be ok saying Happy Easter. Happy Holidays could refer to any public holiday and I don't even know what specific period it's referring to. I don't care about the association with religion but Happy Holidays annoys me when I see it because it's taking away an identity from a well-specified event. Apple did this in their Christmas ad where the whole family was doing everything associated with Christmas and they ended the ad with Happy Holidays. I understand that if it had been the other way round and they'd said Happy Hanukkah, I'd be thinking it didn't apply to me but the ad content would have convinced me of that anyway and it doesn't happen the other way round. People who celebrate other events don't say Happy Holidays because they refer to their own specific events. I suppose if there happened to be a minority group who formed an international company they'd be pushed into adopting the same approach but I don't think it has the same effect having a catch-all phrase.
I get that companies want to send out an all-inclusive message and that there's frustration for the people who don't celebrate it as shown here:
but take Chinese New Year. If someone said to me 'Happy New Year' in February (some people do that anyway), I couldn't care less, I'd return the sentiment and wish them well on their event. People from other cultures working in the West are on vacation because of the event of Christmas. It's not just a random vacation. Other countries have their own public holidays:
At least say Happy Christmas Holiday because that's what it is and it doesn't matter if people celebrate Christmas or not, that's what the public holiday is for.
Then you're a hypocrite for taking the garb of a religious festival in vain. You're also incredibly condescending to children, who can apparently study trigonometry and write symphonies, but whose feeble minds can't cope with understanding 'the meaning of Christmas.'
My stance is it is not a religious holiday, it is a social gathering gift giving holiday. If people want to perform a nativity plays it is fine with me. That part is in the bible. As far as children, I'm referring to grade school age. Perhaps we are a bit behind the UK because our children are not writing symphonies. Heck even our adults aren't. Some fanatical religious people won't allow a christmas tree in their house and their children get no gifts. I think that is just mean. The kids go to their friends' and classmates' house and there is lots of gift giving. I don't want to make children sad. I'm just not that concerned with christmas. If it is fun for kids I'm for it.
1) You two are when it was mentioned that not everyone is Christian
2) Oddly you labeled me an atheist for suggesting you tell Christians Merry Christmas, the Jewish Happy Hanukkah, and if you don't knownto use an agnostic term until you do. That shows you're just reaction irrationally without considering what is being stated.
PS: My religion is the best¡
And you're being irrational in stating I was getting upset that other religions have holidays around Christmas. That is most certainly not the case as I've stated previously. You rather dilute the meaning just so a small minority doesn't feel bad. Btw, would you say happy thanksgiving in the US since the Native Americans aren't particular fond of it?
Comments
Who's getting upset? You atheists are upset that Religious holidays are mentioned in public. God forbid you see from a public sidewalk churches decorated for Christmas.
Again, I'll say Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I'll ask what you do celebrate? Good day.
The trite phrase, 'Happy Holidays' excludes all religions, but makes it sound okay for atheists.
How does the evolved form of 'Holy day' exclude religions?
If I remember correctly, you're a Brit, and probably use the word 'holiday' for what Americans would call a vacation. So that word for you might have different meanings, and feelings.
Around Christmas, schools have extended holidays and workers generally take about a few days to a week off work. The reason for the holidays stemmed from Christmas. The school holidays are about three to four weeks, whereas Christmas is only twelve days, and really, the main festival is one day plus Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day get caught up as another excuse for a holiday.
So the holiday aspect is a lot longer than the relatively short period of Christmas. If you greet someone at that time with 'Happy Holidays,' you are actively denying the existence of Christmas by simply referring to the wider holidays. Therefore it comes across as a petty snub. We don't say 'Happy Holidays' at our very long summer holiday (vacation) because there is no big religious festival then.
'christmas (sic) is not in the...old (sic) testament (sic).'
Hilarious!
NEWSFLASH: The Old Testament took place before Christ was born.
I can see that learning the Bible by rote was a completely wasted effort for you, as you neglected to actually absorb the meaning of the words. Guess it was just a big dictionary for you. Oh well; live and learn.
"god will provide himself a sacrifice." genesis 22:8. There is this thing called prophesy. You might have heard of it.
Yes; prophesies take place before things happen-that's why they're called prophesies.
Some might think decorating a church as sacrilege for celebrating a pagan observance. Not me. I don't care what any religion does so long as they stay out of my affairs. I just don't think churches should receive tax free status in the US.
You're also forgetting that Christmas used to be a 12 day affair, and still celebrated that way in Latin countries. [@]mstone[/@] would verify that.
1) You two are when it was mentioned that not everyone is Christian
2) Oddly you labeled me an atheist for suggesting you tell Christians Merry Christmas, the Jewish Happy Hanukkah, and if you don't knownto use an agnostic term until you do. That shows you're just reaction irrationally without considering what is being stated.
PS: My religion is the best¡
@mstone would verify that.
Not in Panama or Costa Rica. It is a full schedule of events during the days leading up to christmas day with lots of nativity plays and christmas music concerts but we don't count the 12 days off. In my town we have a central plaza where they perform the christmas story with about ten different Mary and Jesus actors. It is really amusing, but lots of people get to play the parts. Everyone really enjoys it.
Around Christmas, schools have extended holidays and workers generally take about a few days to a week off work. The reason for the holidays stemmed from Christmas. The school holidays are about three to four weeks, whereas Christmas is only twelve days, and really, the main festival is one day plus Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day get caught up as another excuse for a holiday.
So the holiday aspect is a lot longer than the relatively short period of Christmas. If you greet someone at that time with 'Happy Holidays,' you are actively denying the existence of Christmas by simply referring to the wider holidays. Therefore it comes across as a petty snub. We don't say 'Happy Holidays' at our very long summer holiday (vacation) because there is no big religious festival then.
You're also forgetting that Christmas used to be a 12 day affair, and still celebrated that way in Latin countries. @mstone would verify that.
I just said that in my post that you quoted; read more carefully.
Who's getting upset? You atheists are upset that Religious holidays are mentioned in public. God forbid you see from a public sidewalk churches decorated for Christmas.
Again, I'll say Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I'll ask what you do celebrate? Good day.
1) You two are when it was mentioned that not everyone is Christian
2) Oddly you labeled me an atheist for suggesting you tell Christians Merry Christmas, the Jewish Happy Hanukkah, and if you don't knownto use an agnostic term until you do. That shows you're just reaction irrationally without considering what is being stated.
PS: My religion is the best¡
Well, it certainly comes across that you have bees in your bonnet about racism and religion. Having said that, I was surprised at some of the good posts you wrote earlier in this thread about the original topic of diversity, so there's hope for you yet.
@mstone would verify that.
Not in Panama or Costa Rica. It is a full schedule of events during the days leading up to christmas day with lots of nativity plays and christmas music concerts but we don't count the 12 days off. In my town we have a central plaza where they perform the christmas story with about ten different Mary and Jesus actors. It is really amusing, but lots of people get to play the parts. Everyone really enjoys it.
God forbid you enjoy something associated with religion.
You forgot Isaiah 53:3-7:
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
You don't celebrate "Dia de Reyes"(day of the 3 magi) in Panama?
Why people like you get your panties in a twist because Christians celebrate their religion in a traditional manner defies reason.
Only you and jungmark are getting upset that other religions have holidays around the same time as Christmas. You're the ones with your yuletide panties in a bunch. If you know someone is Christian then say Merry Christmas, if you know you're they're Jewish you should say Happy Hanukkah, if you know they are Jehovah's Witnesses you don't tell them to celebrate any holiday or their birthday. If your faith is so shaken by telling being happy for someone not of your church then I feel bad for you. I will pray for you.
I have no idea what holidays heathens or other religions have around Christmas; neither do I care.
I appreciate your prayers; I need them, as long as they're to God and not Satan.
Catholicism is part of the social fabric of Central America. Even people who wear a star of david are still considered christians. I'm not against christmas at all. I just see it for what it is. I would never deny a child the joy of celebrating christmas. They are too young to know the meaning anyway. We put up a christmas tree and lights and invite people over for a party every year, but there is no prayer or anything remotely religious about it.
Catholicism is part of the social fabric of Central America. Even people who wear a star of david are still considered christians. I'm not against christmas at all. I just see it for what it is. I would never deny a child the joy of celebrating christmas. They are too young to know the meaning anyway. We put up a christmas tree and lights and invite people over for a party every year, but there is no prayer or anything remotely religious about it.
Then you're a hypocrite for taking the garb of a religious festival in vain. You're also incredibly condescending to children, who can apparently study trigonometry and write symphonies, but whose feeble minds can't cope with understanding 'the meaning of Christmas.'
Blindness, thy name is Post of mstone.
1) You can't name a single other religion or holiday that falls around Cheistmas? :no:
2) This choice to close yourself off to the world is the problem.
In my town, no. The event is depicted as part of the nativity plays though. We do eat the cake but all during the week of christmas. In Panama it is one giant festival from November the 8th, which is Mother's Day all the way through the first week in January. We also have two independence days during that time. Fireworks almost every night. Don't plan on getting much sleep if you live in town. I live about 5 km away and you can still hear all the partying until the early hours of the morning.
It's not just Christians who celebrate Christmas though, it has been commercialized as Christmas to everyone as the event involving Santa, fir trees, stockings, snow, open fires, presents etc. Easter is similarly a specific event, which is a Christian-oriented occasion but it has been commercialized with eggs, bunnies and so on and companies tend to be ok saying Happy Easter. Happy Holidays could refer to any public holiday and I don't even know what specific period it's referring to. I don't care about the association with religion but Happy Holidays annoys me when I see it because it's taking away an identity from a well-specified event. Apple did this in their Christmas ad where the whole family was doing everything associated with Christmas and they ended the ad with Happy Holidays. I understand that if it had been the other way round and they'd said Happy Hanukkah, I'd be thinking it didn't apply to me but the ad content would have convinced me of that anyway and it doesn't happen the other way round. People who celebrate other events don't say Happy Holidays because they refer to their own specific events. I suppose if there happened to be a minority group who formed an international company they'd be pushed into adopting the same approach but I don't think it has the same effect having a catch-all phrase.
I get that companies want to send out an all-inclusive message and that there's frustration for the people who don't celebrate it as shown here:
http://judaism.about.com/od/interfaithquestions/f/xmas_greet.htm
but take Chinese New Year. If someone said to me 'Happy New Year' in February (some people do that anyway), I couldn't care less, I'd return the sentiment and wish them well on their event. People from other cultures working in the West are on vacation because of the event of Christmas. It's not just a random vacation. Other countries have their own public holidays:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Israel
At least say Happy Christmas Holiday because that's what it is and it doesn't matter if people celebrate Christmas or not, that's what the public holiday is for.
My stance is it is not a religious holiday, it is a social gathering gift giving holiday. If people want to perform a nativity plays it is fine with me. That part is in the bible. As far as children, I'm referring to grade school age. Perhaps we are a bit behind the UK because our children are not writing symphonies. Heck even our adults aren't. Some fanatical religious people won't allow a christmas tree in their house and their children get no gifts. I think that is just mean. The kids go to their friends' and classmates' house and there is lots of gift giving. I don't want to make children sad. I'm just not that concerned with christmas. If it is fun for kids I'm for it.
And you're being irrational in stating I was getting upset that other religions have holidays around Christmas. That is most certainly not the case as I've stated previously. You rather dilute the meaning just so a small minority doesn't feel bad. Btw, would you say happy thanksgiving in the US since the Native Americans aren't particular fond of it?