The War on Christmas.

[SirXVII]

*sigh*

Another year and another set of news reporters, stores, people, organizations, government, and every single person under the sun trying to take whatever this Holiday was supposed to mean and suck the life out of it.

I had a rant about this last year, but I really didn't touch the subject like it should of and it bordered more on being just some angry guy yelling about whatever he can. This has a justifiable cause to it.

I am SOOOOO tired of people throwing up separation of church and state right up during Christmas. I cannot take it anymore. It is way too much to bare. I don't know what society thinks they are doing, but it is more then I can take.

I was watching one of those oh so wonderful 24 hour news networks this morning. They had a mayor come in on the show and talk about how Jesus was missing from the manger scene. There were a group of people complaining about how Baby Jesus shouldn't be there and another group complaining how Baby Jesus wasn't there. The man's main advisor said that they shouldn't do it because it violates church and state. The whole while I am banging my head against the TV screen screaming, "IT WON'T GO THROUGH DARNIT! WHY THE HELL WON'T IT GO THROUGH?"

WHY DOES IT MATTER!? Why does this crap matter when the whole holiday is peace, love, and goodwill on Earth. Not hate, anger, and whoever is more right than the other person.

In fact, if you ARE going to have a manger scene then you might as well add Baby Jesus because that defeats the whole purpose as it is.

The funny thing is that we could shrug it off and not care. It wouldn't matter because there are always annoyances during Christmas. It is guaranteed when stores started Christmas sales. You knew it was going to happen. The only thing is that you could get over it. Now, of course, we've got these major news organizations just LOOKING to fill a freakin gap in their time because they have nothing else to report. So all they do is add fuel to the flame.

If you are a Christian and you complain that nobody puts "Christ" in Christmas anymore then you need to be electroshocked.

If you are any other denomination under the sun that can be possibly described that feels compelled to complain about a certain little decoration, or a certain reminder that...oh I dunno... PEOPLE BELIEVE IN SOMETHING YOU DON'T!

Maybe you should just shut the hell up because all you do is add an annoyance to an argument that shouldn't even be valid. Oh an don't even get all huffy because I said this either. I'm not saying people can't celibrate Christmas if they aren't Christian. In fact I think people can celibrate it however they wish. I'm just saying don't complain about how other people celibrate it.

Don't even give me that Roman Holiday stuff. I already know, but as far as I know the holiday has changed for what it is. I used the same argument for Christians who think Halloween is still Pagan. Which, by the way, I'm not going to ever use again because we aren't going to use Christmas tree's anymore because they are PEGAN.

I typed out a full thing explaining it, but I decided I don't want to get into THAT!

Anyway, I know I complain a lot, but offensiveness in society needs to tone down and people need to stop being stupid. News organizations could be reporting something different and I could stop paying attention to it before my brain melts.

[IllustriousPotentate]

I'm sick of both PC and anti-PC people.

PC people:

According to a Fox News poll, 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas. [
Source] . Refusing to say Merry Christmas because of the 4% that don't celebrate it is like refusing to use "male" or "female" because of the small portion of the population that are hermaphrodites or are bisexual.

Anti-PC people:

I'm so sick of hearing these people yammer on about how they're offended by "Happy Holidays", to the point of protests and boycotts.

If your celebration and observation of Christmas is such that what a piece of ad copy says can influence it, then, you have problems.

Especially Christians. I fail to see why so many people get so upset about something that is completely irrelevant. From one Christian to the rest of them out there: Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of Christ, blessings, and family, and if a piece of ad copy or what the old greeter guy at Wal*Mart says detracts from your celebration to the point that you have to go out and protest and boycott, and what not, then you need to reexamine your faith and/or relationship with your family.

If you are so miserable that your joy of Christmas is getting wished a merry Christmas by strangers and advertising, then keep your misery to yourself instead of going and spreading the misery by making a political event out of what is supposed to be an intimate celebration.

If there's anything worse than a commercialized Christmas, it's a politicized one.

[MortifiedPenguins]

I never really understood this.

But why the fuck is Kwansa included in the fucking holiday selection.

I mean, I went through 5 fucking years of elementary school being taugh what Kwansa was and how it should be included with the rest of the holidays.

Now, I'm not going to question whether it's a real holiday or not.

But we can all agree that it's a cultural holiday.

So why the fuck is it included with religious ones.

[Awolter]

ya i mean every comercial about christmas never says anything about christmas or jesus they just say
"buy that big thing for a loved one! and remember! happy holidays!"
its christmas! not some dumb holiday!!!
and the reason for christmas is to get a big thing for a loved one ! its to celebrate the birth of jesus..

[Elfer]

Here's an idea everyone. Let's all start forgetting about the divisive aspects of Christmas, and whether or not they're what whatever the original holiday was really about, let's focus on the aspects of Chrsitmas that bring people together and make us feel good during the holidays.

Hmm?

[Slizor]

Now, I'm not going to question whether it's a real holiday or not.

But we can all agree that it's a cultural holiday.

So why the fuck is it included with religious ones.

Christmas is a cultural holiday....at least in Britain.

[MortifiedPenguins]

At 12/6/06 12:00 PM, Slizor wrote:

Christmas is a cultural holiday....at least in Britain.

Wait, what.

When the hell did Christmas start to represent a certain race or culture like Kwansa.

[Slizor]

Christmas is a cultural holiday....at least in Britain.

Wait, what.

When the hell did Christmas start to represent a certain race or culture like Kwansa.

It doesn't.....but that wasn't my point. Christmas is no longer a religious holiday, it is a cultural one.

Same words, different meanings.

[cold-as-hell]

Im getting an axe, chainsaw and a bottle of jack daniels for chrissy for im exited. I find chopping wood to be very relaxing. Especially chopping logs on a hot day with some larger.

[Neoptolemus]

This reminds me of last year when i was working (volunteer work) at a British Red Cross shop and there was alot of people complaining how we didn't have Christmas decorations up... The thing i don't understand is why people were complaining when the Red Cross/Crescent movement is a charity organisation void of religion in order to guarentee them actually being able to help people in particular countries.

[Kev-o]

Happy Holidays involves all holidays. It's not like it excludes Christmas, or anything. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, and their religious views should not be overlooked, because they are a small amount of people.

[xineph]

At 12/6/06 10:54 AM, IllustriousPotentate wrote: I'm sick of both PC and anti-PC people.

PC people:

According to a Fox News poll, 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas. [
Source] . Refusing to say Merry Christmas because of the 4% that don't celebrate it is like refusing to use "male" or "female" because of the small portion of the population that are hermaphrodites or are bisexual.

That doesn't make any kind of sense. There are so many minority groups in the United States that there's no way in hell 96% of them could celebrate Christmas. Hell, only 78% of people in the United States are Christian in the first place. I wouldn't trust Fox News any farther than I could throw them.

[InsertFunnyUserName]

Christmahuanikwansicka.

Problem solved.

[Jose]

At 12/6/06 03:49 PM, xineph wrote:
That doesn't make any kind of sense. There are so many minority groups in the United States that there's no way in hell 96% of them could celebrate Christmas. Hell, only 78% of people in the United States are Christian in the first place. I wouldn't trust Fox News any farther than I could throw them.

You don't have to believe in Christ to celebrate christmas.
Americans are consumer whores, and christmas is just another reason to max out their credit cards on shit they don't need.

I love how the arguments in this country is based on who can be the most pseudo-offended the quickest.

[Dash-Underscore-Dash]

At 12/6/06 03:49 PM, xineph wrote: That doesn't make any kind of sense. There are so many minority groups in the United States that there's no way in hell 96% of them could celebrate Christmas. Hell, only 78% of people in the United States are Christian in the first place. I wouldn't trust Fox News any farther than I could throw them.

Christians aren't the only ones who celebrate christmas.

[oakpack4]

I think the State shuld let churches put out they're desplays, if the TOWN puts out a manger scene, that is the TOWN's decision! The Christian life has been sucked right out of the Christmas Tree, so I think, if it's made to a common celebration icon, as Christmas has been reduced to,n instead of a Religious celebration, that trees should be allowed to put out. Ultimately, the people are divided, so it's up to the State to decide what it will publicly display.

[Jose]

At 12/6/06 05:57 PM, oakpack4 wrote: I think the State shuld let churches put out they're desplays, if the TOWN puts out a manger scene, that is the TOWN's decision! The Christian life has been sucked right out of the Christmas Tree, so I think, if it's made to a common celebration icon, as Christmas has been reduced to,n instead of a Religious celebration, that trees should be allowed to put out. Ultimately, the people are divided, so it's up to the State to decide what it will publicly display.

And when a town endorses Islam or Atheism, then what?
You Christians love freedom of religion until someone else believes something other than you.

[cellardoor6]

At 12/6/06 06:08 PM, Jose wrote:

And when a town endorses Islam or Atheism, then what?

Well first of all, when a town endorses Atheism is when it doesn't endorse any religion and therefore a truly secular town is an Atheist town and is supporting Atheism in a sense.

You Christians love freedom of religion until someone else believes something other than you.

Um my city put up a crescent and star as a sign of sympathy for Muslims 2 years ago. Christians didn't seem to give a fuck.

[SmilezRoyale]

At 12/6/06 12:36 PM, MortifiedPenguins wrote:

At 12/6/06 12:00 PM, Slizor wrote:

Christmas is a cultural holiday....at least in Britain.

Wait, what.

When the hell did Christmas start to represent a certain race or culture like Kwansa.

Religon is an aspect of culture, race isn't, though most races follow similar cultural paterns but this is simple geographical.

[Jose]

At 12/6/06 06:21 PM, cellardoor6 wrote:

At 12/6/06 06:08 PM, Jose wrote:

And when a town endorses Islam or Atheism, then what?

Well first of all, when a town endorses Atheism is when it doesn't endorse any religion and therefore a truly secular town is an Atheist town and is supporting Atheism in a sense.

No, it really isn't. Putting "there is no god" in the courthouse is endorsing Atheism. Putting absolutely nothing is neither affirming or putting down someone's beliefs, making it truely secular. Atheism=/=Secularism

You Christians love freedom of religion until someone else believes something other than you.

Um my city put up a crescent and star as a sign of sympathy for Muslims 2 years ago. Christians didn't seem to give a fuck.

Did they put it on the money? Did they post it in the court house?

I highly doubt that those from the far right would keep their mouths shut if it became a common occurence.

[MortifiedPenguins]

At 12/6/06 06:30 PM, SmilezRoyale wrote:

At 12/6/06 12:36 PM, MortifiedPenguins wrote:

At 12/6/06 12:00 PM, Slizor wrote:

Religon is an aspect of culture, race isn't, though most races follow similar cultural paterns but this is simple geographical.

Christmas has basically gone as far away from religion as it's possible to do so.

When you have people celebrating a Christian holiday mearly because of consumerism, then your holiday is dead.

[Elfer]

At 12/6/06 02:12 PM, Grammer wrote:

Hmm?

Only if I can have my baby Jesus.

Sure. The idea I was trying to get across is that if it means baby Jesus to you, go ahead and have it. Just don't bitch at the non-Jesus people.

[SolInvictus]

At 12/6/06 10:54 AM, IllustriousPotentate wrote: According to a Fox News poll, 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas.

thats surprising, considering that there are more then 4% of Americans who are not Christian (at least i think so).

[cold-as-hell]

At 12/6/06 03:15 PM, Mercator wrote:

At 12/6/06 12:47 PM, cold-as-hell wrote: Im getting an axe, chainsaw and a bottle of jack daniels for chrissy for im exited. I find chopping wood to be very relaxing. Especially chopping logs on a hot day with some larger.

Did you mean "Lager"? Once again, a pathetic attempt by a 14 year old who believes he is 18...Besides, Jack daniels is famous for its whiskey...

Yeah a 14 year old with a chainsaw and alcohol. Are you a major fucking idiot or are you just not reading what im saying.

BTW
sorry for adding the R. u prick

[Memorize]

Then allow me to ask you to shut the hell up.

I hate people who complain. But, do you know what bothers me? You're trying make yourself out to be all high and mighty by complaining to religous people when it's not even them starting the problem. And therein, lies the problem.

[MoralLibertarian]

The so-called "War on Christmas" is probably the greatest proof for the theory that ideology shapes truth and not the other way around. There has been little to nothing in the last 2 years to warrant talking about it, but for some reason right-wing losers complain about cases from decades ago as a way to spurn the left.

Wake up, right-wing. No one cares anymore. The ACLU rarely brings this sort of thing to court anymore because it's too unpopular, even for them. And as for businesses changing their Christmas cards to Holiday cards, give me a break. We're living in a global world where companies are no longer tailoring their message to just Americans.

[ReiperX]

At 12/6/06 06:21 PM, cellardoor6 wrote:

At 12/6/06 06:08 PM, Jose wrote:

And when a town endorses Islam or Atheism, then what?

Well first of all, when a town endorses Atheism is when it doesn't endorse any religion and therefore a truly secular town is an Atheist town and is supporting Atheism in a sense.

Athiests say there is no God. If the government sponsored something saying that, or put that in the school books, then guess what. I'd be extremely pissed off. Because then the government is endorsing Athiesm over other religions. But when it doesn't endorse any religion, then it is truely secular.

[TheMason]

You know I'm getting tired of so-called "Culture Warriors" fighting for traditional American values while using the Bill of Rights as toilet paper or fire starter. I mean look at how much time is dedicated to talking about private organizations saying Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas or an elected official taking his oath of office on the Qur'an instead of the Bible! If I remember correctly, the Pilgrims came over seeking religious freedoms which were then codified by the First Amendment.

Our government was set-up to avoid having a state-church. But now Conservatives want to erase that and in some states establish a Christian Theocracy in the South!

But it's not just Conservatives. Liberals are too busy with their touchy-feely PC and multiculturalism to see how these ideas interfere with freedom of expression.

Have we really solved all of our problems where we need to waste time discussing this crap? Have we become so polarizied that this kindof shit divides us?

Finally, if all of these 'Christians' were really Christians why aren't they out focusing their efforts on giving to the needy instead of organizing boycotts of Crate & Barrel and Best Buy?

Gimme a break.

[TwO-FaCeD-PaRaNoID]

In Holland, we have this Holiday called "sinterklaas", here a bishop in red clothing and a large white beard arives with a boat in a random harbor, and then gives gifts to children.
He rides a white horse, and has blacks called "zwartepieten" to aid him

Those blacks represent the slaves of old. So some anti-discrimantion lobbyists asked to change that habit, for it seemed discriminating how this white man has black servants.

Political Correctness is a bitch.

[AdamRice]

I hate Christmas and it makes me cringe when people start jumping up and down for joy about it.

Because a redundantly commercialized holiday combined with cold weather and the flu is something I love.