- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Parenting
MrsGoodkat
member
I'm feeling insulted on behalf of non-Christians
MrsGoodkat
member
in Parenting
Honestly, this "War on Christmas" nonsense is really getting under my skin. This popped up on my FB feed:
Good lord, people. Wishing someone happy holidays isn't trying to take Christmas away from you. It's trying to include ALL the holidays for those who celebrate them. The cards I sent out don't say Merry Christmas on them, they said Wishing you a wonderful holiday season because not all of my friends celebrate Christmas. I didn't choose to not include the words "Merry Christmas" because I'm waging war on the holiday. Sheesh. Stupid Fox News.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: I'm feeling insulted on behalf of non-Christians
That is super annoying!
I've said "happy holidays" since always. Not because I was avoiding saying Christmas but because I lumped Christmas and New Years into one phrase.
What is this with the "war on Christmas" anyway?! Uh... Christmas is winning in the states. By a lot.
Consider this:
I say "Merry Christmas" because it means something to me. It is a wish of goodwill and thoughts of peace and happiness. I don't know what your religion is. I don't know if you are Jewish or Muslim or Hindu or Wiccan or whatever. Maybe you had a bad trip with your parents when you were 12 and hate all holidays for any reason.
For the record, I am atheist. Not agnostic. I can't even buy into Pascal's Gambit. But Merry Christmas works for me and if it offends you, meh. You'll get over it.
"We like nothing better than buffing our Zygoma. And imagining a horny time traveling long overcoat purple scarf wearing super sleuth nordic legend fuck fantasy. Get to work on that, internet." Benedict Cumberbatch
<a href
It's Fox News' latest schtick now that the election is over. The people posting this stuff on Facebook are probably the first that would be offended to be wished a Happy Hannukah.
Oh the horrors of being granted well wishes.
People bug me.
I saw this the other night, it was awesome.
That same thing showed up on my feed the other day, too, and I just don't get it. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, and you don't hear people who celebrate Hanukkah getting all butthurt that everyone doesn't walk around saying happy Hanukkah. I also find it offensive to those who don't celebrate Christmas because it's like people are saying they're doing some heinous thing by not celebrating Christmas. People just need something to b!tch about, and now that the election is over, this is filling that void a little bit.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!
I mean, we celebrate Christmas. It's just commercialized Christmas.
We are not Christian, and the families know my religious beliefs. However, the Merry Christmas thing doesn't offend me. We celebrate it and I think I would get more comments and crap from the family if my cards said "Blessed Yule" every year. It's bad enough MIL bought us a Precious Moments nativity scene since "we didn't have one". Well no sh!t, we aren't Christian.
Oh, and hi everyone! Have been lurking for a while and would love to join this nuthouse. Is there room for one more?
I am Christian and I say Merry Christmas .... is that bad?
Here is my take:
It is not bad to say "Merry Christmas."
It is not bad to say "Happy Holidays."
It is weird when people are offended by the phrase "Happy Holidays."
Here's the thing. I have had more people tell me off for saying Merry Christmas to them then I have ever personally heard a Christian bah humbug someone for telling THEM Happy Holidays.
Not to mention the institutionalization (and hyporcricy) of companies forcing one to say Happy Holidays to their customers (I worked retail in a major chain for 7 years and that was the company policy for an umbrella company that had 7 different brand-name stores and THIS was back in the early 90s) all the while using "stereotypical" Christmas Decorations and Music.
The First Admendment is very clear, "Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE there of.
There are TWO PARTS to this clause, but only one (seperation of church and state is not in the constitution, but was part of a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote in response to - something people also forget, he did not go looking to intervene in this topic - a question) seems to get any airplay (by both sides of the aisle) until the Holidays.
Why? Because until now, the majority of people's overt religious actions do not occur in public, but within one's home or place of worship. But during this time period, one religion's traditions (and isnt most dogma just inane traditions until it can destroy the world - at least that is what Kevin Smith supposed) is to wish their fellow man a Merry Christmas.
This offering, like a Wiccan offering me a "blessed be", does not come out of a need to prostelize or convert, but a place of good will towards their fellow man, something we all need no matter your religious beliefs.
So when a company like Walmart tells its employees that they cannot free express their religion just incase they might offend someone else's religion, they ignore the 2nd part of that section of the constitution, (which states, prohibit the free exercise of).
Look, I do understand the negative historical aspects of Christmas/Christianity, from the purposeful absorption of Yule by the Catholic Church to number of wars using religion to support the true need for power.
But the average Christian is not trying to restart the inquisition when he accidentally says Merry Christmas at his workplace.
Oh, and I dare you to make a anti-semetic or anti-mulim joke. But we can go on and on about Christians (just search fundies here on the Bump and Nest and see the disparaging vitriol) at the local comedy club. It builds up.
No. This is Christians who are saying THEY are offended by the use of "Happy holiday(s)" because they feel like Christmas is being taken away from them.
I'm just saying I'm rolling my eyes at them getting upset over being wished a happy holiday instead of being told Merry Christmas.
I also roll my eyes at people who get annoyed over being wished a Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/whatever. Like PPs said, said thank you and move along. But it's stupid, imo, so get upset when someone wishes you a Happy Holiday and you're mad they didn't specifically say Merry Christmas.
^^ see, this. I hope you said "Yes, I could say Merry Christmas, but I like to be inclusive of everyone this season Not everyone celebrates Christmas this time of year.
"
Honestly, my Jewish friends that I send cards to are probably the last people in the world that would care if they said Merry Christmas on them, but for me I know they don't celebrate Christmas so it just makes more sense to wish Happy Holidays. I'm sure if I received a Happy Hanukkah card I'd smile but others would be in a huff because they're new Jewish. I dunno why this has to be such a big deal with people.
I like all of this. I am a Christian. I have no problem with Happy Holidays, I like it when I'm greeted with Merry Christmas,but I think the former includes the holidays from thanksgiving to nEw years. I'm over it.
also, as a Christian, I am questioning why we even celebrate Christs birth at all. No where in the scriptures is it mentioned that we should remember his birth, but it does say that we should remember his death and resurrection , which we do, at Easter. I think I'm over Christmas as a religious holiday as well.
+1
And if historical accounts are correct, Jesus wouldn't have been born in December but most likely around April.
Easter isnt really Christian either. Jesus didn't walk out of his tomb to find lots of fluffy bunnies and brightly colored eggs. Those are the symbols and things we do during Ostara. Which is a fertility holiday. Hence the bunnies and eggs.
This is exactly how I feel.
Why do you care if someone is offended by Happy Holidays? I just don't see it as something I should get all angry and upset about because someone feels offended by it and believes in an imaginary "War on Christmas". (I can't help but imagine a fatigue-wearing Santa)
I could care less, tbh.
I interchange "Happy Holidays" and "Happy Thanksgiving, News Years, Halloween, Merry Christmas, etc" all the time depending on the day and whatever I say.
If someone is offended, whoopity doo. They can be all offended. But- it doesn't anger me if they are offended like some of you seem to be. I shrug it off and wave goodbye and don't give it another thought.
I remember once at work I wished someone a Merry Christmas, and they got all butthurt and said "Happy Hanukkah!" with a rude matter-of-fact tone. I said "Thanks!" and they seemed genuinely confused why I wouldn't engage them in some sort of debate.
I fail to see how anyone wishing someone a better-than-average experience during this particular time of year is an insult. If someone is insulted because I didn't use their preferred holiday greeting or the all inclusive "Happy Holidays", it is their problem and they probably need to stop reading into EVERY little thing in life and accept my well wishes. Because I will take them back. I will!
I agree with that. But the door swings both ways. I would probably be removing people who go around complaining that "Merry Christmas" offends them and everyone should use "Happy Holidays".
If someone is offended because a well-wisher said "Merry Christmas", that person is just as annoying as the person who is offended because a well-wisher said "Happy Holidays".
I am not Jewish but if someone said "Happy Hanukkah!" to me, how the heck do I get offended by that? I don't celebrate Kwanzaa, but if someone said "Happy Kwanzaa!" to me... again, how the heck am I supposed to be offended by that? The person is wishing me well in their own personal beliefs. I think that is pretty cool, tbh and I enjoy the diversity.
This is what I think it's about too. It's about people that are offended by Happy Holidays BECAUSE IT"S CHRISTMAS!!!111!! 1
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
Keep your Christmas out of my Christmas!
Ok, hoping I didn't mess up the quotes, but I like what you said here. I am not religious, but I do not get offended if someone says God bless me. They are wishing what they believe to be goodwill upon me. If someone wished me Happy Eid al Adha I'd be touched they were wishing me a happy day on a day they consider very important.
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
Everytime I see a bottle of ketchup, I think of you and smile.
Merry Christmas!
Because Happy Holidays includes Christmas. People are mad about being told to have a happy holiday instead of being wished merry Christmas. It's a stupid ass thing to get mad over.
Why?
If that is what you believe, then so be it. People you sent a card to are probably friends and family and should respect your beliefs and how you choose to wish them good fortune this time of year.
It isn't like you would be all pissed if you had a Jewish friend and they sent you a "Happy Hannukah" card or something. I am sure you would just be happy they thought of you.
I agree.
It annoys me when people get all upset because someone wished them a Merry Christmas.
I use both.
That's what I'll keep telling myself. Nobody has burned my house down or been passive aggressive on Facebook yet!
No I know. It just didn't even occur to me that it would be offensive. I'm assuming that this means that I know my audience and it would not be.
You are right, typically you do see more people upset about "Happy Holidays".
Extremists are the reason we are having this conversation and it sucks.