War on Christmas

hip hop bunny hop · 12-10-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captaincaptain

What gets me going is when someone claims we are a Christian nation. When was this proclamation made? A great part of living in the United States is you a free to practice/not practice any religion you want. If you want a Christian nation go to Costa Rica or Scandinavia. If you want a Muslim nation go to Jordan or Egypt. If you want a Jewish nation go to Israel. As individuals we need to respect that other people are not into the same stuff as you are, so respect that by not shoving one's beliefs down the gullet of another's.

The thing is even if you renounce an ideology (or religion), you are still going to operate by it's dictates until you find a new one to replace it. So even if everyone in the USA started calling themselves atheists, they'd still act like Christians. My point being, even if we aren't a religiously Christian nation, we certainly are culturally.

captaincaptain · 12-10-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hip hop bunny hop

The thing is even if you renounce an ideology (or religion), you are still going to operate by it's dictates until you find a new one to replace it. So even if everyone in the USA started calling themselves atheists, they'd still act like Christians. My point being, even if we aren't a religiously Christian nation, we certainly are culturally.

The USA can be as religious as it wants culturally as long the government stays secular, thanks Mr. Constitution

.

~~Rubato~~ · 12-10-2011, 10:20 PM

The western world has been dominated by Christian beliefs for a long time, it's only natural that those stuck in their old ways would see multiculturalism as a threat, all it needs is a bit of time, forcing it does nothing but push the stubborn ones further apart.

That being said I've heard the same old PC gone mad arguments over and over but never seen any evidence of it and the fact the only source of it here comes from fox news says a lot O.o

**Janszoon** · 12-10-2011, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bane of your existence

It's not the phrase "happy holidays" that people don't like. It's feeling like they're being pressured into saying it. People like Christmas, and things about Christmas, including its greeting. If people feel like that is being taken away from them, of course they're not going to like it.
There's been pressure to say Happy Holidays for decades now, and there's a staunch resistance to it obviously.

The people you're talking about need to grow the fuck up and realize they are free to say whatever they want, as clearly evidenced by this annual whine-fest they engage in about "the war on Christmas".

SATCHMO · 12-11-2011, 12:01 AM

Just to balance things out:

Electrophonic Tonic · 12-11-2011, 01:11 AM

Christmas can equally be considered a secular holiday, as it is a religious one. It's safe to say Santa >= Jesus in terms of significance to people in relation to Christmas. And it's been stated already, but "Happy Holidays" is a done not to re-crucify Jesus, but to save money on marketing.

As for the nativity scene... on private property, I have no problem with it. Completely protected under the 1st Amendment. But on a courthouse lawn, that's a problem. Again, back to the 1st, but government shall not establish a religion. I believe on a courthouse lawn it does, even if indirectly.

RVCA · 12-11-2011, 01:44 AM

Christians not getting what they want? Must be religious persecution.

Phantom Limb · 12-11-2011, 02:35 AM

Bill O'Reilly, Jon Stewart Feud Over War On Christmas | Neon Tommy

MoonlitSunshine · 12-11-2011, 08:15 AM

There's a "Christmas" decoration up in Sheffield City Centre which says:

Merry Christmas
Happy Chanukah
Happy Eid

Which for me is the perfect compromise. Yes, we live in a globalised, multi-cultural world, in which it is morally dubious to isolate a particular set of beliefs at the expense of others, but "Happy Holidays"? Seriously? It has no life, no meaning, nothing to represent the true meaning of the winter celebrations of any culture.

Happy Holidays epitomises the attempts to social groups to eliminate cultural identity and create one big global mess of non-identity. I love the differences in cultures, I love the different opinions and viewpoints they give. I don't want to lose the fact that I celebrate christmas (even though I'm not religious in any sense, as it has an entirely non-religious meaning to me). It's more than a holiday, it's different to a holiday, in the same way that I'm sure Chanukah or any islamic Eid has a particular meaning (although regrettably I don't know enough about either religion (yet) to confidently say so). The answer isn't to merge it all into one big grey boring mix, devoid of any noticeable identity, it's to learn to respect and marry the cultures of the world so that we can understand and respect the celebrations of others while preserving the... sanctity, for lack of a better word, of our own celebrations.

Conclusions: "Happy Holidays" is bull****. It's a cop out, cheap attempt to avoid a better solution to a problem that needs to be addressed. Do the conservative madmen have a point? Yes. Are they right to take the actions they do? Not really, but that particular group not understanding the concept of compromise is hardly news.

**Goofle** · 12-11-2011, 09:12 AM

I would like a more universal World to be honest. Screw saying three different greetings. A lot of "culture" does nothing more than create false differences and cause separation between different "groups" of people who are really equal.

12-11-2011, 08:15 AM	#19 (permalink)
MoonlitSunshine Dat's Der Bunny! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,088	There's a "Christmas" decoration up in Sheffield City Centre which says: Merry Christmas Happy Chanukah Happy Eid Which for me is the perfect compromise. Yes, we live in a globalised, multi-cultural world, in which it is morally dubious to isolate a particular set of beliefs at the expense of others, but "Happy Holidays"? Seriously? It has no life, no meaning, nothing to represent the true meaning of the winter celebrations of any culture. Happy Holidays epitomises the attempts to social groups to eliminate cultural identity and create one big global mess of non-identity. I love the differences in cultures, I love the different opinions and viewpoints they give. I don't want to lose the fact that I celebrate christmas (even though I'm not religious in any sense, as it has an entirely non-religious meaning to me). It's more than a holiday, it's different to a holiday, in the same way that I'm sure Chanukah or any islamic Eid has a particular meaning (although regrettably I don't know enough about either religion (yet) to confidently say so). The answer isn't to merge it all into one big grey boring mix, devoid of any noticeable identity, it's to learn to respect and marry the cultures of the world so that we can understand and respect the celebrations of others while preserving the... sanctity, for lack of a better word, of our own celebrations. Conclusions: "Happy Holidays" is bull**. It's a cop out, cheap attempt to avoid a better solution to a problem that needs to be addressed. Do the conservative madmen have a point? Yes. Are they right to take the actions they do? Not really, but that particular group not understanding the concept of compromise is hardly news. __________________ "I found it eventually, at the bottom of a locker in a disused laboratory, with a sign on the door saying "Beware of the Leopard". Ever thought of going into Advertising?"** - Arthur Dent

12-10-2011, 10:20 PM	#13 (permalink)
~~Rubato~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Ireland Posts: 230	The western world has been dominated by Christian beliefs for a long time, it's only natural that those stuck in their old ways would see multiculturalism as a threat, all it needs is a bit of time, forcing it does nothing but push the stubborn ones further apart. That being said I've heard the same old PC gone mad arguments over and over but never seen any evidence of it and the fact the only source of it here comes from fox news says a lot O.o

12-11-2011, 12:01 AM	#15 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,708	Just to balance things out:

12-11-2011, 01:11 AM	#16 (permalink)
Electrophonic Tonic Your Ad Here Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: The Twilight Zone Posts: 876	Christmas can equally be considered a secular holiday, as it is a religious one. It's safe to say Santa >= Jesus in terms of significance to people in relation to Christmas. And it's been stated already, but "Happy Holidays" is a done not to re-crucify Jesus, but to save money on marketing. As for the nativity scene... on private property, I have no problem with it. Completely protected under the 1st Amendment. But on a courthouse lawn, that's a problem. Again, back to the 1st, but government shall not establish a religion. I believe on a courthouse lawn it does, even if indirectly.

12-11-2011, 01:44 AM	#17 (permalink)
RVCA （￣ー￣） Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,270	Christians not getting what they want? Must be religious persecution.