Many non-Christian secular people celebrate the Christmas season in their own non-religious way. I am one of them. But this year I have made it a habit to hardly ever say “Merry Christmas” to anyone, even people who I know are Christians because of the aggressive position many Christian “leaders” take in what they falsely call the “war on Christmas” because some people under some circumstances say Happy Holidays instead of “Merry Christmas.” In my opinion such people are trying to set themselves up as language police and interfering with my free speech rights. For this reason, I now go out of my way to say “Happy Holidays” on nearly every occasion instead of “Merry Christmas”. I resent the interference of certain Christians on this matter and I no longer care if they don’t like it.
LL
Many non-Christian secular people celebrate the Christmas season in their own non-religious way. I am one of them. But this year I have made it a habit to hardly ever say "Merry Christmas" to anyone, even people who I know are Christians because of the aggressive position many Christian "leaders" take in what they falsely call the "war on Christmas" because some people under some circumstances say Happy Holidays instead of "Merry Christmas." In my opinion such people are trying to set themselves up as language police and interfering with my free speech rights. For this reason, I now go out of my way to say "Happy Holidays" on nearly every occasion instead of "Merry Christmas". I resent the interference of certain Christians on this matter and I no longer care if they don't like it. LLI'm the opposite in that I only say Merry Christmas, though I don't mind if somebody says happy holidays to me.
And let’s be honest. The only war that’s going on is the Right’s war on American citizens to fool them into thinking the Left is their enemy. Since they can’t win the battle of ideas, they gin up social crap like the war on xmas.
Many non-Christian secular people celebrate the Christmas season in their own non-religious way. I am one of them. But this year I have made it a habit to hardly ever say "Merry Christmas" to anyone, even people who I know are Christians because of the aggressive position many Christian "leaders" take in what they falsely call the "war on Christmas" because some people under some circumstances say Happy Holidays instead of "Merry Christmas." In my opinion such people are trying to set themselves up as language police and interfering with my free speech rights. For this reason, I now go out of my way to say "Happy Holidays" on nearly every occasion instead of "Merry Christmas". I resent the interference of certain Christians on this matter and I no longer care if they don't like it. I'm the opposite in that I only say Merry Christmas, though I don't mind if somebody says happy holidays to me. ------------------------------------------------------- I used to do that, too, but the aggressive rhetoric from the Christian right has become so blatant, bigoted, demanding and false that I will no longer use the words they demand. I never minded when people said "Merry Christmas" to me and I was always glad to say it back and to say it to people I knew were Christians, but the religious right has gone beyond the pale. I can only respond by refusing to say "Merry Christmas" to anyone starting with this year. Only when people on the religious right stop saying that when people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" it amounts to a "war on Christmas" and when they stop demanding that everyone speak greetings using the bigoted religious right's words instead of their own, I will consider using the words "Merry Christmas," and not a moment before. I am sick to death of being accused of waging war on Christmas because I don't use the words the religious right demands. I won't play their game and I won't accede to their bigoted, unAmerican demands. ------------------------------------------------------- HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL Lois
My gut reaction to your first post was, “Oh, just chill out,” but after reading this last post I’m inclined to agree with you. This “War on Christmas” nonsense is ridiculous, and fighting back seems the best course.
My gut reaction to your first post was, "Oh, just chill out," but after reading this last post I'm inclined to agree with you. This "War on Christmas" nonsense is ridiculous, and fighting back seems the best course.Thanks for your understanding. It was only this year that I reacted so strongly. I am a "live and let live" kind of person and I don't publicly challenge anyone's beliefs if they're not hurting anyone. I join my Christian friends in their celebrations of Christmas. I don't tell anyone how to celebrate holidays and I don't appreciate being told how I should celebrate my version of Christmas. I have finally become annoyed at being told which words I must say and which words I must not say in order to to avoid criticism from the religious right that I am waging WAR on THEIR holiday. It simply has gone too far. I was not the antagonist in this ridiculous charade. I don't appreciate being told I must celebrate on THEIR terms or not at all. I would never tnink of telling anyone how they shoud lcelebrate a holiday. In my opinion the religious right does not OWN Christmas. I have never interfered with their celebration of it. I don't denigrate it publicly or privately. But this year I've reaached the limit of my patience. I am not going to give in to their demands that I say the words they choose or be accused of waging war on the holiday and I have decided to no longer ignore their outrageous demands, I feel I have been driven to take a stand and make a point. I would never have made any stand at all without a great deal of unwelcome and uncalled-for antagonism from the religious right. Lois
Did you read Tom Flynn’s column?
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/a_seasonal_reflection/
I thought it was a very good, very thought-provoking article, but personally have to side with some of the people who left comments. When I tell a Christian that I’m an atheist, I have never had one ask me what I do for Christmas! Even if they did, for most of us, going in to work on the 25th just isn’t an option.
A lot of the data has Christmas as Jesus date of birth. And that didn’t happen until the fourth century as part of the evolution of Christianity.
I look at Christmas as a historical winter solstice holiday. Before 1,000 B.C. we have the following gods or demigods born on December 25: Horus, Osiris, and Attis. Before 200 B.C. we have Mithra, Heracles, Dionysus, Tammuz, Adonis, and others. Point being, there has historically been a celebration for winter solstice even going back into pre-history. Winter solstice was global, taken place in places like Peru, Mexico, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc. The common factors are food and celebration.
Happy Holidays, Marry Christmas and Happy New Year. And hope you all enjoy a lot of food and celebration.
The best way to celebrate the December holidays is with Saturnalia. It began on December 17th and usually goes to the 24th. You can do or say anything you like. You can string lights, decorate trees, give gifts, eat, drink and be merry. You can even gamble. You can say “Io Saturnalia” or “Happy Holidays”. Nobody is going to say you’re declaring war on Saturnalia if you say the “wrong” thing.
Lois
Did you read Tom Flynn's column? http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/a_seasonal_reflection/ I thought it was a very good, very thought-provoking article, but personally have to side with some of the people who left comments. When I tell a Christian that I'm an atheist, I have never had one ask me what I do for Christmas! Even if they did, for most of us, going in to work on the 25th just isn't an option.Couldn't quite get through all that. Seems to be taking anecdotal evidence a bit far. Not sure if you can view this without an account.] Matt Dillahunty and his wife did a bit on this. They say, celebrate Christmas however you want. Most of the symbolism is not Christian. You are doing something that all cultures have done forever, sharing symbols as a community. It is not theism to share symbols.
I celebrate Christmas the same way I celebrate Halloween. I like decorating the house, and I like parties where people dress up in costumes. Am I supposed to give up Halloween too, just because it happens to be a Catholic feast day?
Christmas is an excellent excuse to throw a few parties. So are Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Halloween and Thanksgiving. That’s what my friends and I do. We play dominoes, some play music, some drink alcoholic beverages. No one pushes religion or nonreligon on anyone. We’re together for the friendship and laughs. Lois has legitimate reasons for her actions. Tom Flynn is just being a curmudgeon.
Christmas is an excellent excuse to throw a few parties. So are Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Halloween and Thanksgiving. That's what my friends and I do. We play dominoes, some play music, some drink alcoholic beverages. No one pushes religion or nonreligon on anyone. We're together for the friendship and laughs. Lois has legitimate reasons for her actions. Tom Flynn is just being a curmudgeon.Thanks, Darron, for relieving me of curmudgeon status. That is not a small thing. Lois
Christmas is an excellent excuse to throw a few parties. So are Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Halloween and Thanksgiving. That's what my friends and I do. We play dominoes, some play music, some drink alcoholic beverages. No one pushes religion or nonreligon on anyone. We're together for the friendship and laughs. Lois has legitimate reasons for her actions. Tom Flynn is just being a curmudgeon.Thanks, Darron, for relieving me of curmudgeon status. That is not a small thing. Lois We curmudgeons need to stick up for each other. ;-)
Christmas is an excellent excuse to throw a few parties. So are Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Halloween and Thanksgiving. That's what my friends and I do. We play dominoes, some play music, some drink alcoholic beverages. No one pushes religion or nonreligon on anyone. We're together for the friendship and laughs. Lois has legitimate reasons for her actions. Tom Flynn is just being a curmudgeon.Thanks, Darron, for relieving me of curmudgeon status. That is not a small thing. Lois We curmudgeons need to stick up for each other. ;-) "
Living in the Southeast (South Carolina to be precise) has its peculiar implications w/regards to “The War on Christmas” BS.
I regularly wish people “Happy Holidays” and get odd looks sometimes, because I’m not recognizing the Christian aspect of the event.
But it is a good time to drink…
Happy Secular Humanist Holidays everybody!
Living in the Southeast (South Carolina to be precise) has its peculiar implications w/regards to "The War on Christmas" BS. I regularly wish people "Happy Holidays" and get odd looks sometimes, because I'm not recognizing the Christian aspect of the event. But it is a good time to drink... Happy Secular Humanist Holidays everybody!Nearly every aspect of Christmas is secular, many with roots in pagan customs. Decorating trees, the yule log, gift giving, group singing and group feasts all predate Christianity. Christians have simply requisitioned these things as their own. Romans celebrated Sarurnalia in December with many similar customs for hundreds of years before the dawn of Christianity. Even today two-thirds of the world's population is not Christian. When I string up lights, decorate a tree, exchange gifts, eat, drink and am merry in late December, I am not celebrating Christmas, I am celebrating An ancient pagan holiday. Yes, I give a nod to Christmas, but Christmas is not the holiday I am celebrating. I resent it when people assume I am and expect me to act as if I am and give exclusively Christian greetings.
Living in the Southeast (South Carolina to be precise) has its peculiar implications w/regards to "The War on Christmas" BS. I regularly wish people "Happy Holidays" and get odd looks sometimes, because I'm not recognizing the Christian aspect of the event. But it is a good time to drink... Happy Secular Humanist Holidays everybody!Nearly every aspect of Christmas is secular, many with roots in pagan customs. Decorating trees, the yule log, gift giving, group singing and group feasts all predate Christianity. Christians have simply requisitioned these things as their own. Romans celebrated Sarurnalia in December with many similar customs for hundreds of years before the dawn of Christianity. Even today two-thirds of the world's population is not Christian. When I string up lights, decorate a tree, exchange gifts, eat, drink and am merry in late December, I am not celebrating Christmas, I am celebrating An ancient pagan holiday. Yes, I give a nod to Christmas, but Christmas is not the holiday I am celebrating. I resent it when people assume I am and expect me to act as if I am and give exclusively Christian greetings.No offence but this is a little too fussy. The best thing to do here is just enjoy the syncretism of the two cultures without pointless hairsplitting.