Happy Holidays Merry Christmas

In regard to taxpayer funding of an Islamic school in Florida, Joe Kaufman says it well:

Most U.S. citizens would shudder at the possibility that the taxes they pay, out of the money they worked hard for, were being used to fund a school that was founded as a link between the country they call home and an overseas terrorist organization. But that is precisely what had happened (with the case of IAF), and unbeknownst to many, it is continuing still today (with IAF).

Yes, this fact disturbs me as one would expect.

What also disturbs me is that a school with "Islamic" in its name is receiving ANY taxpayer funding. Are schools with "Christian" in their name receiving such funding? I can't imagine it in this day when the "Holidays" are supplanting Christmas.

~-~

What of this word, "holiday"? Here's what The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition has to say:

hol·i·day
n.

1. A day free from work that one may spend at leisure, especially a day on which custom or the law dictates a halting of general business activity to commemorate or celebrate a particular event.
2. A religious feast day; a holy day.
3. Chiefly British. A vacation. Often used in the phrase on holiday.

So we're all familiar with the first definition, as this is the mainstream intent of the oft muttered "Happy holidays". And the Anglophiles or British television viewers among us may be aware of the third definition. But look at the second definition: a HOLY day. Doesn't this seem to be where the word originated? HOLYday. Indeed, that's what the above dictionary indicates:

[Middle English holidai, holy day, from Old English hlig dæg : hlig, holy; see holy + dæg, day; see day.]

What does the word holy mean? The same dictionary says:

ho·ly
adj. ho·li·er, ho·li·est

1. Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.
2. Regarded with or worthy of worship or veneration; revered: a holy book.
3. Living according to a strict or highly moral religious or spiritual system; saintly: a holy person.
4. Specified or set apart for a religious purpose: a holy place.
5. Solemnly undertaken; sacrosanct: a holy pledge.
6. Regarded as deserving special respect or reverence: The pursuit of peace is our holiest quest.
7. Informal. Used as an intensive: raised holy hell over the mischief their children did.

All definitions but the last one indicate a special reverence, infused with religious overtones. So - is this what people are meaning when they wish you "happy holidays" - that you have days of reverence for your God? While I am tempted to take it that way, I wager that's not what is being intimated. Rather, it is something more along the line of "I'd like to wish you a "Merry Christmas", but I'm fearful of offending either you or those immediately around us. Thusly, I offer you the intelligentsia approved Newspeak form of this anachronistic greeting, 'Happy Holidays.'"

What is so darned offensive about "Merry Christmas"? I like what comedian Brad Stine has had to say about the offensiveness of Christmastime well-wishes: "Which do you find more offensive, the peace on Earth or goodwill towards men rhetoric?" While some Christians no doubt will indicate the "reason for the season" is the birth of the God-man Jesus Christ, mostly all who say "Merry Christmas" are really indicating their well-wishes during a special time of family-oriented gatherings. One of my best friends, an atheist ironically, has no problem wishing others a "Merry Christmas". It could be his Catholic upbringing / cultural adaptation, but I think it's his respect for the morality of Christmas, regardless of the religion. I've heard it said that morality is our responsibility to one another, whereas religion is our responsibility to God. One can respect the prior without holding to the latter. To be unafraid enough to aver "Merry Christmas" in this age, you have to respect something strongly about Christmas - as does my friend.

Ultimately, what people are recoiling from is the name of Christ. For many, "Merry Christmas" is an invocation of the name of the God-man. Some people just do not wish to hear about Jesus Christ - at all. Often, it's for a good reason, such as bad religious experiences - more likely bad moral experiences (see above for the distinction). Other times, it is ignorance, believing things about Christ not true in the least. Christopher being my name, I wonder when people will begin to refuse to calling me such. It's hard to tell, as so many call me Chris with no animus at all. Perhaps when I haven't heard the name Christopher said at all for a year I'll then realize something's up. :-)