MERRY CHRISTMAS!
posted by queen_spoo | 10:20 AM 
Well, it's about that time of the year, and so much has come out that I have to say something about the ridiculous political correctness gone amok around Christmastime. Oops, perhaps that should be Holidaytime. Certain parts of our society--particularly permeating our levels of government--have been trying to take out any reference to Christmas for fear of offending the approximately 4% of America who do not celebrate it. They have this imagined offense (and false ideas of separation of church and state) as their only reasoning for removing it, even though I have known people who are reported athiests/agnostics who say they still like to celebrate Christmas at least because they get presents. And they still refer to it as Christmas without feeling offended. If people or places don't take the particular reference to the word Christmas out altogether, they secularize it so much that nonbelievers are able to celebrate it without any reference to Jesus' birth at all, just like having an Easter bunny instead of the Resurrected Christ. Stores have been using the "diversity" excuse for omitting Christmas so they don't offend their non-celebrating customers, though some have been doing better at reintegrating "Merry Christmas" into their ads and greetings this year, while alienating the other 96% of the population who do celebrate it.
The other big part of this is that other than trying to negate the terminology for a holiday that the majority of America celebrates, is that it doesn't go both ways, where they would erase every reference to Hannukah, Eid/Ramadan, Kwanzaa, etc. as well, if they're going to be fair about not offending people of other religions. As a Christian, even though I don't celebrate these other holidays, I'm not offended that others do. I am able to be firm in my own beliefs that those of others don't threaten my own faith, which apparently Christmas does for some people. I think it goes beyond just the potential offending of others, there's a greater fear behind it, perhaps of the message of Christmas itself.
Even President Bush has come under scrutiny with his recent reference to the "one humble life that that lifted the sights of humanity" as Santa, not Jesus, and that his Christmas cards are generic, though he has talked about his personal faith in Christ. Nativity sets are forbidden around the country, or at least pared down to the farm animals only, as in this case, again because of the false "separation of church and state" and offensiveness reasoning. Unfortunately, even churches are being subject to closing for Christmas this year because it falls on a Sunday. That should be even more reason to attend church on Sunday, on Christmas Day itself, rather than allowing people to stay home for a "family day." Burt Prelutsky, a Jew, wrote about this issue most eloquently in his commentary "The Jewish Grinch Who Stole Christmas," which I highly encourage you to read in its entirety:
~~Queen Spoo (the macadamia nut)
P.S. Interesting statistics I ran across:
62% - Americans who say stores shouldn't change greetings from Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings.
3% - Americans who say they're bothered when stores specifically refer to the Christian holiday.
The other big part of this is that other than trying to negate the terminology for a holiday that the majority of America celebrates, is that it doesn't go both ways, where they would erase every reference to Hannukah, Eid/Ramadan, Kwanzaa, etc. as well, if they're going to be fair about not offending people of other religions. As a Christian, even though I don't celebrate these other holidays, I'm not offended that others do. I am able to be firm in my own beliefs that those of others don't threaten my own faith, which apparently Christmas does for some people. I think it goes beyond just the potential offending of others, there's a greater fear behind it, perhaps of the message of Christmas itself.
Even President Bush has come under scrutiny with his recent reference to the "one humble life that that lifted the sights of humanity" as Santa, not Jesus, and that his Christmas cards are generic, though he has talked about his personal faith in Christ. Nativity sets are forbidden around the country, or at least pared down to the farm animals only, as in this case, again because of the false "separation of church and state" and offensiveness reasoning. Unfortunately, even churches are being subject to closing for Christmas this year because it falls on a Sunday. That should be even more reason to attend church on Sunday, on Christmas Day itself, rather than allowing people to stay home for a "family day." Burt Prelutsky, a Jew, wrote about this issue most eloquently in his commentary "The Jewish Grinch Who Stole Christmas," which I highly encourage you to read in its entirety:
This is a Christian nation, my friends. And all of us are fortunate it is one, and that so many Americans have seen fit to live up to the highest precepts of their religion. Speaking as a member of a minority group – and one of the smaller ones at that – I say it behooves those of us who don't accept Jesus Christ as our savior to show some gratitude to those who do, and to start respecting the values and traditions of the overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens, just as we keep insisting that they respect ours.
Merry Christmas.
~~Queen Spoo (the macadamia nut)
P.S. Interesting statistics I ran across:
62% - Americans who say stores shouldn't change greetings from Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings.
3% - Americans who say they're bothered when stores specifically refer to the Christian holiday.
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