The war on Christmas

[Aximili23]

Many of you have probably heard of the so-called "War on Christmas":

Lines drawn in battle over Christmas
Secular Extremists Still Lying About Their War on Christmas
What 'War on Christmas'?

I have my own opinion on this matter, but as a non-American I'd first like to hear what you guys think. Is there really a war being deliberately waged against the acknowledgement of the christian holiday? Or is this a ploy of the conservative christian right? Has political correctness gone too far and diminished the joy of Christmas? Or is acceptance of other cultures and traditions more in keeping with the spirit of the holiday?

[Aximili23]

I rather loved this article. (The bold text was highlighted by me.)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ebenezer Scrooge would enjoy Christmas in America this year.

Drowning out the sounds of sleigh bells ringing and children singing are the sounds of arguing. At issue is how to greet people, how to decorate main street and how to sell gifts -- all without offending someone.

Religious conservatives are threatening lawsuits and boycotts to insist that store clerks and advertisements say "Merry Christmas." Countering are those who argue they are being inclusive and inoffensive with the secular "Happy Holidays."

In the middle seem to be most Americans, who not only aren't offended but find the whole spat rather ridiculous.

http://tinyurl.com/8cjmw

It puts the war of christmas in excellent perspective. Yes, there is a war, but it's being fought by a loud and annoying minority of religious conservatives. It mentions that the whole issue has been perceived by many as ridiculous or comical, which reassures me that you Americans have not quite yet lost all of your common sense.

It quotes someone who agrees with ST88's assessment that this is a Republican plant story:

Bah humbug, said radio talk show host Bill Press, author of "How the Republicans Stole Christmas."

"People have been saying 'Happy Holidays' for a hundred years at least," he said. "This is nothing new. It just celebrates the diversity of America."

He blames politics.

"It is all by design," he said. "The more people are talking about who's saying 'Happy Holidays' and who's saying 'Merry Christmas,' the less people are talking about Karl Rove, torture, Tom DeLay, the war in Iraq and other hot issues.

"And the more they stir up their evangelical Christian base over this issue, the more likely they are to get out and vote Republican in 2006," he said.

But perhaps Jon Stewart said it best:

"Every time you say 'Happy Holidays,' an angel gets AIDS."

[Cephus]

It puts the war of christmas in excellent perspective. Yes, there is a war, but it's being fought by a loud and annoying minority of religious conservatives. It mentions that the whole issue has been perceived by many as ridiculous or comical, which reassures me that you Americans have not quite yet lost all of your common sense.

Of course. It isn't a war on Christmas, but a war on non-Christian religions and non-Christian holidays waged solely by fundamentalist Christians. The only intolerance is coming from Christianity, which is hardly surprising, they're a largely intolerant lot to begin with.

[USIncognito]

It is either jealousy or hatred that has the Christians so attacked by secularists

Wait. I thought it was Christmas that was being "waged war on." Are you suggesting that Christians as a whole are being warred against?

I also find your decision to bring "secularists" into the discussion at this point farcical - yet again - because my understanding of the rationale for not saying Merry Christmas was that religious minorities like Jews, Muslims, etc. who have holidays during Nov.-Jan. might not appreciate being wished good tidings for a holiday they didn't observe. It's not "secularism" that precipitated the decisions of stores and school districts, but religious diversity (something this country was actually founded upon.

As far as the whole farce of your "secularism" argument, if you're really so worried about putting Christ back in Christmas, then why aren't you and the other reactionaries going crazy for how Christmas has become a season long orgy of Mammon worship? I mean seriously man, chew on the issue for a moment. How exactly are the all pervasive Lexus "spend $56,000 on a new car for Christmas" spreading the Gospel?

...and the likes of the guy that invented Kwaanza. Yes horning in on the action is what it is all about.

I don't celebrate, observe or even acknowledge Kwanzaa as anything more than B.S. salad bar invention just like I don't acknowledge " Winter Solstice" or any other 20th Century religious or pseudo-religious creation.

But since you insist on harping on the "horning in on the action" angle, could you please explain how a Christmas tree - horned in on from the Germanic pagan Yule log, or the use of holly and mistletoe (more pagan influences) or the un-Biblical dating of Jesus' birth (to coincide with the Winter Solstice) or the materialism and consumerism of modern capitalist society is supposed to put the Christ back in Christmas?

I also do not deserve this kind of personal insult. {re: Bizarroworld}

It appears that Christian-bashing is the only legal discrimination.

Two comments -
There you are making Bizarroworld comments again, and
Odd how your fellow Christians who have been members here and are on the mod staff here don't feel the same way.

[micatala]

When I was quite a bit younger, some 35 years ago or so, I lived in New Jersey. It was a fairly diverse area, with lots of Catholics (especially Italian Catholics) and lots of Jews. Happy Holidays was the standard 'public greeting' because of this diversity. Stores included Christmas as well as Hannukah themes. No one saw this as any kind of a 'war.' It was simply being respectful of the fact that one was living in a religiously diverse area.

Is this whole tempest in a teapot at least partly the result of the U.S. becoming more diverse across the country, rather than in isolated enclaves? Is it because some have not had to face this diversity before, and are taking a bit of umbrage at the idea that others might think it a good idea to be respectful of those of other faiths?

[melikio]

Is this whole tempest in a teapot at least partly the result of the U.S. becoming more diverse across the country, rather than in isolated enclaves? Is it because some have not had to face this diversity before, and are taking a bit of umbrage at the idea that others might think it a good idea to be respectful of those of other faiths?

I think the overall answer to this is: "Yes".

It IS a bit like having people move into a community, that are somehow different from the rest; still "human" but different. As a Black person, I've learned that seemingly insignificant things can get you noticed around those who think "White".

That's not a putdown of White people; it is to address the reality that people put up resistance to having their paradigm-bubbles "flexed" by unfamiliar components of reality. It's common for people to find differences and tension, in things that really shouldn't be a big deal at all. Sure, some Black people are the same way, but the point I'm making, is that people need to recognize these COMMON strenghts and weaknesses which come in the HUMAN package.

Certainly not everyone is the SAME, but differences need not be THE reasons for deferring respect, compassion and/or love.

-Mel-