Mr. O'Reilly, I would love to fight in your war to save Christmas. I, too, long for the day when all the Muhammed worshipers bow the knee to the Baby Jesus and fill their stockings with plastic toys made in China. However...
Bill, I'm only eighteen,
I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse.
I got eyes like a bat,
My feet are flat,
My asthma's getting worse.
Yes, think of my career,
My sweetheart dear,
My poor old invalid aunt.
Besides, I ain't no fool,
I'm a-goin' to school,
And I'm a-workin' in a defense plant.
I wish I had thought of those reasons!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it is about O'Liely, his head resembles some kind of vegetable. Just not sure which one.
ReplyDeleteI agree O'Liely is nothing but a liar and vegetable head along with many of the other mainstram media talkshow hosts: Limbaugh, Hannigton, Beck, ect. That is why they are paid $50 million a year--to create hate and division in this country and distract the populace from the real issues, such as our nation going bankrupt and the constitution being usurped. Why do you even bother to pay attention to them or any other warmonger talkshow host.
ReplyDeleteBut, I do agree that the Christ story is being downplayed in America. I have a friend that lives in Clifornia. He also believes that Christmas is under attack. He says that ALL the stores used to have “Merry Christmas” banners. Now they all have “Seasons Greetings.”
So what it it? Do they not want to offend the non-christians? Has America forgotten that Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus?
Monkey--According to the website Ochs based his song on a letter written in the 1860s.
ReplyDeleteTN--Kohlrabi?
Rachel--My hunch is that stores are in the business of selling stuff. "Seasons Greetings" probably sells more than "Merry Christmas."
As the Grinch discovered:
"And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling:
"How could it be so?"
"It came with out ribbons! It came without tags!"
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSeeker commented and then removed it. But the comment was about the reason why folks use a move inclusive greeting rather than Merry Christmas when greeting a mixed audience.
ReplyDeleteRespect. Not everyone is a Christian.
I would add that it is similar to the designation CE and BCE (Common Era and Before Common Era) rather than AD and BC (Year or our Lord and Before Christ).
Christmas like the western system of dating started out in Christendom, but has moved beyond it.
Wow, guys, you don't like O'Reiley.
ReplyDeleteSay it can't be true. :( (laughing)
My husband and I love the Factor, "fair and balanced," the "spin stops here." We always watch Fox News.
But, my feeling is that all of the news, as well as the mainstream media talkshow hosts show some
kind of bias one way or the other. Probably the best thing is to watch a variety of programming, and to try to read as widely as possible. But, I don't think it's possible to ever get completely objective info.
I'm not certain if there's a war on Christmas or not. I'm kinda late to the discussion. But, just in general, I don't feel that the seperation of church and state means that there can be no mention of God, or religion in the public square. I can't see any problem with public displays of manger scenes or Christmas trees as long as other faiths also can display their symbols. I think it's great for kids to sing Christmas carols in the public schools. This is just all part of our culture, and heritage.
Since for the most part we are culturally Christian, and Jesus is the reason for the season, I can't see a problem with folks, even in retail, saying, "Merry Christmas," or if someone is Jewish "Happy Hannukah." (Afterall, if folks are in stores shopping for gifts, it's a pretty sure bet they're celebrating Christmas. :))
I certainly wouldn't want to force this on people, though, and I'm personally not going to be bent out of shape if someone wants to say, "Happy Holidays," to me, either.
Since with few exceptions, one cannot tell by looking whether someone else is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or atheist, it's simply POLITE to give a religious-neutral greeting if one does not have time for a lengthy heart-to-heart with a complete stranger about their religious beliefs.
ReplyDeleteSaying "Merry Christmas" to my friend the Rabbi at best makes me look like an idiot and at worst makes me look like a boor. Similarly, the Rabbi would not wish me blessings for when I light my menorah.
Again, it's all about politeness for me, and I'm dismayed (though not surprised) that a people who proclaim "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" behave like such assholes at times.
it's simply POLITE to give a religious-neutral greeting if one does not have time for a lengthy heart-to-heart with a complete stranger about their religious beliefs.
ReplyDeleteWhat, you mean you aren't supposed to just assume that everyone is a Christian? What kind of theocrat are you, anyway? :)
I know, right? I am always amazed that it's my fellow Christians who treat me like an outsider, and I usually end up having a more meaningful discussion with the atheists and heretics.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mystical Seeker's deleted comment. I believe that intolerance is a problem in this nation for some. I think that the media feeds on this and blows it way out of proportion. It feels like many people are fearful to talk about their beliefs in public because of stories we read and hear in the media, like the lawsuit that Mystical Seeker told us about. I think the number of people who are intolerant is actually very small. The media just wants us to think otherwise. That is how they make their profits, and I guess people like to hear and read that kind of trash.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal note, I have a Jewish friend that I saw at a holiday party the other night. I really didn't know how to greet her. Going through my mind was, "should I say "Happy Hannakah" or "Merry Christmas". I think I ended up saying neither. I wish I would have said "Happy Holidays" now.
Rachel
You could always try:
ReplyDeleteHappymerrysolstihanukwaanzamas
Maybe it's just me, but I always thought, since Christmas and New Years are celebrated a week apart, that it was somehow more expedient to say "Happy Holidays!" than "Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
ReplyDeleteBut like I said, maybe it's just me.
I have decided to wish people a Pleasant Alban Arthan.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I've been in and out of the discussion. I haven't had constant access to the net for a few days.
ReplyDeleteI think we should try to be sensitive, too. I wouldn't say "Merry Christmas" either to someone who wasn't celebrating the holiday, or who I knew would be offended.
I'm sure most folks would agree.
That's what it boils down to for me.
ReplyDelete"Politically correct" in my experience is usually what my momma taught me, but called "politeness". Be nice to people, and they may be nice right back.