Comments on: Holidays vs Christmas: a minority view http://labyrinthine.gomorris.net/2005/12/04/holidays_vs_christmas_a_minority_view/ Reflections on Living Life in multi-dimensions Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Dave http://labyrinthine.gomorris.net/2005/12/04/holidays_vs_christmas_a_minority_view/comment-page-1/#comment-289 Dave Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:13:15 +0000 #comment-289 hmmm... Christmas IS afterall a Christian holy day. I have Jewish (so they call themselves) that put up decorations for Christmas and exchange gifts because they like the tradition and pretty decorations. I saw photos of the malls in Japan today that have Christmas decorations (0.7% of the population there is Christian). I have mixed emotions about this. On one hand the holiday has been very commercialized and the spirit and intention of the season has largely been lost. <br /> <br /> On the other hand, people are celebrating it, perhaps without even realizing why. Is it at all possible that the fact that they celebrate it will lead them to ask why and question?<br /> <br /> I, like the good RevDave, have a hard time during the holidays, for many reasons I won't go into here, but talk about on my blog.<br /> <br /> One other thing... even though many people attending Church this Sunday don't attend throughout the rest of the year, it is a chance for them to hear the message again, and maybe, just maybe, they'll be inspired to come back more often. <br /> <br /> That said, there are other religious holidays in December besides Christmas (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa 2 that I am aware of). Hopefully people are open minded enough to not take offense to a generic greeting or one that doesn't mesh directly with their beliefs. Maybe I'm out of line, but I wish my Jewish friends a happy Hanukkah, out of repect. They wish me Happy Holidays. I take no offense. hmmm… Christmas IS afterall a Christian holy day. I have Jewish (so they call themselves) that put up decorations for Christmas and exchange gifts because they like the tradition and pretty decorations. I saw photos of the malls in Japan today that have Christmas decorations (0.7% of the population there is Christian). I have mixed emotions about this. On one hand the holiday has been very commercialized and the spirit and intention of the season has largely been lost.

On the other hand, people are celebrating it, perhaps without even realizing why. Is it at all possible that the fact that they celebrate it will lead them to ask why and question?

I, like the good RevDave, have a hard time during the holidays, for many reasons I won’t go into here, but talk about on my blog.

One other thing… even though many people attending Church this Sunday don’t attend throughout the rest of the year, it is a chance for them to hear the message again, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll be inspired to come back more often.

That said, there are other religious holidays in December besides Christmas (Hanukkah, Kwanzaa 2 that I am aware of). Hopefully people are open minded enough to not take offense to a generic greeting or one that doesn’t mesh directly with their beliefs. Maybe I’m out of line, but I wish my Jewish friends a happy Hanukkah, out of repect. They wish me Happy Holidays. I take no offense.

]]> By: Sisters' Weblog: It Bloggles the Mind! http://labyrinthine.gomorris.net/2005/12/04/holidays_vs_christmas_a_minority_view/comment-page-1/#comment-288 Sisters' Weblog: It Bloggles the Mind! Tue, 13 Dec 2005 22:46:17 +0000 #comment-288 <strong>Keep It Holy</strong><br />If Christians haven't been responsible about keeping ONE DAY a week holy...how can we expect to keep an ENTIRE SEASON holy? Keep It Holy
If Christians haven’t been responsible about keeping ONE DAY a week holy…how can we expect to keep an ENTIRE SEASON holy?

]]> By: RevDave http://labyrinthine.gomorris.net/2005/12/04/holidays_vs_christmas_a_minority_view/comment-page-1/#comment-287 RevDave Wed, 07 Dec 2005 13:39:32 +0000 #comment-287 I would agree that making the change simply out of fear of offense is nonsense. I guess what I was trying to say is that there might be a different level for us Christians to be discussing the issue than simply in reaction to the pettiness of the PC crowd (I say that while still seeking to be inclusive in my language and compassionate for those who choose to believe different than me). For me, it will be Merry Christmas, because I believe it. I want to have people say it because they believe in Christ not just because it is the name of a season. That I guess is the heart of my argument. I would agree that making the change simply out of fear of offense is nonsense. I guess what I was trying to say is that there might be a different level for us Christians to be discussing the issue than simply in reaction to the pettiness of the PC crowd (I say that while still seeking to be inclusive in my language and compassionate for those who choose to believe different than me).

For me, it will be Merry Christmas, because I believe it. I want to have people say it because they believe in Christ not just because it is the name of a season. That I guess is the heart of my argument.

]]> By: Rick Mansfield http://labyrinthine.gomorris.net/2005/12/04/holidays_vs_christmas_a_minority_view/comment-page-1/#comment-286 Rick Mansfield Wed, 07 Dec 2005 11:49:53 +0000 #comment-286 I blogged recently on this very thing--but from the other side of you argument. I understand what you are saying, but I think what bothers me and a lot of people is the nonsense involved in the extreme politically correct crowd who think we may offend the 4% of the population who do not celebrate Christmas (regardless of religious belief). <br /> <br /> The suggestion I wrote in my blog was to politely say "Merry Christmas" back to the generic "Happy Holidays" greeting. I blogged recently on this very thing–but from the other side of you argument. I understand what you are saying, but I think what bothers me and a lot of people is the nonsense involved in the extreme politically correct crowd who think we may offend the 4% of the population who do not celebrate Christmas (regardless of religious belief).

The suggestion I wrote in my blog was to politely say “Merry Christmas” back to the generic “Happy Holidays” greeting.

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