Enough Already!

[reason]

OK.

Sluggo emailed me the following poem about how Christmas has been taken away from her. While I can appreciate all points of view, I think it's time that I put down my foot - at least on this one:

ENOUGH ALREADY!

Between the American Family Association, trav and gae, and now Sluggo's poem, it seems they have turned themselves into the Damon Lynch of victimization for the religious and the right.

Good Lord. We are knee deep in 24 hour Christmas music channels, Christmas decorations, and assorted events spread over the entire region, and all we hear about is how Christmas is being taken away from the poor Christians.

STOP IT! STOP IT NOW!

You are not being victimized! Christmas is NOT being taken away from you! We have no choice but to be inundated with Christmas and all we hear about are complaints that WalMart is having a "holiday" sale.

Stop shelling out this crap:

YOU CAN'T STEAL MY CHRISTMAS

Poem by Sharon Steege


I don't know who they are
Saying I can't greet the crowd
The way that I want to
Can't say CHRISTMAS out loud.

I walk into a business place
See things that I rather not see
But dare I not say CHRISTMAS
And ask for a "holiday" tree.

What happened to freedom of speech
And living in the land of the free
How can they take my CHRISTMAS money
But can't say MERRY CHRISTMAS to me.

Men and women have given their lives
So we could still go free
I wonder how they would feel
At saying "HOLIDAY" TREE.

Come on AMERICA let's wake up
Don't let our freedom escape
If they get by with doing this
What else will they take.

This is starting to get out of hand,
And I've begun to keep track
Well I've just about had enough
I'M TAKING CHRISTMAS BACK.

So MERRY CHRISTMAS AMERICA

I hope this gets all over the net
If we all stand united and take freedom back
'Twill be our best CHRISTMAS YET!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

<font color="#FFFFAA" size="1">[ December 15, 2005 08:51 AM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>

[cincygreg]

Happy H [img]cool.gif[/img] H [img]smile.gif[/img] Reason ! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

This has been going on for years and has really come to a head this holiday season.
I'd put this into the category of people just looking for something to be mad about (which is the basis for a lot of stupiity and lawsuits in this country) but those who actually want to keep the "christ" part of "christmas" intact arent really doing so for that reason alone.
The fact is that I really dont think it's offensive to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (and Happy Ho Ho just sounds so good) I really havent seen any signs where they sell trees that say "holiday trees" either.
I get the fact that there are many people who feel that keeping "merry christmas" inm greetings and so forth is important, I also get that many people really dont care.
I still dont see how "Happy Holidays" can bother someone, but like I said before. I know some just wanna make sure that they keep the "christ" in "christmas".
I'm not a religous guy, you all know that, so I'll just say it again.

HAPPY HO HO! [img]wink.gif[/img]

[reason]

Originally posted by cincygreg:
Happy H [img]cool.gif[/img] H [img]smile.gif[/img] Reason ! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

This has been going on for years and has really come to a head this holiday season.
I'd put this into the category of people just looking for something to be mad about (which is the basis for a lot of stupiity and lawsuits in this country) but those who actually want to keep the "christ" part of "christmas" intact arent really doing so for that reason alone.
The fact is that I really dont think it's offensive to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (and Happy Ho Ho just sounds so good) I really havent seen any signs where they sell trees that say "holiday trees" either.
I get the fact that there are many people who feel that keeping "merry christmas" inm greetings and so forth is important, I also get that many people really dont care.
I still dont see how "Happy Holidays" can bother someone, but like I said before. I know some just wanna make sure that they keep the "christ" in "christmas".
I'm not a religous guy, you all know that, so I'll just say it again.

HAPPY HO HO! [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I saw an add for a "holiday tree" but it didn't offend me. I understand that if a retailer thinks they can sell a tree to someone who isn't Christian or doesn't celebrate Christmas, they aren't going to define their way out of a sale.

When the America Family Association justifies their position by telling us 94% of Americans celebrate Christmas, I find that stat interesting because 94% of Americans aren't Christian, and barely 1/3 attends church on a regular basis. Jews and Muslims alone account for at least 7% of our population.

[cincygreg]

According to the studies listed on here, in 2001 it was roughly 77% (dont know about the acuracy of it, but that sounds about right)

RELIGIOUS PERCENTAGES

Happy whatever the heck it is you celebrate LOL!

Happy cold weather holiday!

NAH!

HAPPY H [img]cool.gif[/img] H [img]smile.gif[/img] ! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

<font color="#FFFFAA" size="1">[ December 15, 2005 10:52 AM: Message edited by: cincygreg ]</font>

[Lew]

As one who is of the Christian religion, I nevertheless believe that the Christians who are complaining about how Christmas has been taken from them are acting...well....ridiculous. Christmas eve, millions across the country will be attending services, myself included. Now, if the government comes along and tries to stop this, then yeah, there's a problem. Absent that, I think this is all much ado about nothing.

Of course, not that I agree with the Michael Newdows of the world who just like to stir things up for no reason other than to get their name in the paper.

You know, as long as we can turn on the tube and hear Cher singing "O Holy Night," I think it's safe to say that Christmas ain't goin' nowhere.

[cincygreg]

Oh yeah.

When someone wishes you a Happy Holiday or Happy Holidays they are in fact wishing you happiness on whatever holiday you celebrate. That's a nice thing to do. Wishing someone happiness is actually kinda [img]cool.gif[/img]

[reason]

I stopped by trav and gae's last weekend to drop something off. They had just put up their holiday tree, and it was quite festive.

[cincygreg]

A quick game.
Try to figure out what the real titles of each of thee now generic holiday songs were when they were christmas songs


"Blue Holiday Season"

"Oh Holiday Tree"

"The Holiday Season Song"

"All I want this Holiday Season is my two front teeth"

"White Holiday Season"

"Holiday Time in Hollis"

"Do They Know It's The Holiday Season"

"I Want A Hippopotomous For the Holidays"

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img]

Those are real toughies LOL! [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Lew]

I mean, when you really think about it....

Christmas is, by definition, a Christian holiday. It happens to fall in close proximity to the Jewish Festival of Light, but technically is not celebrated by other religions. Yet starting nowadays in mid-October, it's "Christmas Season" everywhere, at least in the U.S. (maybe Sean Pa could enlighten us as to how things are in the UK). The Federal government, which by law is forbidden from endorsing any one religion, is closed on that day. It is not closed in observance of any holy days from any other religions (except arguably Thanksgiving, which, surprise surprise, is a day in which we give thanks to the Judeo-Christian God)

On courthouses throughout the country, there are Christmas displays. My own courthouse has a manger scene on its front lawn, and inside there are Christmas trees on each floor. And spare me the Christmas tree is pagan spiel; whatever its origins, it has been a symbol of Christmas throughout the entire history of our country, and in Europe for quite some time prior.

Every single coin minted by the U.S. contains the words "In God We Trust," and make no mistake, it's not referring to Allah, Buddha, Mother Earth, Eric Clapton, or any other God other than the Judeo-Christian god.

Yes, Christians have it rough in the U.S. Our level of persecution knows no limits....


But like I said, to speak out of the other side of my mouth....if someone wishes you "Merry Christmas" and that offends you.....you need a good beating. I know that's not a very Christian thought to have, but seriously, you need to be taken around back, and worked over for about 5 minutes. That way, the next time someone wishes you Merry Christmas, you politely say "Thank you" or even wish them a Merry Christmas yourself. Then you get in the car, drive off to the mall, and pay homage to the god of coin...