It's Christmastime again!

[conuly]

Did you know that there are honestly people in this world who cannot tell others what they believe, because that could lose them their jobs, their freedom, or their lives?

Yeah.

And there's people in this world who can't even own their own religious books because this could get them into some serious troubles.

Uh-huh.

And there's people in this very country who can't tell other important things about themselves because of the potential loss of jobs, lives, homes, whatever.

Yup.

So why, in this world of persecution and opression and pain, why are there stupid people claiming that they're being "oppressed" by losing their special rights, in favor of (say it with me) more equal rights?

Every year, it seems I'm asking the same question. WHY, LORD, WHY? Why don't you smack these people most righteously for using your name (and their religion) in vain and, incidentally, annoying the rest of us? WHY THE FUCK ARE PEOPLE SO STUPID?

It's not the religion talking - most of *my* religious friends are perfectly sane and reasonable. Those who aren't are still not suffering from delusions of persecution.

When my 8-month-old son gets just a little older, it appears he will be living in a country where Christmas is mentioned in our home and in our church, but will be non-existent in the popular media, at his school, in the mall, in the catalogs that come in the mail or by the government.

Such an extreme imbalance will teach him at the most basic level that Christianity is something embarrassing, offensive and threatening to "other people" — so much so that it must be kept private, hidden and never be talked about.

Ha! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, wait, sorry. HOHOHO! (Did Jesus ever say that?)

Now, aside from the fact that your son will almost certainly still be a member of the majority religion (and since when has the majority *anything* considered itself shameful?), and will still live in a world where most of his classmates go to church at least sometimes, and where the "strange" kids are the ones who have to fight to not declare an allegience to God every day, or to wear their religious clothes/symbols (and nobody worries that the Muslim children won't feel shamed by living in a culture where they're automatically assumed to be terrorists!), and that nobody else gets their holiday blared about like that, no, not even Hannukah....

Aside from all that (and that's a list!), I'm wondering why he's supporting secularizing his holiday even more. Isn't it more special when you spend the time contemplating the reason for your beliefs, instead of threatening your kid with Santa? Santa's not in the Bible, last I checked! Neither are computer games or colored lights or candy canes.

What could be more inclusive and non-offensive than a store clerk, who happens to be Jewish, wishing a customer "Happy Hanukkah," and the shopper, who happens to be Christian, responding with a cheery "Merry Christmas" — or, if an agnostic, just a simple, "Thank you."

What could be more inclusive and non-offensive than not automatically taking offense when somebody decides to hedge their bets and wish you a Happy Winter-holiday and New Year's all in one? Nobody's forcing you to say "holidays" if you don't wanna. And it alliterates better.

We have a message for our brothers and sisters who are writing the ads, creating the displays and printing the catalogs:

You are offending us.

We are pleading with you to stop.

So, wait. Wait, wait, wait. It's upsetting to think that this country is full of people who get easily offended at "Merry Christmas", but here he is getting offended at "Happy Holidays"? Hypocrite, much?

(I suppose I should at least be happy that he included the possibility of other holidays. This is really one of the better pieces out there....)

Another article on the subject, from a viewpoint I agree with.

Comments

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

There were a few documentaries I watched that were very informative (I suppose) and studied along with astronomy to pinpoint a date when such a "bright star" would have been seen. They also took into consideration what people of that area were doing at the time He was supposedly born, and since it's in the northern hemisphere, it wouldn't have been during winter but instead more likely well into spring.

As for the exact date, I didn't remember, but I knew it was about that general time, early April. :-)

[pne.livejournal.com]

They also took into consideration what people of that area were doing at the time He was supposedly born, and since it's in the northern hemisphere, it wouldn't have been during winter but instead more likely well into spring.

*nods* I'd heard that, too -- that even though Israel is warmer than, say, Germany, shepherds would be unlikely to be out with their flocks at night in December, for example.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Even so, they were out during lambing season, which, last I checked, isn't in December, out with their flocks or not. XD