| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| richfed |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 07:07:13 AM
The following is an editorial from Nathan Tabor which I wholeheartedly agree with & thus wanted to post. In a time when Best Buy prohibits its employees from uttering the words "Merry Christmas" [yet unabashedly capitalizes on the holiday's sales!] and the United States Postal Service has tinkered & toyed with same [nearly NOT making religious Christmas stamps a few years back] for some time now, coupled with the release this year of the reportedly excellent film The Nativity Story, I thought it a good time to post this. Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays
What's the real difference between wishing someone a "Merry Christmas" or instead, saying "Happy Holidays?" Both are said in kindness, meant to wish someone well during the same time of year.
It seems that the two should be interchangeable, that they both essentially mean the same thing. Therefore, when someone takes offense to being wished a "Merry Christmas", it seems like no big deal to just substitute "Happy Holidays" and be done with it. It may seem like no big deal, but it is.
A Very Big Deal.
Christmas is not just any old holiday. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, and the teachings of good will and kindness towards one another that Christ brought to this world. We celebrate his birth not only to honor Him, but to remind ourselves of how we strive to live our lives of faith.
The majority of Americans belong to a religion or faith that believes in the teachings of Jesus. Why is the majority being asked to hide their faith for the so called 'comfort' of a minority? Our country is based on majority rule. While it would be unreasonable to force all to be the religion of the majority, it is equally unreasonable to ask the majority to deny their faith because a select few are uncomfortable. Yet, this is exactly what is happening.
We deny our children the right to celebrate Christmas in their public schools. They are not allowed to sing Christmas carols, decorate Christmas trees or even hand out candy canes with religious sentiments. In fact, some of our children have been punished, suspended or chastised for doing so. What message does this send to our children? It implies that there is something wrong with expressing faith in Jesus. It subtly pulls them away from their faith, while at the same time promoting other minority faiths as being somehow 'better' or more acceptable. Our children are damaged by these ridiculous practices, and it is time to put an end to the persecution of Christianity in our public schools. Christianity is the predominant faith of our country, it should not be treated as it it was deviant or radical or even subversive. Yet, it is. Small wonder that our society is moving farther away from religion and losing touch with the discipline and moral code that religious practice offers.
It is also interesting to note that many non-Christians celebrate Christmas. Has any Christian ever come out and condemned anyone for participating in the holiday without believing in Christ? Has any Christian group ever come out and denied a religious presentation in a public school by another religious group? Of course not. It is only Christianity which is repeatedly shunned from school celebrations. The liberal agenda is hard at work, making sure Jesus stays out of his own holiday.
The fact is that the teachings of Christ are the basis for our legal system and government. Thou shalt not kill, ( murder), covet thy neighbor's wife, (adultery), lie, steal, bear false witness, etc all come from the ten commandments. As a member of our society, we buy into these beliefs as true and sound. Therefore, we have a reason to celebrate Christmas even if we aren't Christian, as we are celebrating the fundamental cornerstones of our societ |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 26 2006 : 11:13:28 AM
A very good post WW. I agree this isn't the country that it used to be. Prmarily because we're too "understanding/sensitive" to those frankly like attention in most cases. It's well past time we returned to what gave us our strength. When the vast majority cowtows to a few whining boneheads - somethings wrong. On a better note, - I found more people this year making a point of saying "Merry Christmas" instead of mumbling something about having a good holiday. For most people this is the "Christmas season", - not the Fourth of July. |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - December 26 2006 : 10:59:08 AM
As a followup to this topic...
I was in the grocery store just before Christmas, and as the clerk and bagger were finishing up and I had paid, the clerk said to me, "Have a Happy Holiday." I looked at her and said, "You have a very Merry Christmas!" I then turned to the girl who bagged my groceries and said, "You have a Merry Christmas, too!"
She looked me right in the eye and said, "We aren't allowed to say 'Merry Christmas.' We get yelled at, so I will say 'Happy Holidays.'" But when she said the words Merry Christmas, she emphasized them and accompanied them with a smile.
I grinned back at her as I left and she knew that I had gotten her message.
Isn't it a shame that some of us must disguise our words in order to avoid punishment for attempting to spread some Christmas cheer? This doesn't sound like the America I love. This is very wrong. |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 23 2006 : 5:19:48 PM
Sounds like quite a year Bill, - thanks for the update, and your prayers. |
| Bill R |
Posted - December 23 2006 : 12:46:36 PM
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL. GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!
Just dropped in to say Merry Christmas to everyone here. It's been a pretty eventful year. Not business wise, and not financially, and not criminally or anything (excepting whatever it is that occupies Doc Mary's day of course), and not much in the way of "things" or anything to do of a materialistic nature. Nah. We got by in that regard.
No.......it was an eventful year in the sense of family and God being with us and blessing us.
Betty's daughter is going to have another child. Betty's son had a second child. Betty's daughter is now married. Guess who officiated?
My younger son is married happily. My older son is getting married in April - got engaged this year at Williamsburg on the carriage ride. Musta been tricky kneeling in a swaying carriage.
This has been my last year to take rifle orders. By the time I finish what I have left to do, I physically will have come to the point it's too much for me anymore. Gonna make violins instead.
Believe it or not. Less strain on the hands and eyes and the back.
But God has blessed us. Truly. He has had his hand on Betty and I, for which we are grateful. I've had three stents put in my bypass grafts. That's a story in itself. Thought I had colon cancer. All the symptoms were there. Nope. Colitis. Diabetes looked like it was going to go into type one. Nope. Went back down again. I remain type two on medication rather than shots. After something like 40+ years of smoking, I quit in May and have not looked back. No hankerings or desires at all. Done with it for good. I prayed for help in all these tings, and it's obvious God answered them and stood with me. How obvious? Well nobody much knew (Carter did I think) but three years ago I had a visit from the ATF. Spent all day here. Took a lot of stuff with them. In April it occurred to me I had not prayed about THAT either. So I did. Apologized for not doing so before, told Him whatever He did with me was okay, but if His will, get it off my back. That was a Friday. On Monday the ATF called and told me the US attorney declined to prosecute and they were returning ALL of the things taken. It was over. Have a nice day. Coincidence? NO. It was NOT. Obviously.
So many things and in so many ways God has worked in Betty and my life this year, I cannot do anything but praise Him and declare Him as our Lord. Man, he has shown me in so many ways He is with us, and remains with us if we just ask Him into our hearts and lives.
And so, folks, my prayers are that He be with you all. Keep His hand on you, lift you up, comfort you and reward you in the coming year, and forever.
God bless us, everyone. |
| SgtMunro |
Posted - December 23 2006 : 05:01:43 AM
Wishing A Very Merry Christmas...
...And a healthy & prosperous New Year, to all of my Mohicanland family!!!
Your Most Humble & Obedient Servant,
The Sarge |
| Kaylynn44 |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 7:43:42 PM
I totally agree!!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS FELLOW MOHICANLANDERS!!!
Love,
Kay |
| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 7:16:20 PM
I agree with this article completely!  I decided a couple of years ago that I was going to fight back. I always say "Have a Merry Christmas" to everyone. I don't worry about whether or not they are Jewish. I just say it. And I have not yet had anyone respond in any negative way. Most people say it in return.
I think that many people are just simply sick and tired of this nonsense and want to return to the days of their childhood when it wasn't considered to be a crime to say...
Merry Christmas!
|
| Seamus |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 11:02:00 AM
I am not offended at all, Irish Girl.
Great article, Rich. Thanks for posting it.......
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and ALL of Mohicanland!! |
| Irishgirl |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 09:57:40 AM
Excellent article which I agree wholeheartedly with Rich. I hate the term "Happy Holidays" and when someone said it to me in Wal-Mart last Christmas I said to her "none of that Happy Holidays nonsense" and I wished her a "Merry Christmas" before I left. At my kids school they call it the "Winter Break" when everyone knows it is the "Christmas Break". Also, the Christmas Concert is no longer called that at my kids schools, instead it is the "Holiday Concert". What nonsense indeed. I am not offended by Hannukah or anyone else's religion and they should not be offended by ours. Even in a small town where I live, things have to be PC at times. Well at least they do have Christmas Trees in the schools here but up in Madison at the Capital they call it the "Holiday Tree". God how I hate that term. Everyone knows it is a Christmas tree. It does seem that the minority always gets its way over the majority. Just not fair if you ask me and millions of others. We dare not do anything to "offend" them but no one cares that us Christians are being offended all the time. I do hope things change for the better and people "side up" for all our sakes. Okay enough said and Merry Christmas to all on the board and if I offended anyone by that phrase then sorry but you should not be offended by it. |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 08:47:06 AM
Theresa, - I think eventually things will go "full circle" and we'll go back in that direction again. Probably not quite to the same extent, - but a huge improvement from where we've fallen to. |
| Theresa |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 08:22:59 AM
As I was leaving my school Wednesday for the Christmas Holiday, which our school systems refers to as "Winter Intersession", I told everyone, students included, "Merry Christmas" and each time I received a "Merry Christmas" in return. Our school had a Christmas tree in the foyer, although we couldn't place a star at the top.
I can remember when I was in fourth grade, our class painted a mural of the Christmas story for the classroom. Not only that, but we had to memorize and recite the story from Luke. Ah...the good ol' days.
Merry Christmas to one and all here at Mohicanland.  |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 22 2006 : 07:58:10 AM
An excellent post Rich, - and have a Merry Christmas! ... ;) |
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