NationStates Jolt Archive

Only non-Christians should answer this poll.

Hell no and I think anyone who is should be shot. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hell no and I think anyone who is should be shot. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Thank you!

Even while I am holding a large sign in front of a Christian megachurch that says, "GOD IS FAKE", I'll still say, "Merry Christmas!" to the passing church-goers.

No one is really offended by the term Merry Christmas. Perhaps they want to make a fuss about it to get their name in the paper, but they're not really offended.

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Only if it's attemptedly pressed on me. Like it always is.
I'm throughly offended when people go out of their way to correct anything that secularises this holiday, correcting "Happy Hollidays" with "Merry Christmas".
When someone says it and doesn't get pissed if I respond with something way out there like, I dunno, "Happy Akitu!", then I'm not offended.


But the latter seems to happen less and less.

Only when it's branded into my flesh. :)

Well there's so many different things going on at this time of year, I expect to hear all sorts of different bits of well-wishing. Vive la difference.

What offends me is being expected to wish people a Happy Hannukah, Happy Ramadan, etc. and then being told "Happy Holiday" in response.

Erm....
the holiday DOES have a name.... and if it is respectful to call other holidays by their proper names, surely it is respectful to name that one too?

no, and I'm not offened by Happy Holidays either. (take that O'Rielly!) Except if they have some definite Christmas thing in the comercial and they say happy holidays. We all know what you're talking about!

I'm not offended by the term, but I do see how some people could be. If I think about it as an assumption that everyone is Christian, it does piss me off, but so many non-Christians do celebrate Christmas that it's not very religious for a lot of us anymore.

Though would it really be such a terrible thing to say "Happy Holidays" without making such a big deal over it?

I'm all for sayign Merry Christmas. What I'm not for, are "Holiday Trees."

You know, those ones erected in city parks, public places, which are Christmas trees in every way shape and form, less the name.

I'm not offended by the term, but I do see how some people could be. If I think about it as an assumption that everyone is Christian, it does piss me off, but so many non-Christians do celebrate Christmas that it's not very religious for a lot of us anymore.

Though would it really be such a terrible thing to say "Happy Holidays" without making such a big deal over it?

That is true, I live in a largely Jewish area and many of them celebrate Christmas or at least put a tree up in their home.

I'm all for sayign Merry Christmas. What I'm not for, are "Holiday Trees."

You know, those ones erected in city parks, public places, which are Christmas trees in every way shape and form, less the name.

Seconded.

Hell, I tell my friend to enjoy their Jesus-Break, have a Merry Jessusmy Christy-Christ-Christ-mas.

Hell, I tell my friend to enjoy their Jesus-Break, have a Merry Jessusmy Christy-Christ-Christ-mas.

Good old Dialy Show...

Good old Dialy Show...
Yeah but seriously though, we're a multi-cultured nation. If you cannot embrace other cultures and maybe even accept some into your own and allow for a nation built on the peoples of many nations to have their cultures come together into one giant nation, then what the hell were you thinking deciding to live in the U.S. of all places?

No, i just respond with "Good Yule!"

I pretty much use Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays interchangeably (although I tend to tell strangers Happy Holidays, simply to avoid awkwardness). The idea that anyone would insist that things that are obviously Christmas related be called "Holiday ______" or that someone might consider using the phrase "Happy Holidays" as a violent assault against the Christian religion is insane. So basically my opinion is that, yet again, the furthest extremes prove to be supported by the biggest idiots.

No one is really offended by the term Merry Christmas. Perhaps they want to make a fuss about it to get their name in the paper, but they're not really offended.

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I'm not offended by "Merry Christmas", nor am I communist, and I have my membership card (ACLU) right here in my wallet. Sorry if the idea warps your mind of a non-liberal who likes his liberties.

If that was a snarky pictorial commentary on who's stirring up this bullshit, I think you meant to include this pic instead:
http://www.theexperiment.org/media/ohreallyLG.jpg

Happy Winter-een-mas to all and to all an onset of the bubonic plague.

People are extreamly selfish in such issues.

It's important to them and the fact they wish the same for you is a decent thing.

It's hurts nobody to say it back.

I was surprised when happy holidays started. I got used to it being a Disney employee. However, when somebody said something I would answer the same back.

I would've thought a second poll for Christians "Are you offended by the term "Happy Holidays"?" would be a good idea.

I mean this sort of controversy is just so far beyond what I care about that I wouldn't even say something, but I'm thinking that most of this issue is actually created by oversensitive Christians claiming persecution again.

Why does religion have to be such a public issue all the time?

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Alright so How did the ACLU cause this? Care to site a case?

The solution is easy! If you don't know someone's religion, just say :Happy (this is researched btw) ChristmahannukwanzadawalshichigosanTaebortetyulesticemadan

That covers..well, quite a lot.

With friends, I just say "happy [theirholiday]" and get a "happy hannukah" in return, or say happy holidays. I'm not offended by either.

I'm Buddhist and quite frankly I couldn't care less; if some people are inclined to go as far as running along the water front naked with a big flag hanging off their rather large appendage with 'merry christmas' written on it, I still wouldn't care.

Those who are all thingy about it, get over it.

I would've thought a second poll for Christians "Are you offended by the term "Happy Holidays"?" would be a good idea.
O'Reilly made an ass of himself about that. He said atheist shouldn't be offended over two little words like "Merry Christmas," then when asked if Christians should be offended by "Happy Holidays," he said absolutely.

What offends me is being expected to wish people a Happy Hannukah, Happy Ramadan, etc. and then being told "Happy Holiday" in response.

Erm....
the holiday DOES have a name.... and if it is respectful to call other holidays by their proper names, surely it is respectful to name that one too?


I tell people Merry Christmas in response to them saying it. I'm a Muslim too and I think it's just a proper thing to do.

This still has to be the stupidest idea as of late. Jesh, why do people CARE what someone says to you in a bloody store? Hell, even if they said Merry Christmas, we all know what they mean is "Thanks for giving us your money and carrying on a merchant's wet dream of an orgy of guilt buying that has nothing to do with celebrating the birth of Christ".

For a holiday supposedly celebrating Him who commanded good works for the poor, forgiveness for all, and made damn sure to note that faith is in the heart, not what you say; I really am starting to wonder about the so-called holy mission of these people to protect Christmas. Is it under threat? Really? I live in a country right now that has no concept of Christ and where Christmas is only for secular purposes, but I doubt it makes me any less a Christian or threatens my faith to see trees up and no one saying (or mangling actually) Merry Christmas to me.

It really is times like this that makes me wonder about wanting to go back to the US, it really does. /rant

Happy Winter-een-mas to all
Hmm, I wonder if the Rod will be cordless this year thanks to the 360 release?

I don't just say Christmas, I say


Merry goddamn, Jesus-loving, turkey-eating, gift-giving, fatass-gorging, food-purging, benge-drinking, fucking Christmas! :)

Only non-Christians should answer this poll.

Well I'm glad I read that just before I voted... I almost screwed it up for you...

Good old Dialy Show...
On a related note, when I my law teahcer asked me what I was going to do this Christmas, I replied "Think about the seperation of church and state."

i havent really heard much of Happy Holidays over here in AU. i wouldnt be offended by it, but i would get rather annoyed. it seems to be that they are trying to be PC with everything, and are trying not to offend anyone. personally, i think Merry Christmas and Happy New Year should still stand. i dont really care for those who complain about the secularisation (if that is the word) of christmas, because, to me, it has taken on a different meaning to the one that was started when the christians poached the pagan winter solstice celebrations. to me, it is a time to get together with family, not just about the presents. when are they going to finally give up and accept the holiday is celebrated by those outside the christian community?

O'Reilly made an ass of himself about that. He said atheist shouldn't be offended over two little words like "Merry Christmas," then when asked if Christians should be offended by "Happy Holidays," he said absolutely.
I wonder how Bill reacted to Colbert's "War Against Holiday"

On a related note, when I my law teahcer asked me what I was going to do this Christmas, I replied "Think about the seperation of church and state."

...making you my new hero.

seriously what is wrong with merry christmas?
im not a fan of the happy holidays stuff.

if you celebrate kwanzaa say happy kwanzaa
if you celebrate tet say happy tet


etc... etc...

just because you dont celebrate it, doesn't mean you cant enjoy it

Only non-Christians should answer this poll.
*Converts back to Christianity so he can become disenfranchised*
How dare you!
*Uses disenfranchisement as an excuse to riot and steal TVs*

if you celebrate kwanzaa say happy kwanzaa
Kwanza is an abomination and must die.

I couldn't give a fuck if most people say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays". I don't celebrate anything, so I won't respond to them.
If my family says it to me, I'll be pissed off. They know my position, so that would be a nice way for them to say "fuck you, your opinions mean nothing." And I won't be happy about that.

Kwanza is an abomination and must die.
What the hell is Kwanza?

Bah. Only idiots are.

What the hell is Kwanza?

You get that book from Kwanzaabot too?

What the hell is Kwanza?

African Heritage Winter Holiday that's a rip off of African Traditions, Hannukah, and XXXmas.

You get that book from Kwanzaabot too?


those books are great for the christmas fire

What the hell is Kwanza?
A Kwanza* is an Angolan unit of currency, worth roughly 1 US cent (not red).
Kwanzaa is a "holiday" that some crackpot thought up as a way for Darkies to get in contact with their "African Roots", whatever the Hell that means. Bascially, he decided that the best way to get in touch with the past was invent an entirely different shared heritage that pretends that all people in Africa are the same people, as opposed to a large amount of differing and often warring empires and nation states with unique heritage's and culture's of their own.
Kwanzaa must die.

African Heritage Winter Holiday that's a rip off of African Traditions, Hannukah, and XXXmas.
What the fuck, man?

A Kwanza* is an Angolan unit of currency, worth roughly 1 US cent (not red).
Kwanzaa is a "holiday" that some crackpot thought up as a way for Darkies to get in contact with their "African Roots", whatever the Hell that means. Bascially, he decided that the best way to get in touch with the past was invent an entirely different shared heritage that pretends that all people in Africa are the same people, as opposed to a large amount of differing and often warring empires and nation states with unique heritage's and culture's of their own.
Kwanzaa must die.

OMG, who the hell invents a holiday based on a currency that has so little backing behind it that I could use it to wipe my ass. Why not make the holiday, hmm, eh, Dollera, or Euroa...yeah, those have nice rings to them.

OMG, who the hell invents a holiday based on a currency that has so little backing behind it that I could use it to wipe my ass. Why not make the holiday, hmm, eh, Dollera, or Euroa...yeah, those have nice rings to them.
Not quite my point, but, yeah, whatever.

Offended by "Merry Christmas"? Of course not! And for the people that are offended by the commercialization of Christmas: grow up! You don't see the Irish getting pissed off at non-Irish people celebrating St. Patrick's Day or the Mexicans getting pissed off at non-Mexicans for celebrating Cinco de Mayo. It's a holiday. People like holidays and people like celebrating, even if they don't know or care what they are celebrating.

If you want Christmas to be special to you, do whatever you think makes it special and don't worry about everyone else.

A Kwanza* is an Angolan unit of currency, worth roughly 1 US cent (not red).
Kwanzaa is a "holiday" that some crackpot thought up as a way for Darkies to get in contact with their "African Roots", whatever the Hell that means. Bascially, he decided that the best way to get in touch with the past was invent an entirely different shared heritage that pretends that all people in Africa are the same people, as opposed to a large amount of differing and often warring empires and nation states with unique heritage's and culture's of their own.
Kwanzaa must die.
That is the best reason I have ever heard for hating a holiday. Take that Chandler Bing!

Only if it's directed at me. I don't care if Christians want to celebrate, I just want no part of it.

Talk about a made up fucking controversy.

For fucks sake, I hate to make 'forumy' statements like this-but everyone who thinks there is a conspiracy to take 'christmas' out of the holiday or who thinks someone saying 'happy holidays' is anything but fucking short hand for a group of holidays that include New Years please please please take the fucking fish hook out of your mouth.

Only if it's directed at me. I don't care if Christians want to celebrate, I just want no part of it.
*Celebrates Christmas*
*Includes Terrorist Cakes*
BWAHAHAHAHA!!

*Celebrates Christmas*
*Includes Terrorist Cakes*
BWAHAHAHAHA!!

*dies*

*dies*
Praise H N Fiddlebottoms VIII!

Praise H N Fiddlebottoms VIII!

Ouch.

I'm not offended by "Merry Christmas." I also don't understand the opposition to "Happy Holidays." I oppose organized religion, am an authoritarian socialist, and I still don't give a damn who celebrates what holiday. I celebrate Christmas, though it's only for the family time and presents, not Jesus. If certain people are so insecure that they require constant verbal affirmation that their religious holiday is ligitimate... they need to look up the term "faith." When I wish someone a Merry Christmas it's not because I'm in any way attached to Christ. When I bid a fellow Happy Holidays it's not because I'm making war on Christianity. For the record, I prefer Merry Christmas. Has a nice ring to it.

I never really thought about the term until these fundamentalists started getting in an uproar about it, as if they actually owned the season. I'm really only offended by it when someone tells me that we have to exclude other holidays in favor of Christmas - like I'm not going to wish my pagan friends a Happy Solstice or my Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah.

In short, you do as you please, as long as you don't hurt someone. I'll do as I please, as long as I don't hurt someone. And we leave the government out of it.

I'm not offended by any words. How is wellwishing in any form offensive?

However, I bet Jesus would be pissed if he saw his birthday being recognized simply as a national holiday, instead of as "The one true holiday before which all others are eclipsed by its sheer linguistical magnitude." Jesus takes shit like that to heart.

Seriously, I can't believe the choice between a well-intentioned phrase and... another well-intentioned phrase is grounds for warfare.

I never gave much though to this question until last year when I unexpectedly ran into this guy I know. We talked for a minute and I wished him merry Christmas. Not 'cause I'm a christian, but out of sheer habit (it's just what everyone says here). He frowned at me and gave me this disappointed look. After dismissing that imaginary smell of brimstone, I remembered the guy had adopted wicca as a religion. Oh come on. You're supposed to be that open minded about everything? Or is it your Halloween hangover? ;)

You can choose not to be offended, out of politeness. It's not that big a deal, is it?

Alright so How did the ACLU cause this? Care to site a case?

They're a big part in taking the "Christ" out of "Christmas."

The most recent event, I believe, is the incident in either Boston or some place in Maine where the ACLU demanded that the Christmas tree in the town square be changed to a Winter Tree or some nonsense. It was changed, but recently it was changed back, thanks to the good mayor telling them where to go by saying "It will be called a Christmas tree as long as I am mayor."

As someone said before, you don't see people taking manoras (spl?) away from jewish people or black pride away from kwanza...why are we as a culture attempting to take Christmas away from Christians?

I'm agnostic by the way...so don't just think I'm some bible basher. I'm simply sick of all of the double standards in this country regarding race and religion.

They're a big part in taking the "Christ" out of "Christmas."

The most recent event, I believe, is the incident in either Boston or some place in Maine where the ACLU demanded that the Christmas tree in the town square be changed to a Winter Tree or some nonsense. It was changed, but recently it was changed back, thanks to the good mayor telling them where to go by saying "It will be called a Christmas tree as long as I am mayor."


You mean this?

1999 - Jersey City, NJ: The Third Circuit Court of Appeals found that a religious display with a menorah, manger scene and Christmas tree was unconstitutional. The religious display was later modified by adding symbols of Kwanzaa -- a traditional African celebration -- Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, a sleigh, and a sign stating that the purpose for the display was to celebrate "cultural and ethnic diversity." It was found to be constitutional.

That is hardly an effort to remove a christmas tree. They were probably trying to hide the manger scene with a simple menorah and a christmas tree.

We would have to see the set up and I am willing to bet the manger scene was readily viewable and the other two were in the background.

Don't know would have to see the details.

Sorry by you can put your tinfoil hat back on.

No one is really offended by the term Merry Christmas. Perhaps they want to make a fuss about it to get their name in the paper, but they're not really offended.

http://logo.cafepress.com/2/356074.290222.gifI don't understand how people can ever be offended by someone saying Marry Christmas... or Happy Hanuka... or Feliz Navidad... or Whatever the Muslims say...

But I sure agree with anyone and everyone offended by your enemy-of-the-state Logo.
Alright so How did the ACLU cause this? Care to site a case?I'm not offended by "Merry Christmas", nor am I communist, and I have my membership card (ACLU) right here in my wallet. Sorry if the idea warps your mind of a non-liberal who likes his liberties.
...
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word

Switching the question around, as a Christian I'm not gonna be offended if someone wishes me a Happy Chanukah or Blessed Solstice.

Oh, and just for reference...

ACLU of MA Defends Students Punished for Distributing Candy Canes with Religious Messages (http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12828prs20030221.html?ht=)

ACLU Helps Free New Mexico Street Preacher From Prison (http://www.aclu.org/religion/gen/19918prs20050804.html)

ACLU of New Jersey Joins Lawsuit Supporting Second-Grader's Right to Sing "Awesome God" at Talent Show (http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/20174prs20050920.html)

Take all your "ACLU hates Jesus" BS and shove it. :)

Switching the question around, as a Christian I'm not gonna be offended if someone wishes me a Happy Chanukah or Blessed Solstice.

Oh, and just for reference...

ACLU of MA Defends Students Punished for Distributing Candy Canes with Religious Messages (http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12828prs20030221.html?ht=)

ACLU Helps Free New Mexico Street Preacher From Prison (http://www.aclu.org/religion/gen/19918prs20050804.html)

ACLU of New Jersey Joins Lawsuit Supporting Second-Grader's Right to Sing "Awesome God" at Talent Show (http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/20174prs20050920.html)

Take all your "ACLU hates Jesus" BS and shove it. :)

ohhh... I have to add my voice to that...

Take all your "ACLU hates Jesus" BS and shove it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

or, if you prefer,

happy/merry/good christmas/xmas/chrimbo/hannukah/nothing

No. It's a fucking greeting, for God's sake...they're not trying to convert you or force literature on you when they say it. People who get worked up about it are just as immature as those who have problems with "Happy Holidays".

I'm Wiccan, and I've got no problems being wished 'Merry Christmas' by people -- I even say it myself, to people whom I know to be Christian and to celebrate the holiday. I also wish my jewish friends 'Happy Hanukkah', my pagan friends 'Blessed Yule' or 'Good Blot' or 'Good Solstice' or whatever it is they may celebrate. And I call my uncle from India to wish him a good Diwali.


What does bother me is how people get militant about 'Happy Holidays'. WTF is wrong with a generic goodwish made to people whose religious affiliation you aren't sure of?? I saw a man at the store yesterday practically take the head off of a young woman working the cash register when she wished him happy holidays.

I think that the segment of the population that is getting pissed about the holiday greeting things needs to grow up and realize that 1 - their religion is not the center of the universe and 2 - people who say something nice to you should be appreciated -- there are far too few of them these days.

Frankly, if I were a retailer, I'd be telling my employees "just don't say anything about the holiday season" at this point.

Elicere

Though I am in no way offended by "Merry Christmas," I think that "Happy Holidays" has gained a bit of a negative connotiation amongst the less reasonable members of our society. From now on, I will be saying "Happy Decemberween" and see how many people actually get it.

LONG LIVE HOMESTAR RUNNER! :D

I have no problem with the term, "Merry Christmas". I just decided to say, "Merry Dingleberrymas" this year, except to my family who probably wouldn't understand.


Merry Dingleberrymas!