NationStates Jolt Archive

Ahh Christmas, time of year where Red, Green, Gold and Silver is in style, where people buy gifts for others that'll be out in the trash anywhere from January to February. Of course we can't forget about the Fundamentalist battle cry of a "War on Christmas" as more and more stores are opting for the "Happy Holidays" in their advertisement. Every year they bitch about this and usually from the "sane" part of the population (and I use the term sane very loosely here) it's replied with a groan.

Let's be honest, Christmas is not the only Winter Holiday that's around. Here is a Wiki list of Winter Holidays. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals) So as you can see, Christmas isn't the only Holiday around, so, Fundamentalist Christians, sorry if stores and retail won't stroke your religious dick but as Western Society progress, the population become more religiously diverse. More and more people are learning that all that really matters is how you act and behave in this lifetime. So what if the stores says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", and so what if you can't spread the word of Jesus to "save" your neighbors, this is supposed to be a joyous time for everyone!

Also, if we're really being honest about wanting to Celebrate Christmas, at least do it right, celebrate Yule!

YULE/DECEMBER


Yule 9 - Day of Remembrance for Egil Skallagrimsson: Odin was his God, and the blood of berserks and shape-shifters ran in his family. His lust for gold and for fames was insatiable. Yet the same man was passionately moved by the love of his friends and generously opened handed to those who found his favor. The same brain that seethed with war-fury also composed skaldic poetry capable of calming angry kings. Can it be by accident that Egil worshipped Odin, the great solver of paradoxes and riddles? Indeed all Asafolk - but especially those who follow the one-eyed God of battle and magic - can learn much from the life of this amazing man.

Yule 21 - Mother Night: As the night before the Winter Solstice, this is the time when the New Year is born. We honor the beginning of Sunnas return and the breaking of Winter’s spell. This is a time to honor Thor and Freyr, celebrate by Blot, Sumbel, and High Feast. Burn a Yule Log and jump the flames for luck and purification.

Yule 22 - High Feast of Yule - Beginning of Runic Year - Sacred to Thorr and Freyr

Yule 31 - Twelfth Night: This culminates the traditional twelve days of Yule. Each day of which is a month of the preceding year in miniature. Reflect on the past year. Take stock and lay a course for the future. Make New Years resolutions in the old way by swearing your oath on Freyr’s boar or on your Hammer.

Link (http://www.asatru.org/) (Just click on Yule or Asatru Holidays)

Have a Happy and Wonderful Holidays. :)

"happy holidays" has been replaced by all the really cool "in the know" folks by the phrase "happy smunkee day"

There is no more war on Christmas, there is only praising my existence and buying me candies.

One thing I like to say to the fundies, so they can't even complain about "political correctness LOL!" is this.

"So, you celebrate Christmas. Okay then. What happens just under a week after that? A second holiday! So, that makes two holidays. Plural. Sure, I could say "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year," but "Happy Holidays" is much quicker.

Usually, they just yell louder "BUT WAR ON CHRISTMAS LOL!"

You mean 'War on Christians'.
It is real.

It is all too real.

...but as Western Society progress, the population become more religiously diverse. More and more people are learning that all that really matters is how you act and behave in this lifetime.

Or so they keep telling me. Of course, the people who say that America's the most religiously diverse it's ever been are also usually the people who tell me that America's the most lingually diverse it's ever been, despite the fact that in the 1800's, virtually every language in Europe plus Chinese was present in ethnic neighborhoods and small towns of the good old US of A, and English held no majority, whereas today there are two major languages (English and Spanish) with one still holding a fairly strong lead, along with a handful of other languages in trace amounts.

I have serious doubts with the claim that atheism/agnosticism/nihilism originated with "Western Society progressing," and I know statistically church attendance is actually on the rise in most areas. Further, the religious groups that are on the rise are the most extreme of the extreme, Christian and Islamic Fundamentalists, Mormons, Catholics, while moderate groups like the Methodists and Episcopals are actually declining in number despite an overall rise in attendance.

No, the reason that people have become politically correct with regards to the holiday season is that as a result of the 60's, political correctness has become a cultural virtue with inherent value while thin-skinnedness has ceased to be a vice. This said, I believe stores have the right to do whatever they want with regards to pleasing their customers, but I also believe that if you have worked yourself up in to being offended by somebody offering you a "Happy Christmas," I challenge you to offer me next November a "Happy Eid."

Have a happy and merry holidays. ;)

You mean 'War on Christians'.
It is real.

It is all too real.

Did you mean to paint that huge target on your forehead or are you being sarcastic?


It's been my experience that most people are too busy actually celebrating the holidays to really worry to much about what their athiest friend greeted them with yesterday morning. Let the idiots bark, just digs them into a deeper and deeper hole.

"happy holidays" has been replaced by all the really cool "in the know" folks by the phrase "happy smunkee day"

There is no more war on Christmas, there is only praising my existence and buying me candies.

Happy Smunkee Day. I got your candies, unfortunately, you need to come to Hawaii to collect them :p

I personally don't care whether its Happy Holidays or Happy Christmas. But, I do not want people bitching about when a store puts up a Merry Christmas sign, that its "discriminating" and it needs to include everything.

I don't mind including everyone but that horror of a word that includes all the major religions or whatnot is just ridiculous.

For example, a short time ago someone say a Merry Christmas thread put up, and DEMANDED it be edited by Mods to accommodate for the other religions for the sake of "being fair to everyone".

I am sorry, but if I damn well want to say Merry Christmas, I damn well HAVE the right to do so. If you are Jewish, feel free to say Happy Hanukkah {sp?}, Kwanza for Africa, and so on.

I do NOT want, from Christians or any of those radical enough to go "YOU MUST ACCOMMODATE EVRYONE."

Fuck off and go die in a fire. I am sick of that crap. Giving everyone a free chance and forcing it down their throats are two VERY different things people.

Happy Smunkee Day. I got your candies, unfortunately, you need to come to Hawaii to collect them :p
you should mail me some Kona coffee.

"happy holidays" has been replaced by all the really cool "in the know" folks by the phrase "happy smunkee day"

There is no more war on Christmas, there is only praising my existence and buying me candies.

But there's a war on Chanuka. But, let's face it, it's just a war over strategic positioning for the upcoming war on Eid.

you should mail me some Kona coffee.

Okeydokey.

you should mail me some Kona coffee.

Mail me some too, while you're at it. I'm running low...:)

See my sig.

See my sig.

I like you.

dp

oh its not just a war!

also its not Christmas and I haven't seen any of this so whats with all the fuss :confused:

Some of those holidays are not in December and not even american holidays, christmas is a federal holiday and observed by over 90% of the country. I was expecting so much more out of you.

Some of those holidays are not in December and not even american holidays, christmas is a federal holiday and observed by over 90% of the country. I was expecting so much more out of you.

It's because we're American that we must realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and that there are other valid Winter Holidays celebrated within the borders of this country (I may actually burn a Yule log this year) that should be respected. Just because Christianity is the majority religion here doesn't mean that you get to drive the car while everyone else sits in the back.

Some of those holidays are not in December and not even american holidays, christmas is a federal holiday and observed by over 90% of the country. I was expecting so much more out of you.huh?




waza talkin abou you foo?

It's because we're American that we must realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and that there are other valid Winter Holidays celebrated within the borders of this country (I may actually burn a Yule log this year) that should be respected. Just because Christianity is the majority religion here doesn't mean that you get to drive the car while everyone else sits in the back.

Nobody is forcing you to observe Christmas you know. And Christmas has become a vastly secular holiday not a regions one.


Also why acknowledge a holiday only observed by a combine 50 people? I demand International Boobies Are Cool Day on December 20th be acknowledged now or I claim discrimination!

I feel discriminated against at this time of year. No one acknowledges St. Octopus Day; the day that celebrates the birth of the octopus and other delicious sea creatures we now put into calamari.

I feel discriminated against at this time of year. No one acknowledges St. Octopus Day; the day that celebrates the birth of the octopus and other delicious sea creatures we now put into calamari.

Damn shame! Stupid Christians!:mad:

Nobody is forcing you to observe Christmas you know. And Christmas has become a vastly secular holiday not a regions one.


Also why acknowledge a holiday only observed by a combine 50 people? I demand International Boobies Are Cool Day on December 20th be acknowledged now or I claim discrimination!

Ok, go back to the OP, now when did I say that EVERY Holiday must be acknowledge by the state? God, I'm a Libertarian, that's the opposite of what I would want. I just want the Fundies Christian to get their collective head out of their collective ass and realize that Christmas isn't the only Holiday that takes place during the Winter.

Ok, go back to the OP, now when did I say that EVERY Holiday must be acknowledge by the state? God, I'm a Libertarian, that's the opposite of what I would want. I just want the Fundies Christian to get their collective head out of their collective ass and realize that Christmas isn't the only Holiday that takes place during the Winter.


Why are you crying then? They already know about other holidays. There, problem solved.


I back Kryozerkia and his holiday! WE DEMAND JUSTICE!

A "war on Christmas" would surely have to involve some sort of actual attack on it. I've never seen anything amounting to that, only people wishing to opt out of it (or at the very least not making quite such a big religious deal out of it).

It's like saying I was participating in a war on history when I dropped it as a school subject at age 14 (because I wanted to study geography and art and music instead, and couldn't do them all).

A real war on Christmas would mean calling for the abolition of Santa Claus, or insisting nobody else celebrate it, maybe a reindeer cull or two. Not even the most retarded fundie can claim that any of that's happening.

Nobody is forcing you to observe Christmas you know. And Christmas has become a vastly secular holiday not a regions one.


Also why acknowledge a holiday only observed by a combine 50 people? I demand International Boobies Are Cool Day on December 20th be acknowledged now or I claim discrimination!

Hardly anyone is claiming discrimination except Christians. There is no "war on Christmas," but right-wing nuts are waging a war on Chanuka. And in absurd terms.

Forget Yule...I celebrate Festivus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus)


a Festivus for the rest of us!!
*Brings out Festivus pole*

I personally don't care whether its Happy Holidays or Happy Christmas. But, I do not want people bitching about when a store puts up a Merry Christmas sign, that its "discriminating" and it needs to include everything.

But that's not what's happening and thus not the point.

What's happening is that when stores put up signs that say "Happy Holidays," in an effort to attract non-Christian customers Christians are coming along and claiming it's discrimination.

But that's not what's happening and thus not the point.

What's happening is that when stores put up signs that say "Happy Holidays," in an effort to attract non-Christian customers FUNDIES are coming along and claiming it's discrimination.
Bolded is fixed area.

please... You'ld be surprised as to how many 'Christians' don't care if it's "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"

and note, are you saying that Non-Christians won't go into a store that does NOT have "Happy Holidays" displayed? I've never heard any sane person doing THAT...

Forget Yule...I celebrate Festivus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus)


a Festivus for the rest of us!!
*Brings out Festivus pole*
I refuse to celebrate festivus on principle.

Hardly anyone is claiming discrimination except Christians. There is no "war on Christmas," but right-wing nuts are waging a war on Chanuka. And in absurd terms.


Because so many on the left hate them....That and the far left claims discrimination because the term christmas is used.. DAMN WORD!:mad: non-denominational holiday you know...evil otherwise!

I refuse to celebrate festivus on principle.


More naked chicks for the rest of us!:D

Did you mean to paint that huge target on your forehead or are you being sarcastic?

I clearly meant to paint a gigantic target on my head and run around at a firing range.
It's been my experience that most people are too busy actually celebrating the holidays to really worry to much about what their athiest friend greeted them with yesterday morning. Let the idiots bark, just digs them into a deeper and deeper hole.
*looks at the ground*

*barks experimentally*

*looks for hole*
Not working dangit.

The War on Christmas is a belief that always makes me shake my head. Oh no they are saying that wanky phrase Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas! Nobody said you could not say it. Business declared it simply because they thought it would offend some people and thus not get their money.

Ever notice nobody suggests the "War on Christmas" really began when it became a reason to shop?

Why is it that the lack of "Merry Christmas" is an attack on Christianity but the acquisition of stuff, usury, spending more on things(ie Elmo, XBox) then they are worth are not?

If you want to end the so called war on Christmas, then probably there should be an effort to curb shopping as the primary reason for the Christmas season.

Oh and to those that are offended by the phrase? Piss off. It's not a code phrase that's going to turn you into Christians, it's simply a phrase for well wishes to you.

What the hell does happy holidays mean anyway?

An early Merry Christmas everybody!

Anbody offended by the word christmas or god is a moron. Plain and simple.

Anbody offended by the word christmas or god is a moron. Plain and simple.

Oh my god! You didn't just say that!? Wait.. ow.. ow.. I said it too.. damnit! *bleeds from the fingers*

*winces and retreats into padded god-less cell*

I clearly meant to paint a gigantic target on my head and run around at a firing range.

You'd be surprised...



*looks at the ground*

*barks experimentally*

*looks for hole*
Not working dangit.

...and apparently symbolism is lost on you.

I'd like to summarize this argument. No one is saying that you cannot say "Merry Christmas." What they are saying is do not complain when others do not. There are some obnoxious christians and atheists who feel they must draw the battle lines. F those people. The rest of us can say whatever we damn well feel to each other. I don't get offended either way. I just choose to celebrate Christmas because I'm Catholic. I ask that you celebrate anything you damn well feel like. I am also Libertarian and believe in individual rights. So wish anyone whatever you want, but don't get pissed when others are different than you.

Because so many on the left hate them....That and the far left claims discrimination because the term christmas is used.. DAMN WORD!:mad: non-denominational holiday you know...evil otherwise!

Um, no. No one on the left claims that the word Christmas, is discrimination. They are claiming that to exclude other holidays is, which it is. They're not claiming that when organizations celebrate Christmas to the exclusion of other holidays that it's discrimination.

But right-wingers are claiming that to celebrate other holidays is discrimination. That's absurd.

Anbody offended by the word christmas or god is a moron. Plain and simple.

Likewise for anyone offended by the word "holidays."

No, check that. Such a person is a moron and an asshole.

Bolded is fixed area.

please... You'ld be surprised as to how many 'Christians' don't care if it's "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"

and note, are you saying that Non-Christians won't go into a store that does NOT have "Happy Holidays" displayed? I've never heard any sane person doing THAT...

But it's not just the Fundies. O'Reilly and Sean Hannity aren't fundies, but they're more vociferous in the War on Chanuka than anyone save Pat Robertson (now that Fallwell is dead.)

Likewise for anyone offended by the word "holidays."

No, check that. Such a person is a moron and an asshole.


It's just a word. Why people are offended by clean words is beyond me.

oh its not just a war!

also its not Christmas and I haven't seen any of this so whats with all the fuss :confused:

I'm convinced that this "War on Christmas" does not exist outside of the American media.

I feel discriminated against at this time of year. No one acknowledges St. Octopus Day; the day that celebrates the birth of the octopus and other delicious sea creatures we now put into calamari.

Everyone knows the only real use for an octopus is throwing it into a hockey rink.

Um, no. No one on the left claims that the word Christmas, is discrimination. They are claiming that to exclude other holidays is, which it is. They're not claiming that when organizations celebrate Christmas to the exclusion of other holidays that it's discrimination.

But right-wingers are claiming that to celebrate other holidays is discrimination. That's absurd.


Not the word, the public support of the holiday and it being a federal holiday. The last comment isn't true either, they don't like christmas being pushed aside, I have seen many right wingers not care what holiday you celebrate and even celebrate other holidays with non-christian friends and family. Some may do otherwise but I ignore them.

Nobody is forcing you to observe Christmas you know. And Christmas has become a vastly secular holiday not a regions one.

Well, technically they are. I'm a Federal Employee and my place of business is closed on Christmas and Christmas eve.

I'm not complaining mind you, and I was a bit worried about Christmas Eve because it's not a federal holiday, but was recently declared a day off for this year. And I do plan to celebrate both days Christmas eve with my in laws (who are Jewish by the way) and Christmas day with my parents.

That said, people who think there is a war being waged against Christmas are either idiots or rabble-rousers.

You'd be surprised...
...and apparently symbolism is lost on you.

:rolleyes:
Muahah!

Dammit dammit dammit dammit. We almost made it all the way to Christmas without someone bringing up this made up bullshit 'war.'

Seriously, go fuck yourself with this stupid war bullshit. No one gives a rats ass what you wish people and quit pretending that people do. Seriously, it has to be fucking crowded on that cross. I have yet to see any substantive instance of ANYONE other than wanky Christians looking for something to whine about give a rats ass about this.

Not the word, the public support of the holiday and it being a federal holiday. The last comment isn't true either, they don't like christmas being pushed aside, I have seen many right wingers not care what holiday you celebrate and even celebrate other holidays with non-christian friends and family. Some may do otherwise but I ignore them.

There may be right wingers who see the war on Christmas for the sham that it is, but right-wingers like O'Reilly, Hannity, and Robertson have been waging a public crusade against the phrase happy holidays for the last three years.

Only a handful of hard right libertarians oppose Christmas being a federal holiday, and even they mostly oppose it because they don't like that their tax dollars are being used to pay for an entire federal workforce, of which I am a part, that isn't showing up to work (suck it libbos :p ).

Well, technically they are. I'm a Federal Employee and my place of business is closed on Christmas and Christmas eve.

I'm not complaining mind you, and I was a bit worried about Christmas Eve because it's not a federal holiday, but was recently declared a day off for this year. And I do plan to celebrate both days Christmas eve with my in laws (who are Jewish by the way) and Christmas day with my parents.

That said, people who think there is a war being waged against Christmas are either idiots or rabble-rousers.



Thats not forcing you to observe it, just giving you a few days off. I have yet to see armed nuns holding guns to peoples heads saying observe christmas or we kill you and your family.

The they are forcing us line is BS, nobody is forcing you to do anything nor can they. I'm agnostic and the holiday doesn't bother me and nobody is making me or anybody else praise jesus.