Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

The Viking wrote: And it is the liberals who more prefer to please the minority and screw the opinion of the Majority of Americans

Perhaps it is the liberals who prefer to include everyone -- who recognize that America is made up of many different creeds --- and the conservatives who prefer to include only the most powerful -- the majority?

outdoor338 wrote: Merry Christmas, or happy Christmas, I am fine with both..what other faiths outside Christians, celebrate Christmas? Just wondering...and if they do, why did they pick the 25 of December?

Good question. For those of you who aren't Christians, what are you celebrating on that day and why? I think you should all work that day. Why should you get a day off of work to celebrate something you don't believe in?

The Viking wrote:

outdoor338 wrote: Merry Christmas, or happy Christmas, I am fine with both..what other faiths outside Christians, celebrate Christmas? Just wondering...and if they do, why did they pick the 25 of December?

Good question. For those of you who aren't Christians, what are you celebrating on that day and why? I think you should all work that day. Why should you get a day off of work to celebrate something you don't believe in?

Nice try. Here's a really good post from LaddyJazzer in another thread on an almost identical subject:

LadyJazzer wrote:

The War on Winter Solstice

The Romans honored Saturn, the ancient god of agriculture, each year beginning on December 17 in a festival called the Saturnalia. This festival lasted for seven days and included the winter solstice, which at that time fell on December 25 (today, following calendar reform, it falls on December 21). During Saturnalia the Romans feasted, postponed all business and warfare, exchanged gifts, and temporarily freed their slaves. With the lengthening of daylight, these and other winter festivities continued through January 1, the festival of Kalends, when Romans marked the day of the new moon and the first day of the month and religious year (the secular year began in March).

By the 4th century another factor was also at work. Many Romans also celebrated the solstice on December 25 with festivities in honor of the rebirth of Sol Invictus, the "Invincible Sun God," or with rituals to glorify Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light... Now we once again find ourselves in the midst of battle. Seemingly overnight, "Merry Christmas" has transformed from a genuine greeting of goodwill to a public proclamation of faith. Even in the most religiously diverse country on Earth, the Unites States, Christians are screaming for the elimination of all alternative celebrations. Indeed, they seem to be advocating the elimination of all differences.

http://nanovirus.blogspot.com/2005/12/w ... stice.html

In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained the majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.

http://www.essortment.com/all/christmaspagan_rece.htm


It's become a "holiday tradition" for me as well... Every year the crusade about "public displays of nativity scenes", "taking the 'Christ' out of 'Christmas'", "'Happy Holidays' vs. 'Merry Christmas'", ad nauseum, starts up...And every year I get to post the pieces on the origins of the Christmas celebrations and the FACTS about how much of the dogma and traditions have no basis in anything other than co-opting of pagan celebrations.

Personally, I don't care one way or another. I enjoy the Christmas holidays as much as anyone... I enjoy the lights, the music, the decorations, the whole trees-and-celebration thing, and I'll wish someone a 'Merry Christmas' as easily as I will wish them 'Happy Holidays.' I'm just fed up with 'Christians screaming for the elimination of anything that doesn't fit their paradigm.'

outdoor338 wrote: what other faiths outside Christians, celebrate Christmas?

Depends on if you really mean "celebrate" (in that case, NONE since -- as was pointed out previously -- The word Christmas comes from the early English phrase Christes Masse, which means Christmas Mass") or if you mean doing having an observance of some sort during the holiday season in December, rather than "celebrate." There's a difference between recognizing Jesus Christ and recognizing a God or Supreme Being. Just because someone isn't Christian doesn't mean they aren't spiritual or don't pray to God. It gets even more confusing. Latter Day Saints (Mormons) recognize Jesus and are Christians but not Christmas (my father was Mormon).

Jews don't celebrate Christmas. Many Jews go out for Chinese food on Christmas. The Chinese do not celebrate Christmas any more than we do, so most Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas. Jews celebrate Chanukkah during December. Chanukkah has nothing to do with Christmas.

As for why it is celebrated on December 25 since no one really knows when Jesus of Nazareth was born...

In A.D 354, Bishop Liberia of Rome ordered people to celebrate his birth on December 25. This date was probably chosen because the people of Rome already observed this date as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the pagan holiday “the birthday of the sun.” The winter solstice, another pagan holdover was celebrated a few days earlier than the 25th of December -- it actually is the 21st of December, the longest night of the year. So that evening and the next day is celebrated as the birth of the Sun King who returned the light and brought about the end of the cold and darkness. This date made sense to the Roman emperor who wanted to make Christianity the favored religion and to get people to celebrate Christ’s birth; what better way to do it than take over the pagan holiday on that date?

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/why-is ... z15qtRIEi7

Viking, your series of questions about Christmas left out one I'm very interested in, particularly since you mentioned shopping during the Christmas season:

Do you think the Christmas is over commercialized? For many, Christmas seems to be all about buying and receiving gifts these days. And because Christmas is so commercialized, it means many business count the holiday as their big money maker -- therefore employees are forced to work more during the season, giving less time to actually celebrate it.

I would be okay with non-Christians working Christmas as long as they get a similar day off in the year to celebrate their faith (for my Buddhist friends, the Chinese New Year is a bigger deal than Christmas). But Congress made December 25 a national holiday, so everyone gets it off. There's no provision to prove you are Christian to get the day off.

When I had my clothing business I said Happy Holidays.

Pineguy wrote: Just because someone isn't Christian doesn't mean they aren't spiritual or don't pray to God.

You're correct, a person doesn't need the label. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6


It gets even more confusing. Latter Day Saints (Mormons) recognize Jesus and are Christians but not Christmas (my father was Mormon).[/quote] Mormons are not Christians despite what Glenn Beck says.

Jews don't celebrate Christmas. Many Jews go out for Chinese food on Christmas.

Good for them. Based upon the minor food restrictions, I think it could be argued that Hanukkah in the US has become a Jewish alternative, more so than a religious, tradition to overshadow the US Christmas celebration.

The Chinese do not celebrate Christmas any more than we do, so most Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas.

I personally know many Chinese who celebrate Christmas. You need to get out of your liberal bubble and experience some multi-culturalism.

As for why it is celebrated on December 25 since no one really knows when Jesus of Nazareth was born...

Why does this matter?

Do you think the Christmas is over commercialized?

I do believe it's over commercialized. It's become a big part of the American economy. Several industries, specifically retail and toys, make all or a majority of profits in the 4th quarter.

I would be okay with non-Christians working Christmas as long as they get a similar day off in the year to celebrate their faith (for my Buddhist friends, the Chinese New Year is a bigger deal than Christmas). But Congress made December 25 a national holiday, so everyone gets it off. There's no provision to prove you are Christian to get the day off.

Can we place the same standard on the 4th of July? How many people in America are actually Americans? Obviously, our leadership in America felt that Christmas was an important day to observe.

Who gives a good crap, losers think about this.

Dummy Up wrote: Who gives a good crap, losers think about this.

Typical, Dummy Up / LJ not productive post.

Happy Holidays = Happy Holy days numb nuts. Both greetings offered are religious.

ckm, merry Christmas, merry..merry Christmas! numb nuts, don't think so, you a moonbat, I think so! :VeryScared: