Let's say you're a world traveler. You thrive on the adventure of exploring the unexplored and establishing fellowship with the natives wherever you may land. On one adventure, you are in the Amazon basin and you stumble upon one of those forgotten tribes never before seen by Westerners. You sidestep the initial barrage of blow darts and manage to convince the warriors of your good intentions.
After being escorted back to the village, the medicine man, perhaps wearing human bones around his neck and carrying a spear, finds you humorous and intriguing with your magical iPod and your brightly colored shoes. He decides you deserve a gift, so he brings out a goat and hands you the reins. What are you going to do with a goat? Probably not much. But are you going to accept it? Yes you are, because if you don't, the tribesmen may be offended, and they may decide you look tasty after all.
The moral of the story -- when in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in the Amazon basin, go along with the natives. During the holiday season in America, accept the kind wishes of others, regardless of whether they happen to be of your background.
This time of year brings out the cheer in many, but it also brings out the easily offended whiners as no other time of year does. Unfortunately, with that comes the suggestion that we should cater to the whiners. So much has been made lately on this campus of the suggestion by the Virginia Tech administration to avoid creating a "sense of exclusion," and the implied meaning of this is to avoid "holiday decorations, music and other expressions of holiday sentiment." So in order for us to "create a sense of welcome for everyone," we should be non-specific in our celebrations of what used to be known as the holiday season, or just not celebrate at all.
The administration is correct on one count -- that we should strive to be as welcoming and as open as we can. As for everything else, the administration couldn't be more wrong -- though it does take great pains to only imply the suggested course of action, rather than stating it outright. Political correctness at its finest!
If we avoid holiday decorations, music and other expressions of holiday sentiment, then of what, exactly, are we being inclusive? Who wants to be invited to a party if there's no music, dancing, food or (insert beverage of choice)?
Here's what I say: Go back to the goat example and apply it. If someone wishes you a Merry Christmas, they are trying to communicate positive feelings and a general sense of kindness in a time that many try to go the extra mile to do such a thing. They are expressing a sincere wish that you enjoy this time of year. Rather than taking the comment as a gesture of division, or whatever else the uber-PC folks tell you it is, take it for what it actually is -- a compliment or an encouragement.
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Wasted Winter Solstice baby! I am finding it ironic though that you rail against being politically correct and then tell people how to be politically correct. And if you think atheists don't enjoy more than just "the break," don't sing around the tree (a pagan tradition), and don't feast and get joyfully boozed and have a jolly 'ol time, then I respectfully recommend getting more atheist friends. Does this mean no Xmas Wars this year? Because, its just, well, with this whole war thing going on in the Iraq and Afghanistan, it really would be a bummer not to at least attempt to move past religion as much as we can. I can respect someone's right to believe what they want, but I do not have to recognize it as legitimate. Happy Break.
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Saying Merry Christmas is fine. Just don't forget that you live in a Christian dominated society that tends to be very pushy. Heck, we get a month off of school for Christmas, and nothing for Yom Kippur... not even a day. I FAST on that day, and I'm still expected to have assignments done as usual. On Christmas, you open presents and eat, and you get a month off! It is the culture of this country, and that is fine. Just recognize that Christians are not oppressed in this country and never have been. Not even close. Don't try to be all "poor me, they said happy holidays and not Merry Christmas" when you get a month off for your religious holiday.
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Oh yes, and while the author is on the subject of "implying" things with speech, I implore him to look at his own title. "DARE to wish someone a Merry Christmas." Doesn't this IMPLY you are saying it just to make a point rather than to wish someone a nice day? You should hold yourself to at least the same standards as those who you criticize.
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It's a well known fact, or it should be, that the editors, not the authors, make up the titles for the letters. So if you have a problem with the title, complain to the editors, not the author.
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This is my opinion (a freethinking atheist's opinion) & the facts. The origins of the "Christmas" we know today actually came from the Pagan's celebration of the winter solstice thousands of years ago. The Yule was celebrated by decorating a fir or spruce tree, burning a Yule log and hanging mistletoe with family and friends- many of the same "secular" practices we enjoy today. Christianity came around hundreds of years later, and incorporated this holiday into their celebration of the birth of their messiah. To get to the point on the "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas" dilemma, I would not be offended is someone told me "Merry Christmas!" Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny of my childhood, I have grown out of the adult version of a make believe friend (an omnipotent and omniscient god). In this day in time, I don't see how a rational person can believe in a "virgin birth" of a child. To me, this so called "controversy" is another example of how religion can't stand up to facts or criticism. If your belief is so profound in these fables written thousands of years ago by dozens of ignorant men (ignorance comparatively to today's knowledge of the world), then being told "Happy Holidays" by a cashier shouldn't be so offensive. Please feel free to persist in delusion, but be mindful that others don't feel it is necessary to do so.
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*Continued from below: I'm spending my winter break from college with my family. This alone is more meaningful to me than celebrating a 2,000-year old's birth. Yes, there will be the secular bells and whistles adorning my home around this time of year but they are not to honour your messiah, Jesus Christ. Decorating a tree by the fireplace and hanging a branch of mistletoe over a doorway are merely harmless traditions that I have enjoyed throughout my life. I hope you will find, as I did, that your earthly life is the only one you have, and that this time of the year should be about celebrating this one life with family and friends.
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It's Christmas time and Christmas is celebrated in the United States. I will wish anyone I choose a Merry Christmas and it is up to them how they respond. Personally my house will be all decked out, complete with a manger scene and if it offends someone, then they need to stay away from my house. No one is going to tell me how to celebrate Christmas. Keep in mind that this is still (at least for now) America and we adhere (mostly) to Christian principles. It is fine if you don't agree with this as that is your right, but your beliefs are not going to change the way I celebrate Christmas one little bit.
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I'm an atheist who has no problem with returning a "Merry Christmas" that has been sent my way, because I have always taken it as a symbol of good-intentioned well-wishing. Unfortunately, the past few years have made me question the motives of anyone who uses that phrase, as fundamentalist Christians have done their best to warp the meaning of it to something more like "Jesus Christ is the Lord and you can (and will) go straight to hell if you don't like it, you worthless sinner! Screw your evil beliefs!" At times I almost feel dirty accepting such a greeting, let alone returning it (though I've tried to remain an optimist and haven't let that stop me yet). It's a shame they had to begin taking such offense to people wishing them Happy Holidays, which has been around for a long, long time and used to be accepted as equivalent to Merry Christmas. Perhaps Bill O'Reilly will have a Scrooge experience and this whole "war on Christmas" foolishness will vanish as suddenly as appeared.
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As a general rule, and because I am an adult, I tend to wish people well in whatever holidays that I know they are celebrating. To pagans I wish them "Happy Solstice" to Christians: "Merry Christmas", to Jews: "Happy Hannukah", and to people I don't know or to people for whom I know are agnostic/atheist I wish them "Happy Holidays". Why is it so difficult for us to make our fellow man feel most welcome and instead we have to manufacture some sort of contrived controversy. I think it's wonderful that we can find some commonality between ourselves even if it is just for one month of the year. Stop trying to make this holiday about you. To Christians here: Christmas is about giving, so give stop trying to make everyone conform to you and go help your fellow man out, volunteer at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter, make a difference for one moment of your lives instead of whining about a PC piece of fluff that has no effect on anything. To my fellow Freethinkers: Who cares what anyone else thinks? This is not a forum that will change anyone's mind about religion do something useful, wish them a "Merry Christmas" and volunteer and make a difference.
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Goofy racist stereotype used to explain why we should all be tolerant and inclusive this year? I love this so much. *Framed, hung on wall.
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Goofy stereotype...absolutely. Racist...not at all. Use your brain before you start throwing nasty words around. Merry Christmas!
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Too bad Webster's dictionary defines race as "a contest of speed, or a strong or rapid current of water flowing through a narrow channel." Looks like you're the dummy, dummy. Check and mate.
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Also, your face. I await your rebuttal.
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Chappy Chanukah everyone.
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Just don't use the line “Season’s Greetings†on me. What exactly does that mean? It’s winter. It’s freakin’ cold. I don’t like the winter, so why would I like its greeting? Just wish everyone a happy whatever you celebrate. If it’s Christmas you celebrate, say “Merry Christmas†if it’s Chanukah, “Happy Chanuka†if it’s Kwanzaa “Happy Kwanzaa†if it’s the Solstice, “Happy Solstice.†Or if you want to cover all your bases “Happy Chrismakwanzika and Winter Solstice too.†Just mean what you say when you say it. And the receiver, as the author suggests, should accept it as a well meaning greeting. Unless it’s “Season’s Greetingsâ€â€¦ then they should punch them in the nose. Just kidding... Merry Christmas by the way.
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