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Celtic Radio Community > Kirk and Chapel > The Holiday Season Upon Us


Posted by: CelticRose 16-Oct-2006, 06:07 PM
Sorry all, but I just had to vent! I have been reading so much stuff lately that I am greatly upset.

People badmouthing each other's religious beliefs. I am getting pretty annoyed by this. I don't go around bad mouthing other religions, but as the holidays come, it is expected of me now not to play Christian music or Christian Christmas carols or put anything outside my home Christian-like for fear it may "offend" someone who may not be a Christian! Give me a freakin break, people! I don't have anything negative to say about other religions doing what they want to do for their holidays or during ours. If they want to put a 9 foot statue of Mohammed or whatever, including Budda, pagan or whatever outside of their home during the holidays, it is their business and none of mine! But as a Christian, I am expected not to do anything that relates to Christmas anymore cause because it is seen as offensive! We all have our beliefs and most will not agree, but what happened to the so-called tolerance and love for each other? What about offending me as a Christian? No one seems to care about that at all! Maybe it is me, but all appears to be about getting rid of any Christian Christmas celebration anymore!

Sorry, had to get on my soap box as I am pretty offended myself right now. Sigh!

Happy Holidays to come, whoever you are!

Posted by: haynes9 17-Oct-2006, 05:11 PM
Tell us how you really feel, CR! Quit holding back wink.gif !

Just kidding, of course. It can be frustrating, but I don't get too concerned about ti. I'm going to say "Merry Christmas" all through the holidays and not lose a minutes sleep over whether or not someone is offended. I think most people don't play the "PC" game on this. If someone choses to celebrate another way, no complaints from me. I'm secure in my beliefs and intend to enjoy the season.

By the way, CR, are you going to the Dervish concert in Flagstaff this November? I'm planning on taking my girls. I hear they are good!

Have a great day and an early Merry Christmas!!

Posted by: Aaediwen 17-Oct-2006, 05:54 PM
Around the holidays, it should be expected to find nativity scenes, and other Christian articles all over the place. Setting everything else asside, it is a Christian holiday. Just because your neighbor displays something, doesn't mean you believe in it or don't believe in it. It's them expressing their views. To those who have a problem with it, they can deal with their own issues.

Posted by: Antwn 18-Oct-2006, 08:29 AM
I'd say decorate away CelticRose. I'm not a Christian and I don't mind a bit, but I hear you, I know what's being said and wouldn't be surprised if there's a big hooha about nativity scenes at the shopping malls in December.

Posted by: Lady of the Loch 18-Oct-2006, 09:51 AM
I understand where you are coming from CR and I think that many people forget the true meaning. Not only that, but when most of the people in our country celebrate x-mas in their own way, we should be able to display our feelings on the matter without feeling we will offend someone.

This reminds me of what happened not to long ago at my sons school. He brought home quotes from the bible that his teacher passed out. This is a public school. I was a little upset at first, I mean, they can't say GOD in the pledge but his teacher can pass out quotes from the bible and that is ok? It is contridicting. So, in a way, for you, your situation is the same, contridicting. because even though it is a christian holiday, you display those beliefs.

As for badmouthing religions, that is something I would never do. I like to learn about them all. Some overlap,but some are so unique, it is interesting.

Anyway, I hope that things go well, IMO, I would just do it , display it all and take the risk


Posted by: CelticRose 20-Oct-2006, 03:38 PM
Hey all! Thanks for letting me rant the other day! laugh.gif laugh.gif I felt much better after doing so! wink.gif

I will celebrate as I like and continue to say Merry Christmas like I always do cause for me personally it is a Christian holiday. If someone says to me "Happy Holidays" I can say same to you and respect their beliefs. But I am not going to get my toes curled up over the fact that I MUST NO LONGER say Merry Christmas anymore just to be so-called PC correct. Thanks for your feedback and appreciate your kind words and understanding of where I was coming from.

Anyway, Haynes. I am not aware of this concert in Flag. I will have to ask my friends who live up there if they are going though. I have several things going on in November, one of them a Highland game to attend the first Saturday of November in Tucson and the second weekend, I am participating in a three day American Heritage event (my group will be doing the American Revolution). When is the concert in Flag?


Posted by: haynes9 20-Oct-2006, 08:14 PM
QUOTE (CelticRose @ 20-Oct-2006, 03:38 PM)
Anyway, Haynes. I am not aware of this concert in Flag. I will have to ask my friends who live up there if they are going though. I have several things going on in November, one of them a Highland game to attend the first Saturday of November in Tucson and the second weekend, I am participating in a three day American Heritage event (my group will be doing the American Revolution). When is the concert in Flag?

It is on Thursday, November 9th, at the Cline Library auditorium on the NAU campus. The boys with Lunasa tell me Dervish puts on a great show. Looking forward to hearing them!

Posted by: aklassie 23-Oct-2006, 09:56 PM
I use to work as a cashier when I lived in Alaska. Years ago a friend gave me a button that says "Jesus is the reason for the season" I wore it all through the holidays. Had allot of people who loved it. I had to put up with nonchristen Christmas music too. But I still said "Merry Christmas" to everyone. I think if the people I worked for told me I couldn't wear the button, I would of done it anyway.

Posted by: Meryat 28-Oct-2006, 12:49 PM
I can understand having displays on public or government-owned land having to either include all holidays being celebrated or none. Private property, though, is private property. If someone wants to express their beliefs and their joy in the season, there shouldn't be anything holding them back from doing so.

The same I think should hold true for holiday greetings. People acting just as themselves, as private citizens ... it's their faith, their beliefs, and their right to wish others well however they wish. It starts to get tricky when you start considering people acting as representatives of companies and other entities. I'm not really sure where I stand.

I don't happen to be Christian, but it doesn't offend me when someone tells me "Merry Christmas" -- I take it in the spirit it's meant and will usually wish them one back, even though I'll generally use "Happy holidays" if I'm the first to give such a greeting. In my opinion, holiday greetings should be inclusive of the beliefs of the wisher or the receiver or both. The only time it wouldn't really make sense for a holiday greeting to be exchanged would be if neither person celebrated the holiday in question. I see such greetings as being equally able to be wishing someone else a good day because it's one's own holiday as because it's their holiday.

There's a difference between wanting tolerance and equality for one's own beliefs and becoming intolerant in the treatment of another's beliefs.

Posted by: marti64 29-Oct-2006, 03:25 PM
People are not tolerant fo anyone else's beliefs anymore!!

If someone says Merry Xmas to me, I wish them the same. Agreeing with aklassie, i, too sued to work in a store, and we wer told that we could not say Merry xmas, we had to say happy Holidays!!
I still wore my"jesus is the reason for the season" button, even though we were not supposed to!!!
No one made em take it off!!!!!
Marti

Posted by: marti64 29-Oct-2006, 03:25 PM
People are not tolerant fo anyone else's beliefs anymore!!

If someone says Merry Xmas to me, I wish them the same. Agreeing with aklassie, I, too used to work in a store, and we were told that we could not say Merry Xmas, we had to say Happy Holidays!!
I still wore my"jesus is the reason for the season" button, even though we were not supposed to!!!
No one made me take it off!!!!!
Marti

Posted by: gaberlunzie 31-Oct-2006, 04:20 PM
It's a problem of lack of tolerance, I agree with all above!

I feel respect for other beliefs; there is a quote by Chief Tecumseh of the Shawnee Tribe who said,
"Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours."

This is a motto I'm living along in life.
So if anyone is wishing me a "merry Christmas" I answer "And same to you"; if someone wishes me "Happy Holidays" I answer it the same way.

So you go and decorate, celebrate and say your wishes in YOUR way, Rose; everyone with a bit of tolerance and a bit of a levelled head will understand. And as for the rest ... well, you can't have them all, eh?

Posted by: Elly 02-Nov-2006, 03:27 AM
MERRY CHRISTMAS, I think we all want to have respect for everones beliefs, sadly that is not the way it is, as a Scot living in Australia, the past few years I read in the papers of East meets West, rapings of western girls by eastern or middle eastern men, so quite honestly I don't see it as CHRISTIAN against eastern belefs, I don't even see it as religous at all, TOLERANCE is great as long as its a TWO way Street, and I don't see any sign of that happening anytime soon unfortunately.

So MERRY XMAS everyone, and thank you Rosemary for having the courage to bring this subject up.

Posted by: Nova Scotian 06-Nov-2006, 07:08 PM
MERRY CHRISTMAS!MERRY CHRISTMAS!MERRY CHRISTMAS!MERRY CHRISTMAS!

If you don't don't like it hold your ears.


My Gods grace and blessings be upon everyone this Christmas Season.

Posted by: haynes9 06-Nov-2006, 10:19 PM
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Now, how many of you want a Christmas list from me? Or would you just prefer to send gift cards? I'm not hard to please tongue.gif !

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 06-Nov-2006, 11:23 PM
I think this about sums it up for me...

"Nephew!'' returned the uncle, sternly, "keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.''

"Keep it!'' repeated Scrooge's nephew. "But you don't keep it.''

"Let me leave it alone, then,'' said Scrooge. ``Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!''

"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,'' returned the nephew: "Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!''

A Christmas Carol- C. Dickens

Posted by: CelticRose 09-Nov-2006, 12:21 AM
I would whole heartedly agree that people are not tolerant to anyone's beliefs anymore. What happened and why? This has all gotten so dang ridiculous.

well here is the history of Christmas, according to Wikipedia (not always a reliable source, but does help).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Origin_of_holiday

Merry Christmas!

Posted by: LORD RHYS 09-Nov-2006, 02:14 PM
QUOTE (marti64 @ 29-Oct-2006, 04:25 PM)
People are not tolerant fo anyone else's beliefs anymore!!

If someone says Merry Xmas to me, I wish them the same. Agreeing with aklassie, i, too sued to work in a store, and we wer told that we could not say Merry xmas, we had to say happy Holidays!!
I still wore my"jesus is the reason for the season" button, even though we were not supposed to!!!
No one made em take it off!!!!!
Marti

I need to get my wife that button biggrin.gif She has an I Love Jesus Button she wears at WalMart as a cashier and she wont say Happy Holidays she says MERRY CHRISTMAS biggrin.gif So far only some customers give her a hard time!

Posted by: aklassie 13-Nov-2006, 10:26 PM
Roberto, I loved the quote from Dickens. That pretty much sums up what Christmas is all about. I love Christmas. When my children were little, I made a birthday cake for Jesus so they would understand what the day meant. I never talked about santa to them. My biggest fear was if they thought I lied about would they think I lied about who Jesus was. Oh, they knew about santa was but not from me. Now my daughters do the same for their little ones.

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 13-Nov-2006, 10:42 PM
Have you ever look in to the real story of Santa/ St. Nicholas. He was actually a fourth century Bishop from Myra (Turkey). It is said that he was present at the first church council which brought about the Apostle creed and the begining of the formation of the Bible. Some of our practices today copme from his actions. The idea of the stockings over the fireplace came about because there was a family which had three girls. Their father could not afford a dowery for them. Nicholas heard about this and during the night put the money into their stockings which they had hung by the window to dry. He was later caught and confessed but his deed brought about a tradition that continues to this day. There are alot of great facts behind the myth. I've seen several books and DVD's which tell the story of Nicholas. My kids watched "Nicholas The Boy Who became Santa" for years. My own personl favorite symbol is the Santa kneeling before the manger bed of Jesus. I guess hat I am trying to say is that the story of santa is a Christian story and we really should not discount all of it.

Posted by: aklassie 15-Nov-2006, 09:36 AM
I'm not saying you shouldn't tell your children about santa. It was something I chose not to do. The problem now a days is Christ has been taken out of Christmas. Look how Christmas trees and such are now on sale and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!! It's all in how much money we can spend and how far we can be in debt for the next year. It's crazy. wacko.gif

Posted by: CelticRose 15-Nov-2006, 08:37 PM
what I have a problem with is that some folks here in America refuse to not have Christmas trees at all. Well that is all fine and good, but yet everyone wants to participate in the gift exchange. Sorry to be so blunt.

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 15-Nov-2006, 09:33 PM
QUOTE (aklassie @ 15-Nov-2006, 10:36 AM)
I'm not saying you shouldn't tell your children about santa. It was something I chose not to do. The problem now a days is Christ has been taken out of Christmas. Look how Christmas trees and such are now on sale and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!! It's all in how much money we can spend and how far we can be in debt for the next year. It's crazy. wacko.gif

With the overabundance of Santa imagry I can see why you chose not to mention it. I agree the shopping thing is way out of hand. Our local Mart only carries one or two things that have to do specifically with Jesus. Lots of Santa films and not one with any of the facts. And its not the only holiday. Last Easter I checked out three aisles of Easter stuff to only find that a chocolate cross was really the only reference to Jesus. The rest was all Easter eggs and bunny rabbits. I know that at one time these were used as symbols of the resurrection by Christians but I think that symbolism has long since been lost. Time for some new stuff. I myself, don't decorate or even start celebrating Christmas untill the first week of Dec. And speaking of Christmas did you hear about the Nativity film coming out this year?

Posted by: CelticRose 15-Nov-2006, 09:47 PM
Nativity movie? I am not familiar with that! Please do tell!

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 16-Nov-2006, 04:32 PM
Here is the link. Enjoy
http://www.thenativitystory.com/

Posted by: CelticRose 16-Nov-2006, 11:04 PM
Hey Roberto! I saw the ad on TV tonight for movie, The Nativity Story. Looks really good! Thanks! smile.gif

Posted by: aklassie 17-Nov-2006, 10:39 PM
My daughter and I can't waite to see it. It looks good.

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