As someone who is neither pagan (though I have pagan leanings and wonder why no one capitalizes “pagan”), nor Christian (though I have Christian leanings), nor Jewish (though I have Jewish leanings), nor atheist (though I sometimes have atheist leanings, and I notice no one ever capitalizes that, either), I find the so-called “war on Christmas” disheartening. I’m not offended by Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Yule, or Merry Christmas. The “HAPPY” and “MERRY” parts are what count.
The days are too short, the nights are cold, the traffic is terrible. If you’ve ever walked through the toy department this time of year, after the crowds have picked it over, you have a special understanding of the term “Armageddon.”
Can’t we just agree on something?
It seems to me most traditions teach kindness, goodwill, and all sorts of hopeful things this time of year, even those that have no holiday scheduled in December.
So who started these wars? Apparently we can’t blame this one on the White House.
A lot of people are going along with the wars instead of the spirit of the season, letting the whole month be upset by whatever diabolical force is responsible for the wars.
It’s making me cranky. I’m not celebrating anything at this point, just attempting to refrain from being cranky. May I suggest this ridiculous war thing is making everyone a tad cranky. No good will come of this.
The real question is, why would anyone want to divide people at this time of year? What do they hope to gain? All the eggnog for themselves? An empty lane on the freeway? No more fuzzy candy canes or fruitcake?
When you figure out what they have to gain from it—refuse to give it to them. Relax, follow your hearts, and love one another. Or, if you can’t love one another, at least leave each other the heck alone.
Happy Whatever! Really, I mean that.
Edited 01-01-2006 to add related link: US Jews feel threatened by religious right
Disheartened and cranky. You have just described the two major problems that I am having this december (or should that be capitalized?)
Cas
My take on it is that we’re all subject to being either politically correct or else something less than dirt. Why anyone would take offense if I wish them a Merry Christmas is incomprehensible to me. Extreme liberal thinking, to me, is just the opposite of its meaning of openminded diversity. By elminating all the variations under the guise of accepting them, it is confining and restrictive to one generic way of thinking.
I think you and I might be in the same place on the whole religion thing. (For a real kick in the pants, go to http://www.beliefnet.com and take the quiz on what religion you most closely match. Apparently, my closest match is Neo-Pagan…whatever that is…)
I think that the naysayers are just getting louder not more numerous. Have some spiked egggnog and try to enjoy at least part of the season.
Let me be the first on my block to wish the world a Sizzling Solstice (well, since it’s winter, maybe a slippery solstice?) Pagans of the world, unite!
Yes, Cas. There were already plenty of reasons for people to be depressed this month, the most common one I’ve heard is having lost loved ones we used to spend this holiday with. Everyone over the age of thirty, and some who are much younger can probably relate to that. There are families with individuals missing and individuals with whole families missing. So if we’re going to snipe at one another over simple greetings or holiday ownership, I’m afraid I don’t see much hope for the human race ever learning to get along.
Susan, you’ve hit on one big part of the problem. Extremism in any form becomes not very pretty.
Violetismycolor, I love that quiz. My latest results were:
1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Liberal Quakers (92%)
3. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (92%)
4. Mahayana Buddhism (89%)
5. Neo-Pagan (87%)
6. New Age (87%)
7. New Thought (73%)
8. Theravada Buddhism (73%)
9. Hinduism (69%)
10. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (64%)
11. Sikhism (62%)
12. Bahá’à Faith (57%)
13. Taoism (57%)
14. Scientology (53%)
15. Reform Judaism (52%)
16. Secular Humanism (46%)
17. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (44%)
18. Jainism (44%)
19. Orthodox Quaker (44%)
20. Jehovah’s Witness (38%)
21. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (34%)
22. Nontheist (24%)
23. Orthodox Judaism (24%)
24. Seventh Day Adventist (18%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (15%)
26. Islam (15%)
27. Roman Catholic (15%)
Seems to cover just about everything.
Sarah, a Sizzlin’ Solstice right back at ya!
People have been saying Happy Holidays for as long as I can remember without people getting up in arms. It’s a polite gesture to the many many non-Christians who participate in the non-religious aspects of the holiday season — which seem to outnumber the religious ones actually! They could be raising a ruckus about jobs/businesses/entertainment etc all being disrupted — for everyone — on behalf of a religion not everyone shares. Instead most are happy to share in the holiday spirit. I’m beginning to think fundamentalists Christians are the sourest, most narrow-mided and hate filled people this side of fundamentalist muslims.
There is no “war on Christmas,” though there really ought to be a war on stupidity. That’s just hype, a complete fabrication designed to pull an already fragmented population even farther apart. Anyone with an IQ above room temperature could figure out that “Happy Holidays” is simply quicker and easier to say than “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,” or insert your favorite combination of December-based holidays here. In my house, we celebrate Festivus!
This particular blog spoke a great message. It was so well written. Besides, I love words like ‘cranky.’ I have equally enjoyed the responses. Sadly, the goodwill of the season has nearly evaporated with all the pettiness. And all the finger pointing at any religious group no matter how personally offensive, loudly smacks my senses with revulsion – the finger pointer unwittingly joins the bitter extremist. It’s disheartening.
I also enjoyed the Belief-O-Matic quiz. My first three were the same as yours, Barbara.
I’m thinking that Virgin Mobile has an elegantly silly solution to this non-problem: just cram ‘em all together.
So, Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah, everyone!