Merry...Holiday?
I actually get (almost) a week off! I honestly don’t remember the last time I had a week off. I think the last time I had more than 2 consecutive days completely off & free may have been May of 2004.
Anyway I just finished work and it’s barely hit me yet, boy do I plan to sleep tonight. I was thinking about the happy holidays thing (again) and figured rather than ranting here I’d just adapt the editorial where I already did that:
Happy Holidays
I chose that headline very intentionally. It’s strange, three months ago it didn’t occur to me there could be controversy tied to such a universal term, but now, thanks to our rancorous neighbours, even this has become a hot political issue.
I’m not sure how many are aware, but believe it or not in the U.S. right now there is a debate raging between liberals and the neo conservatives who feel there is a “war on Christmas” because the rest of the country wants to include more than a fundamentalist Christian definition of the holiday season.
According to notorious American pundits like Pat Robertson and Bill O’Riley the use of the term “happy holidays” is personally offensive to good Christians because it obscures the true meaning of the holiday and intentionally excludes them. Now right off, there’s some impressive circular logic: ‘being inclusive excludes those of us who don’t want to be inclusive…?’
So apparently there’s a group of people in the U.S. who want to define the holiday season not as a time of family and friends and loving and giving among people of all religions (or non-religions) but as a sombre religious event to mark the founding of their religion. (Because that’s what Christmas usually is? I remember when I was a kid and me and all the neighbourhood kids waited breathlessly for weeks for that ecstatic moment when we could wake up and—go to church?!)
There are actually U.S. groups trying to organise boycotts of company’s that use the word “holiday.”
Leaving aside the fact that Christmas started as a pagan ritual this all seems a rather odd approach. More than anything I suppose it highlights the deep and increasingly acrimonious divide between left and right in the U.S.
Mostly I feel sorry for those who feel “happy holidays” is some kind of personal attack. These must be very scared and insecure people. Nobody’s saying they can ever use “Merry Christmas” again, it’s simply that since there are a number of holidays around the same time of year “happy holidays” is often just more accurate. Obviously we know to someone like Bill O’Riley Chanukah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa don’t count, but what about New Years?
My interest in the season is the social aspect. I imagine that’s true of many in this increasingly diverse and secular society. The bottom line and the end of the “debate” in all this seems to be: “happy holidays” includes “Merry Christmas” and everyone else. The opposite is not true.
Anyway, just some thoughts. Merry Christmas.
8 comments:
So Christmas is a religious holiday. Big deal. If people don't like it, deal with it. I don't get pissed off if someone celebrates Chanukah, Ramadan or any other religious holiday. More power to them. I'm not going to ask them to change it because I'm not included.
Religious freedom cuts both ways. It's not PC to criticize other religions it seems, but it's okay to criticize Christianity.
On another note: Glad to hear you've got a week off. Sounds like you need it. 70 hours a week? I hope your paycheque reflects that, but knowing this business, I doubt it.
I've had 5 days off, worked 2 days and have another 4. :)
Holiday is religious too though.
It comes from "Holy day." Why don't these dumb bastards learn some basic language?
Everyone's free to be as religious or not as they want, but when was the last time anyone you knew treated Christmas as a serious religious holiday ie. no consumerism, all thier time off in church?
You could say the same thing about every other religion too. There are many non-practicing Jews, Muslims, etc, that don't celebrate their particular holidays in a religious manner but they still observe them.
Just because many people don't observe it in a religious manner doesn't take away from its religious significance.
These days people are more likely to observe their particular religion in a manner they deem appropriate. You can still be a good Christian without attending church every Sunday or believing every word religious "leaders" have to say.
Is that true? That's not my understanding, you have to follow the rules to be considered a good adherant & the rules include church & listening to the masters.
That's what they would have everyone believe, in all religions.
Power + money + religion = Disaster :)
I can't remember if I told you, but Phillip still has his helmet.
Not sure if that was meant as a joke...or why, exactly it made me laugh so hard, but the Philip comment in the context of the religion discussion was the highlight of my day!
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