Saturday, December 01, 2012

My Personal War on Christmas

I like any holiday whose theme is "peace on Earth and goodwill towards all men." What I don't like is people being very unpeaceable and generating ill will in trying to shove their religious faith down other peoples throats. I'm talking to you, Bill O'Reilly!

What's Wrong With 'Happy Holidays?'
I don't get upset if I hear "Merry Christmas" or "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Hanukkah" (although I don't think I've ever heard any member of the Jewish faith use that phrase). Yuletide is a pagan Germanic festival but saying that word won't piss off angry Christians as much as the phrase "happy holidays."

Everywhere a Creche
Wander about my suburban neighborhood and you'll see dozens of nativity scenes. Some are funny, some religious, some cheap, some expensive. But there is absolutely no shortage of holiday nativities. Why then do Christmas warriors demand government funded nativities on public property? Why do they insist the city, state, and federal governments endorse their religious expression?

Salvation Army Doesn't Care
The Salvation Army is not a charity, it is a church with a unique doctrine that includes hateful discrimination against homosexuals. Their bell ringers smile and wish me a Merry Christmas. I smile and return the greeting but I reserve my charity for more worthy organizations.

What Kind of Tree?
Bill O'Reilly got infuriated at Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee because that state erected a "Holiday Tree," contenting angrily that "Christmas tree is a secular symbol." Funny, but "Christ Mass" sound awful religious to me. Besides, the Yule Tree is a pagan tradition and were originally brought into a house to provide a warm and inviting place for woodland elves to winter.  Holly and mistletoe have similar back stories. "Deck[ing] the halls with boughs of holly" was a pagan ritual to ward off evil spirits carried on the harsh winter winds.

Santa Claus Is a Shopping Mall Ho
Maybe that's too harsh but, really, what does Santa Claus promote except consumerism run amok? The message of Santa is to buy stuff. Buy until it hurts and keep going. Buy until you are so far into debt it will take months to pay it all off and then it is next December and time to do it all over again. Most of the absolutely worthless yet expensive trinkets sold every year are bought during the Christmas holiday. Yes, giving gifts are a token of love but, really, does anyone need a singing fish?
I love you THIS much!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The worst part of Christmas is where christians use the occasion to increase their efforts to cram christianity down everyone's throat. Christians are in the business to sell their religion and convert people. They cannot and will not allow people to just think what they want to think. They have to try to convert you and call you evil if you don't assent to it.

If there were such a thing as the Christian god, and if that is how he wanted christians to act, you could count me among those who be very happy to be as far away as possible from them.

Christmas does bring out the best in many people, but not because of christianity; only because they are good people who are inclined to do good things. in spite of the efforts of christianity to call everyone evil, and everything they do sinful and flawed.

I really do like christmas, I just do not like religion (No christian would understand that, nor, likely, would they care.)