Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks, and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!

So we ignore the other holidays during this time? Christmas isn't the only holiday that is coming up.

Happy Hanukkah.

We say whatever we want where I work. The Christians say Merry Christmas, the Jews say Happy Hanukkah, and any other religions that have a holiday coming up share their sentiments.

I just say Merry Holidays, or Happy Chrismahannakwanzika! Happy Festivus for the restofus!

I will call it whatever you want as long as I get my 20% discount

...i always thought it was ramahannukwanzmas.

anyway, i'm not offended if someone wishes me a 'happy hanukkah' or whatever the holiday of choice is... i don't see why some get so offended when they're wished a 'merry christmas'.

ben stein said the following in a commentary from cbs sunday morning. it sums it up better than i can...



Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart:

I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is, either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.

Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.


-M

This thread makes Jesus sad.

He's probably sad because everyone celebrates his birthday with pagan holiday traditions of feasts, decorated trees and gift exchanges instead of quiet reflection on the man's life and acts. For that matter, he probably wouldn't have even wanted anyone to celebrate his birthday, but those darn pagans had to be converted somehow, right? ;)

Yay for pagans. Except they weren't the ones who asked to have their traditions stolen for the sake of another religion ;)

This thread makes Jesus sad.

Yes it does make Jesus sad, I am sure. I am not even going to get into this thread, since it has been awhile since it was posted. All I can say is Merry Christmas! I am not a jew, nor an athiest, I am a red blooded American Catholic and cannot fathum not saying CHRISTMAS, but rather oh HAPPY HOLIDAY, that is basically like saying hi, I do not believe in the true meaning of Christmas.

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!! I said I was not going to get into that thread....

Yay for pagans. Except they weren't the ones who asked to have their traditions stolen for the sake of another religion ;)

Who are the ones who asked to have their traditions stolen for the sake of another religion, and which other religion would that be?

Yay Pagans?

I'm sorry, the pagans asked for their traditions to be stolen for another religion? You're joking, right?

And ignore the "yay's" in front of everything. It's just something I do, it doesn't really mean anything.

I don't really think, however, that the pagans appreciated having their traditions stolen so the Christians of the time could convert them. Not everyone converted over to Christianity so easily. Look at the countries in South America, and Central America. It was a bloodbath over there with Europeans trying to convert the natives. I guess I just don't see where you're coming from here.

Actually the way I worded my first comment came out wrong, I was actually quoting you and asking you something at the same time....nevermind its already past my thought!!! I was just asking you about what you said "Except they weren't the ones who asked to have their traditions stolen for the sake of another religion" which religion is the ANOTHER religion in your sentence........GOD now I am confused.

lol I think I am, too!

What I meant was what I said in post #12...the Christians stole pagan practices during the Winter Solstice, an important time for the pagans, in an effort to make Christianity seem a little more friendly to them. The tree is the main practice which was stolen.

I think MadMonk would be the most correct here--if Jesus was a real person, and he had the attributes that the Bible and its followers say (humility and such) then he wouldn't want his birthday to be turned into a complete circus every year. But the Christians wanted to spread their religion and they didn't mind stealing a few pagan practices along the way to make it easier for them!

Tried to add to the "It's called a Christmas tree" thread but it's closed. Banderd brings up an incredibly important point about "hijacking" a pagan holiday. Christian leaders did that many years ago, when the Cath ol ic (emphasis on middle instead of first sylable means universal) church literally ruled, and you were either Catholic or pagan. Don't know the origin of the tree, but church leader did "move " the birth of Christ celebration to take the emphasis away from the pagan celebration. Hannnukah is actually considered a minor celebration by the Jews, but the Christians helped to elevate it due to the proximity to Christmas. The originator of Kwanza chose the dates for the Christmas "afterglow". I can apppreciate the willingness of Banderd, regardless of religious beliefs, to join in in helping others, showing kindness, and other positive aspects of the season instead of jumping on the rampart consumerism train that many of my family (who were raised in church) have joined.

Here is an idea. We should start calling liberals "grinches" during CHRISTMAS. It fits.

I'm sorry, mranderson, I do not see how this comment makes any sense at all. Am I a grinch because I don't give huge presents to everyone?

What's a 'ginch'?

I'm sorry, mranderson, I do not see how this comment makes any sense at all. Am I a grinch because I don't give huge presents to everyone?

No, you're a g(r)inch because you present facts that deviate from the story that has been spread far and wide for years on end. Everyone knows that facts only muddy things up and lead to confusion and malcontent.

All clear now???

:tiphat:

I'm sorry, mranderson, I do not see how this comment makes any sense at all. Am I a grinch because I don't give huge presents to everyone?

Yup. Christmas is all about getting right?

No, it's not. I believe I have already stated my opinion on that. Sure, it's nice and all, but it's more about spending time with your loved ones and appreciating the fact that they are in your life, and if you can accent that fact with a token of your appreciation, fine, if not, fine.

My family chooses to exchange gifts.

And frankly, it's about the giving right, doctor?

Aww...and I thought it was about being "nice" all year so Santa would bring gifts. Y'know, like the song says "he's gonna find out who's naughty or nice..."

I'm sorry, mranderson, I do not see how this comment makes any sense at all. Am I a grinch because I don't give huge presents to everyone?

Your kind never does. Read the poem and it explains it.

I'm sorry, what is "your kind" mranderson?

And I read the stupid poem, I wouldn't have posted to the thread if I didn't. I think it's a stupid poem, full of right-wing crap and finger-pointing. You keep acting like I'm some bleeding-heart liberal, when that is really not the case. You know nothing about me, so quit referring to "my kind" unless you actually know what that is.

I think I'm with bandnerd on this one. If you post a poem written to poke fun at a political view point and or party you should fully expect the other side to call you on it.

Like bandnerd said wars have been fought since the beginning of time over relegion and politics. I tend to lean on the belief that anything posted in the Religion or Political forums is fair game for debate.

Maybe we should start a thread or forum for Holiday stories, poems, etc and open it up every year Thanksgiving weekend and close it New Years day and leave it out of the debate forums.