Are the words Christmas Tree really so offensive to non-Christians that we must

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   grumpiornotposted 11 years ago

   Are the words Christmas Tree really so offensive to non-Christians that we must abandon them?
   
   Why can the Christmas season and its various accoutrements not be referred to by their name? Does that mean that the various festivals of other religions (think "Hanukkah" or ""Diwali") should be called something else... maybe just "holiday"?
   
   
   I don't like this at all - surely religious tolerance must go in all directions and we can all refer to our own special days in the name we know them by?
   
   

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   junksellerposted 11 years ago

   I don't find Christmas offensive. A secular government, however, which promotes one religion over another, I do find offensive. Citizens can call it whatever they want.

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      grumpiornotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      As I understand you, government should not wish citizens a Merry Christmas or Happy Hannukah etc and should be uninvolved from a religious perspective?
      Is that not a contradiction to the fact that the country was essentially founded by Christians?

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      junksellerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Or, we were founded by freedom lovers who understood the importance of freedom of religion and the importance of separating church and state.

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   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   I have no problem with it at all. I also have no problem with people saying Merry Christmas. My lack of belief should not impact anyone other than myself. Everyone should be free to believe (or not) whatever they choose.

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      grumpiornotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you Who was it that made an issue of it for government policy and stores to remove references to Christmas? That offends me!

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      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, said.  I'm there with you.

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   Old Empresarioposted 11 years ago

   I'm an atheist and I say "Christmas" and "Merry Christmas". It's sort of a fun big holiday of pretend for me. But I'm certainly not offended.

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      grumpiornotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your comment - it seems strange to me that anybody would be offended and yet someone clearly was..."holiday tree" and all.

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   carterchasposted 11 years ago

   That's not the point.
   
   Our government was founded to be RELIGION NEUTRAL.  It neither promotes nor degrades religion.  Still people want the government to fund different Christmas activities, even though it is a holy time of year for other religions, too.
   
   I saw your comment that this country was founded by Christians. 
   It was also founded by Jews, deists, and even some atheists. 
   
   James Madison (author of the U.S.A. Bill of Rights) thought this was so important that he put it in the first amendment:
   
   Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...
   
   In other words, they wanted to keep the government seperate from religion.  The U.S.A. was the first country to take this step; it protects all of us.  It keeps our government from telling our churches what they can (or cannot) preach.  It keeps us from being taxed in order to support a church.  It also keeps the government from taxing our churches. 
   
   By the way, some Christian groups are anti-Christmas trees.

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      grumpiornotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for stopping by - I understand your point to mean it is better to wish nobody a happy anything, particularly as government... I have been led to understand that shops cannot even put up Happy Christmas signage for fear of offending someone..?

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   chuahdarywaheedposted 11 years ago

   You say absolutely right and I agree with you regarding to refer own special days in the name we know them, moreover Christianity is one of the top growing and peaceful religion in the world.

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   Marcus99posted 11 years ago

   Okay, then, how about : Happy Festivus for the Rest of us?

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      grumpiornotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Those who are not Christian can say whatever they like and whatever is appropriate within their belief system. But I do not believe that Christians should have to stop putting up signage in their shops etc. Happy Festivus!

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