Dec 19th, 2008 by David Anderson
UPDATE: A breaking poll says 66% of Americans regard Christmas as one of the most important holidays.
I wish a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our readers. No ,this will not be a post bashing people who celebrate some other holiday or wish people Happy Holidays though according to Rasmussen Happy Holidays is falling in to displeasure. 23% of people find the term offensive and only 19% use it. Personally, I am a name that holiday type of guy. Our church just helped sponsor a tribute to Hanukah for a senior facility and also a Christmas celebration. I was involved with both. I fully support tolerance and even embracing our varied traditions.
I think that should include my own and that of 85% of Americans. To me, tolerance is a two way street. I think some in this country are forgetting that concept. I do wonder though if when it comes to celebrating the birth of arguably the greatest person to ever be born, if we assume everyone knows why we think it is a bigger deal than just a Christian experience. If you ask a Christian why he/she celebrates Christmas, you will hear about how Jesus saved their souls and about the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. You should hear those things. The question is why then should someone who does not share a Christian’s beliefs celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth?
I believe that by secular standards, He is one of the ten most influential people to ever live (many would argue the first, but I am not looking for an argument). His teaching completely revamped human culture. His movement has grown over century after century. His devotees have had as great an impact for good in the history of the world as anyone ever born.
Consider the state of the world before Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth. The world was a very dark place where violence and the dark side of power were revered. The voices of people who advocated living by the better side of our nature never quite gained traction. After him, there was a philosophical, societal framework for a Kingdom based upon love, mutual respect, and justice which could spread across cultures and unite people of all kinds of heritages.
Before Jesus there would be no investments for hospitals because the sick were seen as weak. Doctors were regarded a body plumbers and not highly regarded. His emphasis on healing changed that.
Women were often not regarded outside of their role in fertility and sexuality in the majority of cultures. Christian ethics regarded them equally. Everything from the role of the blessed Mother to the fact that Jesus himself first appeared after the Resurrection to the women and entrusted them to give his message to the Apostles until he came to them personally gave rise to the new respect that women had. Women held office in the Church as deaconesses, evangelists, teachers, and prophets. Widows were to be regarded not killed to go with their husbands. The Women’s suffrage movement came out of the Christian Church along with the anti-slavery movement.
Children were no longer property to be thrown away if imperfect. Abortion, infanticide, and abandonment were forbidden. Jesus set the example personally by taking time to be with children during his services and defending them to the leadership.
The creation of Charities were inspired by Mathew 25 and other teachings.
Gandhi, Mohammed, and others admit to borrowing freely from some of his teachings. Islam counts him as one of their Prophets. Gandhi build his non violence movement from teachings in Mathew 5 through 7. It has not just been Christians who have benefited from his teachings. Gandhi once said the only problem he had with Christianity is Christians. I think it would better be said, people who claim Christianity and don’t follow its path.
The emphasis on universal education, the invention of the printing press, and the development of modern science came out of the Christian philosophy.
So did universal human rights. Man is created in the image of God and deserves respect solely on that basis.
His teachings and actions were a radical departure from the norm and 2000 years later we are still trying to attain that standard. The great news is that the world is forever better because of the evolution of our standards which he set in motion.
You can think religion is a joke and still find reasons to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ or Yeshua of Nazareth. If we don’t discuss the impact he had on all of us, it is no wonder many can have a winter break or a holiday season. Go celebrate the renewal of humanity, celebrate Christmas.
Posted in Ethics, History, No Politics, Religion, Stuff, Tributes
Where does one obtain a pair of those rose colored glasses you have? They seem to be of the most powerful variety.
Look, I’m not saying Christ wasn’t an influential figure or didn’t do many good things. I’m a non-believer, not an idiot. That being said, you make some pretty astounding historical generalizations in this post to say the very least. This is like reading ideas for the plot of a piece of church propaganda…”Before Jesus the world was dark and scary…(cue spooky sound effects)…but after he arrived everything became wonderful…(cue rainbows and butterflies.” If your goal was to talk about all the great things you and your church think Jesus did, then great. If your goal was to give an even semi-accurate discussion of Christ as a historical figure, please stop, it’s painful to read.
As far as the title and other ideas of the post – I understand and agree that Christmas is an important religious holiday. I participate in celebrations of it with my family because even though I don’t personally buy all the doctrine I do value the time with them and the general good cheer. Still I prefer to say Happy Holidays (or something to that effect) to people is because I think it’s arrogant and inconsiderate to assert that Christmas is any more or less important than anybody else’s holiday (religious or otherwise). If Christmas happens to be their holiday, then great, it’s included in the term “holidays.” If they happen to celebrate some other holiday, even better, hopefully it makes them happy to have one less jerk wishing them happiness in celebrating something they don’t celebrate.
Also – this is unrelated, why precisely do you refer to Gandhi as Handy? I was very puzzled by that.
W.C. Handy, perhaps? Is the blues a religion?
It must have changed in the spell checker. I haven’t reloaded office yet and I was working with works. Thanks.
I don’t have a problem with wishing people whatever holiday they celebrate. The only one on Dec. 25th with any following is Christmas and it is celebrated by 90% plus. It is an insult to many to disrespect them by refusing to acknowledge it. I personally am not offended by much of anything not intended to be an insult. Wish me Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanza, Happy Hannakuk, or a wonderful winter. It is ok, but my primary celebration is that of Christmas.
Unfortunately Johnny, your understanding of history is woefully incomplete. I just touched the surface. Some of the changes were revolutionary and others have taken 2000 years. We still have a long way to go. Far from everything magically changing after he came, it took work and an undying committment to change. The history of the Common Era truly is A. D. It is the evolution of the Spirit of humanity. It is also why you can’t reject the influence of Christians and hope to have the world we all want.
“The only one on Dec. 25th with any following is Christmas and it is celebrated by 90% plus.”
Except that Hanukkah begins on December 21st this year and lasts 8 days…meaning it is also celebrated on December 25th. Let’s not forget the whole reason Christmas is celebrated in late December despite historical records indicating Christ wasn’t born anywhere near December – i.e. a (admittedly successful) attempt to overtake the Winter Solstice celebrations that had existed long before Christmas. I’d be willing to bet there are folks who still celebrate Winter Solstice, but you know, they’re part of those other 10%, so who really cares about them.
Regarding the historical stuff, again I don’t deny the importance of Christ as a historical figure. I just think when you attribute every good thing that has happened in the past 2000 years to Christianity and nothing else (which you seem to be happily willing to do) you’re being arrogant at the least and disingenuous at the worst.
Just one example to consider. In your original post, you wrote about the world before Christ saying: “The world was a very dark place where violence and the dark side of power were revered. ”
I’m sorry but 2000 plus years later there has been and continues to be plenty lot of violence and reverence of the dark side of power in this world…worse yet it’s often been carried out in the name of religion…be it Christianity or Islam or any other. Your post seems to suggest that the world was lousy, Jesus showed up, and since then everything’s been hunky dory. Sorry, but I don’t think so.
It is not a perfect world because people have not adopted his teachings fully. It will happen then the world will be delightful. That is the great hope of Prophecy. It is true that there are plenty of problems still. It is not true that the world is the same. It is vastly different.
As for the 2% who celebrate Hannakuk, wish them that don’t dis their holy day by not giving it the dignity of a mention. That is why Happy Holidays is offensive to many and only used by a fifth of the people. Just name your holiday.
Johnny and David, what you’re both missing is that Christianity is a religion of conversion, whereas Judaism is a religion of exclusivity. Wishing a Jew “Merry Christmas” is a manifestation of that most Christian imperative to spread Christ’s message to all. Consider the impact Christianity had on the Roman world; Christians were persecuted by the state firstly because they didn’t worship the Roman gods, but primarily because they turned other Romans away from the state religion. If the Roman gods don’t get their sacrifices, they withdraw their favor and the empire falls.
Ahh, religion of exclusivity. That sounds so wonderful. If only they were all that way and would stop throwing their nonsense at my mental wall, hoping some of it will stick.
I think I just inadvertantly made a Flying Spaghetti Monster reference…
Can this be true… 23 percent of those surveyed find ‘Happy Holidays’ offensive?? 23 percent of those surveyed need to unbunch their panties.
“… what you’re both missing is that Christianity is a religion of conversion…” – Read: an exclusive club where we try to get you to believe it our way, then quietly suggest that, if you don’t, you’ll probably burn in hell.
God, I hate missionaries. Just imagine the arrogance to say to someone who has their own set of beliefs and religion that, well, that’s nice, but our way is the RIGHT way.
23 percent of those surveyed find ‘Happy Holidays’ offensive??
Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity tell them they need to be offended.
I think it goes the other way. It is because people were getting weary of the attempt to diminish the importance of Jesus Christ that people wanted to reclaim the Christmas season from commercialism, generic parties, and political correctness that some media people decided to reflect their voice. The people came first not the spokespeople.
Christmas is not just a religious holiday. It is a recognition of the most influencial person in our western culture. From an historic perpesective alone, that deserves recognition.
No one is saying Christmas doesn’t deserve recognition. We’re saying stop being such a bunch of arrogant pricks who think your holiday is the only one that matters.
No one says that Christmas is the only holiday that matters. I disagree with you their are people who say that it doesn’t matter.
Everyone who wants to profit off of it yet not recognize it. The various athiest groups who are putting up displays in Washington state and buying bus signs in D. C. denegrating it. The ACLU types trying to wipe out any public recognition of it. The educators who will include every holiday but Christmas in their discussion. The schools who put on winter pagents with holiday songs that never mention Christmas. This is a widespread effort which isn’t made up Bill and Sean. We see it attempted in almost every community of some size.
There has to be push back. Honor undefended is honor presumed not to exist. People need to take the time and nicely explain why it matters and by reason put the intolerant bullies in their place.
Alright, perhaps we have found some point of agreement. I don’t think that Christmas should be wiped out, just that other holidays should get sufficient recognition. If public schools are going to sponsor winter pageants, then they should either include mention of ALL the various winter holidays celebrated by their students (Christmas included) or just not bother. Private schools obviously can do whatever they want.
I found the atheist bus signs amusing personally. Then again I’m an atheist who decorated a Christmas tree last night. I may not buy the doctrine but for whatever reason the majority of my family does and it’s far easier to just quietly happily celebrate with them than to get into deep philosophical debates on the matter. Then again the Christmas tree likely originated as a Germanic pagan tradition anyway, so in a way it kind of makes sense.
You are right. That is why I don’t allow a so called Christmas tree in my home or any other pagan trappings nor did I fill my children’s minds with Santa Claus myths. I celebrate a Christian Holy Day and an historic holiday.
In that case, might I also suggest that you move your Christmas celebration to March so as not to accidentally be perceived as a pagan Saturn worshiper or solstice celebrator. “Pagan trappings” indeed…
Oh, and in regards to Santa Claus…nice to see you’ve got your myths and fairy tales appropriately prioritized.
1. Magical man who rises from the dead, heals the sick with no medical training, walks on water, feeds inordinate amounts of people with small scraps of food, check. Perfectly reasonable.
2. Magical man who flies around the world in a sled led by flying reindeer and delivers presents to every kid in the world in one night. Utterly preposterous!
I can understand your point of view, my friend, but you see I know this Jesus personally. Unlikely is not impossible, if none of that ever happened don’t you think the critics of Christ would have pointed that out and killed the movement right in Jerusalem? Anyway, Pasture had no medical training and we are still saving lives because of his advances. I have personally found that healing is from within and not from the stuff we add from the outside. Medicines just help the body heal itself. Is it not possible that we can activate that by other means?
St. Nicholas was a great man, his story is worthy of sharing as it really happened.
I must say that you are a reasonable skeptic. You have been quite respectful even while disagreeing. I think that reflects well on you. Thanks for the discussion so far.
I believe Christmas has become the most important American holiday and I’m all for it. But David, don’t get all revisionist on us here. The wasn’t always recognized in the US. Nevertheless, I appreciate that many of his worshippers make an effort to behave like he in the stories.
Also, I’m afraid you missed the event the other night, but you could have witnessed the three kings lining up to follow the star in the east pointing to the rise of the Sun of God. Besides, this is the age of the water bearer now not the Lamb.
Oop, I meant it was no longer the era of the fish, the lamb or ram was Moses proceeded by the age of the Bull (or golden Cow). Wow that stuff is weird, eh?
I know it’s a bit late coming but David – Merry Christmas. I always find our debates frustrating yet enjoyable. May there be many more.
Thank you. The same here. I hope you had a Merry Christmas.