Merry Christmas Everyone! It is December so I guess it's okay to say now. I'm usually not one to listen to Christmas music before December let alone before Thanksgiving dishes have been done. Lately there have been several instances in the news in which the phrase "Merry Christmas" has been the hot topic of debate.
Senator Chris Buttars, known for his old-man racially-insensitive vocabulary is having a non-binding resolution drafted for the 2009 legislature in which he asks retailers "not to exclude Christmas from their holiday greetings." He claims that employees of a local company complained to him regarding their company's policy of not being able to say "Merry Christmas" to their patrons.
Here's my take...I'm obviously of the persuasion that we started as and are largely still a Christian Nation in which we celebrate Christmas as the birth of God's Son on earth. It is not a Winter Solstice celebration, nor is it a "Valentine's Day" holiday created by the greeting card companies. (Although retailers have certainly capitalized on America's hunger for a heaping portion of Mammon) This is a holiday that means something to the majority of Americans in which they celebrate the birth and life of their Savior. Just because I might offend someone who signs on as an atheist does not mean I don't have the right to say it. I am a proponent of freedom of speech and don't believe that a Christian's freedom of speech is less valuable than the rights of an atheist. This is however unfortunately the way our "judges" seem to interpret the law. How ironic when Atheists sue for the “separation of church and state” and then demand that the courts uphold their “belief” that there is no god. If someone wished me a happy Hanukkah, I would be honored-not offended. Nor am I offended when someone wishes me Happy Holidays.
A second almost unbelievable story here.
Senator Chris Buttars, known for his old-man racially-insensitive vocabulary is having a non-binding resolution drafted for the 2009 legislature in which he asks retailers "not to exclude Christmas from their holiday greetings." He claims that employees of a local company complained to him regarding their company's policy of not being able to say "Merry Christmas" to their patrons.
Here's my take...I'm obviously of the persuasion that we started as and are largely still a Christian Nation in which we celebrate Christmas as the birth of God's Son on earth. It is not a Winter Solstice celebration, nor is it a "Valentine's Day" holiday created by the greeting card companies. (Although retailers have certainly capitalized on America's hunger for a heaping portion of Mammon) This is a holiday that means something to the majority of Americans in which they celebrate the birth and life of their Savior. Just because I might offend someone who signs on as an atheist does not mean I don't have the right to say it. I am a proponent of freedom of speech and don't believe that a Christian's freedom of speech is less valuable than the rights of an atheist. This is however unfortunately the way our "judges" seem to interpret the law. How ironic when Atheists sue for the “separation of church and state” and then demand that the courts uphold their “belief” that there is no god. If someone wished me a happy Hanukkah, I would be honored-not offended. Nor am I offended when someone wishes me Happy Holidays.
A second almost unbelievable story here.
That being said, I have never understood the purpose of our legislatures passing a "non-binding resolution." In essence it is a suggestion to send a "message." Senator Buttars is surely well-intentioned in his bringing to light something that is already in the noon-day sun. In our current economic state and the socially progressive-programmed state of our State/Country, why do we need to spend both taxpayer money and legislature's time in "sending a message" to people who have obviously already made the conscious decision to ignore the Christian meaning of Christmas. Such political disorientation and detours from his real purpose as a senator cause me to pause and reflect why he was elected in the first place. If he is going to propose legislation, he should try doing something that will actually become a law that will solve the state's problems, not poke the already angry dog. Such legislation, however well-intentioned only widens the gap between those who identify themselves as Atheists and Christians.
Isn't the spirit of Christmas to bring people together and show Christlike love to one another for at least a few days out of the year? For someone belonging to a political party that claims that it stands for smaller government and less governmental interference in the lives of Americans, he sure has a funny way of showing it.
Merry Christmas Everyone....
3 comments:
That's so funny that you posted this because I was planning on doing a post on this same topic. I think it's rediculous to take offense when someone is trying to wish you a happy or merry whatever. I have been wished a happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas etc, and every time I smile and say thank you, and usually reciprocate the comment. I love it. Part of what brings us all together this time of year is that most of us are celebrating something. Yes it would be nice if everyone was celebrating for the same reason as me, but if their not that's okay.
Dang. I left a comment but it didn't go through. Anyway, I just basically said that I agree with you on this. I had the same thoughts about Senator Buttars when I heard about this as well. Also, why do people get so offended these days? It's like they feel the world owes them something and that they're so important that everybody MUST be talking about them and MUST be trying to hurt their feelings whenever they say certain things. I would never take offense to being wished a Happy Holidays or a Happy Hanukkah either. That's just lame to me!
My only frustration is the waste of tax payer money spent on the printing, reading and debating for this non-binding resolution when they are clearly much bigger issues.
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