Home > Thinking Right > Archives > 2006 > December > 13 > Entry

Merry, uh, holiday.

By Jim Wooten | Wednesday, December 13, 2006, 08:22 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The 14 Christmas trees removed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a rabbi threatened to sue if a menorah wasn’t displayed as well, are back. The rabbi, who had not asked that the Christmas trees be removed, only that a menorah be added, withdrew his threat to sue this year. “We are not going to be the instrument by which the port holds Christmas hostage,” said the rabbi’s lawyer. Key to the return of the Christmas trees, port officials said, was an agreement that they will “work with the rabbi and other members of the community to develop a plan for next year’s holiday decorations at the airport.”

Is Christmas really threatened, as many traditonalists contend? Well, maybe. After the story appeared, I thumbed through the paper looking for the word “Christmas” in advertising. I did the same with a batch of catalogues that arrived around Thanksgiving. All are quick to promote this as the season where one is expected to purchase gifts. And a couple — Dillard’s and BrandsMart come to mind — readily acknowledge that the gifts are offered for Christmas giving. But my Jos. A. Bank catalogue has a “Holiday Catalogue Sale.” The Honeybaked Ham company president included a warm personal letter to me, their “valued customer,” but didn’t actually use the words Christmas or Thanksgiving — though a later mailing did mention Christmas on the inside of a “Holiday Gifts 2006” catalogue.

It’s hard to blame retailers. We do seem to be a nation of people who go through life looking for opportunities to take offense. I heard a radio account recently of a voter who threatened to file suit to get a polling place removed from a Catholic church social hall because signs there opposed abortion. Now can you imagine a value system so fragile, so ungrounded, that a mere sign would cause it to crumble, thereby possibly influencing one’s vote minutes later? Not long ago, we’d simply have walked on, voted, and acknowledged without offense the Catholic view.

It may simply be inevitable that Christmas is destined to morph into a “holiday” season that gives no offense to any brittle body. Even now, Christmas trees are becoming holiday trees and, as in Seattle, a committee has to be convened to plan “holiday decorations.” Sad. But in a world where bringing down some traditional practice or institution, a la Madalyn Murray O’Hair, represents a meaningful life achievement, Christmas may indeed be a national holiday on borrowed time. Merry, uh, holiday.

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Comments

By TommyT

December 13, 2006 08:39 AM | Link to this

Jim: Taking offense with the religious displays of others is a sure sign of the weakness of the offended’s own belief system.

Not to mention their audacity to complain about the very mention of Christmas at the same time they celebrate the holiday.

By jbmlaw

December 13, 2006 08:52 AM | Link to this

Good morning all. A believer’s case against excessive celebration of Christmas is pretty easy to make: two of the four Gospels don’t even mention the birth of Christ, and the two that tell a story tell stories with no common elements. We have no idea of the actual month or year of the Holy Birth. Christmas trees don’t get much mention in any religious tracts (yes I am perfectly aware of Prince Albert’s role – don’t waste our time with the historic references.) We won’t discuss Santa Claus. Even when our good ministers talk about the “meaning of the season” I have always noticed they were conspicuously vague about what exactly is the meaning of the season. We are an Easter people, and Christmas ultimately is a faux-religious holiday.

Even acknowledging all of those depressing truths – in fact, perhaps because I can acknowledge those depressing truths – the campaign against Christmas, mostly conducted by our American leftist friends, is a true symbol of evil in our time. Christmas is a singular holiday, without any element of meanness or viciousness, not against any soul, believing or not, in any culture, anywhere and everywhere in the world. It is the only time of the year our modern American culture unites to reflect peacefully on the ultimate meanings of life. While our leftist friends condemn the hostility of the times, the lack of common or shared values, and the wingnut unwillingness to work with the leftists’ “well-intentioned” efforts, the fact of their long-term intolerance against simple displays of celebration of Christmas is almost certainly the cause of the conditions they deplore. There once was a spirit of the season, now long extinguished by the ACLU. Happy Kwanza.

By TW

December 13, 2006 09:04 AM | Link to this

The rabbi wanted to be included. The reaction was, is, fragile.

By Dusty

December 13, 2006 09:08 AM | Link to this

Awww, forget it, Jim. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

You too, TommyT and jbmlaw!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

By Rev Haggard

December 13, 2006 09:14 AM | Link to this

Wrong, your so-called “war on christmas” is brought to you by CORPORATE AMERICA.

Nobody has been forced to say “Happy Holidays”. NOT ONCE.

Since when was the “spirit of Christmas” the responibility of corporate America anyway?

Don’t bring up Santa?? Why? can’t blame him on the liberals?

By Chazman

December 13, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this

I have never understood why people get all bent out of shape if a store has a “Holiday Sale” rather than a “Christmas Sale.” I understand that store is trying to sale merchindise to people of all faiths, not just my own. A Holiday Sale includes all of us. A Christmas Sale does not - if your religion does not celebrate Christmas.

JW states, Now can you imagine a value system so fragile, so ungrounded, that a mere sign would cause it to crumble. I feel the same of those whining about Christmas. Imagine a value system so fragile, so ungrounded, that the mere mention of Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas would cause people to get so bent out of shape that they fear there is a “war on Christmas.”

TommyT started us off this morning with Taking offense with the religious displays of others is a sure sign of the weakness of the offended’s own belief system. I couldn’t disagree more. How about taking offense with the fact that some will not accept Happy Holidays as a holiday greeting that includes everybody. Does TommyT believe that this is any kind of weakness with the offended’s own belief system?

I’m sure he doesn’t, but there really isn’t much difference.

By MELO

December 13, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this

Merry Xmas to you all. Anybody who is offended can go hug a tree. This reminds me of people who say marriage is threatened by homosexual behavior.How stupid is that.

I do not celebrate hannukah,kwanzaa and some of the Jewish,Hindu or other religious holidays apart from Christian ones. I dont care about them.I dont get offendfed when they say happy Hannukaa or Kwanzaa etc. So why should they? I think the world is sucking up too much to Jews! I mean that, and it p** me off! Stop this nonsense now.

By Watta Load

December 13, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this

Jim gets a D- for this subject today…it’s a non-issue, the media has to scour the world for a few isolated stories about this.

Jim, please submit a more interesting subject or I’ll have to go visit that horrible woman to woman blog.

By Southern Democrat

December 13, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this

Jbmlaw,

I wholeheartedly agree with your first paragraph and, as a Christian, lament both the decline and the overcommercialization of Christmas equally.

I, predictably, decline to respond to your second paragraph as I assume it is intended for the “other” strain of discourse that you have so well identified and advised me to steer clear.

I do not, though, think that there is any sort of War on Christmas or that the decline of Christmas’s prominence in popular culture is due to political correctness or “leftist wingnuts.” I am certain that most of you, like me, enjoy the same Christmas traditions that you did 20, 30 years ago, with minor modifications. The joy of Christmas is still ever present on the face of a child and in the random acts of kindness that seem to multiply this time of year.

I can tell you that when I lived in New York, I looked forward to the holiday season all year. Despite a tremendous Jewish population and, therefore, a deemphasis on the “Christ” portion of Christmas, the holiday season in New York was always splendidly festive and normally coarse men and women would deign to perform the kindliest of gestures.

If they will know we are Christians by our love, won’t “they” also know it is Christmas by our actions? Do I really need Wal-Mart to help me spread the message of Christmas?

By Rod

December 13, 2006 09:32 AM | Link to this

I’m offended by this column!!!

This column has become a “lame-duck” column ever since the Republicans got their a55es kicked in November.

Jim - get some balls and make a political column again. Turning into a p*** and writing about Christmas trees in a political blog is pathetic.

By Rev Haggard

December 13, 2006 09:34 AM | Link to this

Don’t you all know???? Jesus is looking down on us right now. Is he upset by our war in Iraq? Concerned about the starving in Africa?

Nope. Honey baked Hams said “Happy Holidays.”

By Chazman

December 13, 2006 09:39 AM | Link to this

the campaign against Christmas, mostly conducted by our American leftist friends, is a true symbol of evil in our time

Whoa, you’re slipping big time, jbmlaw.

By Curious Observer

December 13, 2006 09:41 AM | Link to this

We would not have a “war on Christmas” if all of us would be a little more sensitive to others.

I cringe when some jackass fundamentalist preacher at a public gathering feels compelled to end his prayer with “in Jesus’ name, amen.” He doesn’t know how many Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and others of different faiths are in the crowd, and he doesn’t care.

The people who complain of a “war on Christmas” are of much the same variety. They want to shove their religion down the throats of everybody else, then whine when somebody shoves back.

I, for one, will continue to exercise some discretion at Christmas time. If I don’t know the religion of the person I greet, I’m certainly not going to lay a “Merry Christmas” on him. It is a matter of fundamental decency and consideration for others.

By Howard

December 13, 2006 09:51 AM | Link to this

Jim…excellent observations. The ACLU and abusive lawyers…plus that ridiculous interpretation of the Second Amendment by activist court judges…has led to this timidness and silliness in our gutless, linguine-spined country. My wife and I make it a point to say “Merry Christmas” to everyone at every store or place of business we shop. Three things will prove to be the ruination of the USA yet: multiculturalism, tolerance,and diversity. Great sounding words, but when interpreted and applied by the leftists in this country…they morph into something resembling Hitler’s Germany.

By Chazman

December 13, 2006 09:54 AM | Link to this

I dont care about them. I dont get offended when they say happy Hannukaa or Kwanzaa etc. So why should they?

Hey MELO, how many times has someone actually said happy Hannukaa or happy Kwanzaa to you? You make it sound like it’s a frequent occurence. Do you see if splashed across the front of sales papers? Do you ever see Happy Kwanzaa strung across the front of City Hall in lights?

By Political Deckhead

December 13, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this

My Christmas List: robot dinosaur…..ipod…..crotchless jockstrap…..myrrh…..air jordans with wheels…..air jordans with lights….a white xmas tree…..a 21 inch flat panel LCD computer monitor (samsung)… paris hilton….a divorce….OJ’s book……a tax cut…..a hair cut……a surrender monkey…….and a partridge (shirley jones)….and that’s just for my stocking stuffers.

for under the tree, I want a hybrid humvee ….edible underwear….edible blow up doll….oedipus rex…..and an electric train set with miniature Nells to tie to the tracks!!!

By Chazman

December 13, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this

Three things will prove to be the ruination of the USA yet: multiculturalism, tolerance,and diversity. Great sounding words, but when interpreted and applied by the leftists in this country…they morph into something resembling Hitler’s Germany.

Does anyone else see the tremendous irony in these two sentences? When I think of Hitler, I think three things he did not want were multicultarism, tolerance and diversity.

By @@

December 13, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this

Gosh Jim, I’ve stepped into a war on Christmas. I guess that makes me a veteran doesn’t it?

I’m not a big fan of the commercialization of Christmas. I love the opportunity to give. It’s not a seasonal thing with me though, it’s year round. But Christmas? It’s a time of year when I know that others are inspired to give as well. That makes it a great time offering great opportunities for everyone.

The one thing I’m not willing to give away is an American tradition. Christmas hasn’t presented a problem until recently. Why? Because there are small interest groups who want to take away rather than give. Not very generous now is it?

My family and I are gonna be on a beach in South Florida for Christmas. A gift I’m giving to myself. The family is compromising…or giving if you will. Temperatures in the 80’s.

I love this global warming phase we’re in. Oops, that makes me another target for the leftists so I better go.

MERRY CHRISTMAS GIVING JIM & EVERYONE.

By Diogenes

December 13, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this

Jim,

Your state quite rightly that: “Now can you imagine a value system so fragile, so ungrounded, that a mere sign would cause it to crumble, thereby possibly influencing one’s vote minutes later? Not long ago, we’d simply have walked on, voted, and acknowledged without offense the Catholic view.”

Our value systems have become fragile, a consequence of weak leadership at all levels, I would suggest. Our Christian brethren (and leaders) seemingly are unwilling to set an example with their behavior. Until those values become so inherent in the behavior of those who profess them, then we reap what we sow.

I’m curious. Did the rabbi get his menorah? He should have. He was willing to stand up for his values. One of the hardest lessons of all to learn is how to respect and appreciate the values of others.

We the People are a litigious, illiberal group who would rather quarrel nosily than try to achieve peaceful coexistence. Thank God for Jimmy Carter who has the courage to put his values on parade, then try to reconcile peacefully with those who took offense.

I know that your last statement was meant to be conservative irony. Jim, if you have a value system worth respecting, then stand up for it, as that rabbi did and as Jimmy Carter does. And Merry Christmas to you and yours. Or as the case may be, Happy Chanukah. Peace on Earth. Goodwill to all men.

By Buy Danish

December 13, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this

There’s no War on Christmas?

Try telling that to the Lakeview Elementary School in Wilson County, Tennessee and countless other embattled districts, who received a complaint from the ACLU because of their Christmas Pageant.

Silent Night has taken on a whole new meaning - as the free expression of faith and joy is silenced. Those who attempt to sing Christmas carols, or even dare play the instrumental versions of these traditional songs are slapped with ACLU lawsuits.

Unlike Jim Wooten, who seems resigned to its inevitable defeat, many are fighting back against these and other attempts to destroy our American culture. Whether we succed or not depends on the efforts of fellow Americans, and raising a flag of surrender is a more than regrettable response.

By Boggle

December 13, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this

The ACLU and abusive lawyers…plus that ridiculous interpretation of the Second Amendment by activist court judges

The right to bear arms? Christmas? What?

Look, if you’re going to rant and rave and spray spittle like a good little brainless right-winger, you at least ought to get your Bill of Rights straight.

By DebbieDoRight

December 13, 2006 10:17 AM | Link to this

oh please why are u whining Jim? isnt THIS what you wanted when you (conservatrons) INSISTED on having the 10 commandments posted to every building that public taxes paid for? what did you EXPECT would happen? did you forget that christians aren’t the only ones who pay taxes? NOW because of this, we get not only protests about a bunch of trees that are destined for fireplaces in a few days, but we have to have mennorahs next to them. pretty soon all the white witches in the united states will demand the pentagram be put next to the mennorahs too.

oh well, you can blame THAT on “leftist leaning media and democrats too” instead of pointing the finger where it belongs — towards your own conservatron faces.

By Diogenes

December 13, 2006 10:20 AM | Link to this

jmblaw (852),

Up until you started fulminating against the “liberals” that is the best blog you’ve posted. It’s well thought out and thought provoking. Well done.

By Diogenes

December 13, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this

Curious Observer (941)

Your comment: “I for one, will continue to exercise some discretion at Christmas time. If I don’t know the religion of the person I greet, I’m certainly not going to lay a “Merry Christmas” on him. It is a matter of fundamental decency and consideration for others.”

Well said.

By DebbieDoRight

December 13, 2006 10:26 AM | Link to this

Three things will prove to be the ruination of the USA yet: multiculturalism, tolerance,and diversity

do u drink ur breakfast? let’s see who were the indigenous people of america…….indians. (2) what people’s labor and sacrifice helped to make the railroads across this country ……chinese. (3) who brought beer making to this country……germans. i could go on but then i’d be preaching.

this country was FOUNDED on diversity and multiculture — the english were immigrants when they came here just like every other european nation that came to the u.s.

read a history book sometimes — it might make you sound less stupid.

and NO i didn’t forget black americans — i figured that would be an obvious reference.

By Rod

December 13, 2006 10:26 AM | Link to this

Amen to DebbieDoRight!

By Captain Freedom

December 13, 2006 10:28 AM | Link to this

Unlike my stalwart efforts in defending Freedom in Iraq through my mighty Keyboard of Strength, I am an actual combat veteran in the Godless War on Christmas.

Last year, we had some problems with our septic tank. So, we hired some Mexicans to dig up the back yard and fix it. Well, it was quite a mess, and it stank pretty badly, and being a Good White Christian, I felt a bit bad for insisting that the Mexicans had to work on Christmas Eve, but the Captain’s evacuation needs are persistent and insistent, so necessity demanded their holiday toil.

But in this spirit of the Christmas Season, I donned my Santa cap and personally carried a cold six pack of holiday-themed Coca Cola to the brutes, loudly proclaiming, “Ho! Ho! Ho! Merrrrry Christmas”.

One of the ingrate beasts then intentionally spat upon my Holiday and the Baby Jesus Himself by responding with a devil’s grin, “Feliz Navidad, Senor.”

Imagine. My good will instantly turned to rage at his “multi-cultural”, anti-Christian gibe. So, like any Good White Christian, I pushed that brown heretic right into the muck of my septic tank, leaving him to ponder the true meaning of Christmas.

In the process, I suffered a slight calf muscle spasm, and was forced to my bed for two days with Ben Gay and percoset to recover. I wrote to the Brave Culture Warrior O’Reilly to tell him of my plight, and he made my combat heroics a central exhibit in his brave expose The War on Christmas and Illegal Immigration — The Hidden Leftist Agenda. Surely you saw it on Fox?

Merry Christmas to all my brethren and not-men sisters in True Belief. The rest of you can go straight to Hell.

By MELO

December 13, 2006 10:28 AM | Link to this

Chazman, Merry Xmas to yah. A number of times i have been greeted thus:happy Kwanzaa, i simply nswer back. It dont mean a thing to me and i dont get offended. Why should you or anybody else?

By Political Deckhead

December 13, 2006 10:33 AM | Link to this

My Christmas Wish is that our country’s only problem was “X-mas”.

word.

By DebbieDoRight

December 13, 2006 10:34 AM | Link to this

  • the campaign against Christmas, mostly conducted by our American leftist friends, is a true symbol of evil in our time.*

WOW! I have another one for you:

The Democrats’ gay agenda is working! Reinstate the draft, and thousands of young American men will suddenly become gay!

heard on the “hour of power” radio broadcast

By Buy Danish

December 13, 2006 10:38 AM | Link to this

Diogenes,

In response to this post, as I recall, you called me “Satan” last week, so please spare us your hypocritical sanctimony and sermons on proper “behavior”.

Your preachy interpretation of Christianity, with Jimmy Carter symbolizing YOUR interpretation of the Christ’s message, is from your Left/Socialist viewpoint and is not shared by myself and many others.

Carter is the last person I would choose to represent my viewpoints as a Christian - his latest travesty being the publication of a book accusing Israel of “Apartheid” - something that I am unable to see as a gesture of Peace on Earth and Goodwill to men.

Carter has made a career of cozying up to dictators like Fidel Castro, and it is my belief that siding with tyrants is not the wisest demonstration of Christian “behavior”.

By Bemused Humanist

December 13, 2006 10:44 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

It is painful when some of Mr. Jmblaw’s usual intelligence and civility writes so patently offensive a comment as one he posted at 8:53 am.

Where to begin? Let’s start with the mere phrase “the campaign against Christmas.” Right-wing blogs, hyper-inflated Christian evangelicals, and (last and least) Fox News Vulgarians of the Masses like Hannity and O’Reilly would have you believe there is some orchestrated assault on the Christian holiday. They do so by demonizing “the Others” : liberals, Muslins, atheists, et. al., who are made up as ogres to be feared and despised (an old technique perfected by Hitler and Goebbels seventy years ago) by using the Chimera of some “War on Christmas.”

Of course, it is nonsense. The only “organized” campaign in this regard is the ACLU’s attempt to keep religious symbols from being displayed by governmental entities or their agents in a preferential manner. Period. They do this with the support of those of us who are concerned with the undo intrusion of Christianity into State affairs, those of us who believe that in a free society the two should be kept separate.

This is not a theoretical subject. Christians and non-Christians alike (including many true Conservatives) have become very alarmed at the growing power of the evangelical right-wing, especially under an administration that feels it necessary to vet Supreme Court nominees to odious, demagogic preachers like Jerry Falwell and James Dobson. Just two days ago NPR had a story about Pentagon generals proselytizing Christianity inside the building and in uniform, which if a violation of the military code of justice.

While the Christian right-wing has attempted to portray America as a “Christian” nation, the truth it our great founders were men of the Enlightenment, deeply suspicious of the power of organized religion (someone was posting wonderful quotes from James Madison on this very topic over at Luckovitich’s blog.) It is not an accident that Thomas Jefferson put “Author of … the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom” on his tombstone. He would have started another Revolution had he seen the way Bush and his flunkies kowtow to despicable TV preachers masquerading as “Men of God.”

OK … then Mr. Jmblaw calls this (non)campaign “a true symbol of evil.” For shame. Defending the Constitution in a manner with which you do not agree is “evil”? I suppose that as he has seen fit to sing the praises of Jean Kirkpatrick, an enabler of the torturing and murdering dictator Augusto Pinochet (I am sure they have been consigned to the same circle of Hell), perhaps his definition of that term is slightly different than, say, the rest of humanity’s.

Mr. Jmblaw then goes on with all sort of vapid platitudes about “It is the only time of the year our modern American culture unites to reflect peacefully on the ultimate meanings of life”. Really? Is that what Americans do at Christmas? Philosophical contemplation of the meanings of life? Who? Where? Getalife and TFTT grasping hands and singing Kumbaya? Is that what hate-spewing bloviators like Rush and Ann do at Christmas, or are they doing what they do all year – make money by demonizing other Americans and furthering divisions in the country, this time with their phony “war “? And what about those of us who contemplate the meanings of life all year round? We believe it should be done every day. Are we to be shunned because we do it when it isn’t Christmas? And why does such contemplation require societal unification, much less government-sponsored crèches? Buddhists seem to do fine without them … as do the Humanists …. but we are all going to hell, right?

There is a ton more, but here are two last observations: First, Wal-Mart is driven by the profit motive and only the profit motive They would say “Happy Hitler’s Birthday” if it would increase sales. Your wonderful free market has no soul, no morality. It’s all about the greed – the way you like it, right?

And Mr. Wooten – many (far too many, in my opinion) voters make up their minds in the voting booth. You underestimate the power of signs and signals to influence these undecideds. It is especially important now, with the country almost exactly divided in half and the right-wing attempting to curtail voting rights. Take the anti-abortion signs down, or move the voting site out of the church in question

There is no War on Christmas. The irony is that there should be a war on those claiming there is one.

By SpaceyG

December 13, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this

Oh puuhhhlllleeeaaazzzuuuhhh! I went to so many Christmas choral (religious) concert choirs, pageants, etc. this past weekend I was begging for some pure ghetto rap by Sunday evening.

If you want a religious Christmas experience, then stop whining and go get yourself one.

http://spaceygreview.blogspot.com

By MELO

December 13, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this

Another Republican congressman bit the dust in Texas!!!

These creatures are slowly getting extinct,like Xmas!!

By cheesebuzz

December 13, 2006 10:48 AM | Link to this

We truly have become a nation of the perpetually offended; a nation of individuals lacking part of their anatomy - a back bone. Wish I had the answer. Merry Christmas everyone.!

By DebbieDoRight

December 13, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this

Carter is the last person I would choose to represent my viewpoints as a Christian - his latest travesty being the publication of a book accusing Israel of “Apartheid” - something that I am unable to see as a gesture of Peace on Earth and Goodwill to men

im interested in knowing if you actually READ the book — or if you’re just repeating something you heard or read on Fox News.

Carter has made a career of cozying up to dictators like Fidel Castro, and it is my belief that siding with tyrants is not the wisest demonstration of Christian “behavior”

hmmm carter cozies up to dictators and Jesus cozied up to the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and the deginerates in his society. Jesus made a new religion and millions of converts by “practising what he preached” — i see how un-christian that is now! no wonder you’re so mad at carter!!

By Real Faith is not for Weanies

December 13, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this

Oh the poor Christians. So put upon by the rest of the world. The media is against them, the leftists are against them, the horrible stores are against them….whaaaaaaaaaaaa, sniff sniff whaaaaaaaa.

If your faith is so weak that it is threatened by not having it validated every 10 minutes by Merry Christmas or seeing the 10 Commandments on the courthouse then perhaps a little more time in the Word is what you need, not more time whining about how persecuted you are.

Matthew was run through with a sword in Ethopia.

Mark was dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead in Alexandria, Egypt.

Luke was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.

Although John died peacefully on Patmos, prior to that he was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. Somehow he survived.

Peter,was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.

Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67.

This is real persecution. This is what the apostles had to face to see through to fruition the birth of the church. Each time one of you whiners loses sight of Matthew 28:18-20 and focuses attention on such trivial matters you cheapen the faith, distract from the real call of Christ, and make it more difficult to attract people to the Gospel. Think about it, who in their right mind wants to hang around with such a bunch of whiners.

Grow up and realize that your faith is not threatened nor cheapened by what Target or Wal-Mart calls Christmas.

If it is then the problem lies within you.

By Diogenes

December 13, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this

Bemused Humanist (1044)

Well thought out and well said.

By Boggle

December 13, 2006 10:53 AM | Link to this

Carter has made a career of cozying up to dictators like Fidel Castro, and it is my belief that siding with tyrants is not the wisest demonstration of Christian “behavior”.

Hey - better remind George W. of that the next time you see him posing next to Hu Jintao.

By TommyT

December 13, 2006 10:58 AM | Link to this

How about taking offense with the fact that some will not accept Happy Holidays as a holiday greeting that includes everybody. Does TommyT believe that this is any kind of weakness with the offended’s own belief system?

Chazman: The “holiday” you are talking about is Christmas, is it not?

Why does this have to be explained to you?

By Chazman

December 13, 2006 11:01 AM | Link to this

MELO, don’t you know that you burn in you-know-where for typing Xmas instead of Christmas? You will be put on the anti-Christmas hit list, led by O’Reilly and John Gibson. You will be the subject of O’Reilly’s talking points if your not careful. But at least you capitalized the X in xmas. I’ll give you that.

Now you ask why should I or anyone else be offended? I’ll put it back at yah….why should people be offended if a store has happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas? Or if City Hall has Happy Holidays strunf up in lights instead of Merry Christmas? Really, should they be offended by that? It includes them. So should they be offended?

By Libby Liberal

December 13, 2006 11:03 AM | Link to this

This year I’m celebrating Christmas by selling all of my belongings and giving the money to the poor.

By Diogenes

December 13, 2006 11:03 AM | Link to this

DebbieDoRight (1049)

“hmmm carter cozies up to dictators and Jesus cozied up to the prostitutes, the tax collectors, and the deginerates in his society. Jesus made a new religion and millions of converts by “practising what he preached” — i see how un-christian that is now! no wonder you’re so mad at carter!!”

Very well said. It is usually the most avid “Christian” who forgets that Jesus was a radical, teaching the overthrow of the Sadducees and Pharisees and, by extension, the Roman government. Jesus would not have tolerated these evangelical wimps for a minute.

By Sick&Tired

December 13, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this

Jim Wooten,

From a Christian who celebrates Christmas, I would like to say “Happy Holidays” to you.

I’m not offended, because I know that GOD loves everyone.

When will people, such as yourself, learn this one IMPORTANT bible reference.

So let’s try to include as much diversity into our lives as possible.

According to you JIM Wooten, discrimination is only in the heads of people who expect handouts from your group. I’m a Christian and I don’t feel as if Christmas is being “Picked-ON” - I think it’s better to include everyone and every possible way to celebrate the Holiday spirit.

Who cares what Macy’s, JC Penny, Dillards, etc… puts in a catelog or show in a commercial……… they only want to get our business.

You guys who complain about Christmas, act as if you OWN the reason we celebrate. Here’s one for YAH!!!!! You don’t own the Christmas or Holiday Season.

By who_really_cares_anyway?

December 13, 2006 11:07 AM | Link to this

Melo kills me…

“Happy Xmas?” To me, that’s more offensive than a “Happy Holidays,” that takes in ALL religious beliefs!

By Fall Line

December 13, 2006 11:09 AM | Link to this

No one can take Christmas away from a Christian. Christmas is. It’s as simple as that. Walmart, Dilliards, and Macy’s are not Christmas. Let them slant their pitch anyway they want to get the response they need to sell their wares. It doesn’t affect me or my belief that the celebration of Christ’s birthday is important. That said, I do wonder to whom the Honey-baked ham company is targeting with their “happy holidays;” surely not Jews and Muslims!

By who_really_cares_anyway?

December 13, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this

Do any of you understand that Christmas is NOT the only holiday that is coming up that people buy gifts for others?

Tempest in a teapot, mountains of molehills, pick your cliche…

By who_really_cares_anyway?

December 13, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this

Fall Line, “Happy Holidays,” usually encompasses New Year’s Eve and Day, and frequenly Three Kings Day (oops, no diversity..it’s a holiday many Hispanics celebrate but I’ve forgotten, they’re persona non-grata…)

Hence…Hams being sold under a “Happy Holidays Banner…”

Signed, A person celebrating more than just Christmas!

By Political Deckhead

December 13, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this

This blog is entitled WTF?

2 bombshells in the news so far this week, and it’s only wednesday:

1). Waziristan, a Taliban State on the Pakistan/Afghan border, is apparently incorporating itself as a haven for terrorists, and could be the hiding place of OBL himself. Pakistan cant touch the taliban who hide in these remote mountains. They’ve tried for five years. They cant do it. It’s impossible. The topography is impregnable. The terrain is so treacherous, you could hold out forever with a den of cub scouts armed with sling shots. Who of us knew about Waziristan???? WTF?

2). The Saudi’s warned today about siding with the sunni insurgency if we ever leave. WTF???

The Saudi story is telling, the implications alarming. We may have to side with the Sunnis now, in order to prevent a regional spread of this conflict. This means we may have to overthrow the very government, mostly Shia, that we just sponsored in Iraq.

and it’s only wednesday… but at least I can still wish you a merry christmas and only ellicit aclu ire…..okay, merry xmas…..i’masurrendermonkeyboy

PS. Historically, twice before, we encouraged the Shia to revolt against their Sunni masters in Iraq, and twice we double-crossed them and withdrew our support and allowed the Sunni to annihilate the uprising. WTF do you think the Shia think of the USA now?

This is why I say, (and Kofi Annan says), that the USA is trapped in Iraq. We simply cant leave….ever. The consequences are too grave. We will spend trillions.

Iraq is New Alabama, our 51st state.

By Alex

December 13, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this

Well said Bemused Humorist.

The supposed “War on Christmas” is just one of a long list of issues that the right has used to polarize our country. The religious right and neocons are convinced that our country is slowly declining into ….. I dunno, anarchy I guess. So they respond by proclaiming a “culture war” where you have to “be on the right side” because “you’re either for us or against us (read ‘with the terrorists’). I just don’t understand how, if our country’s falling apart, further polarizing people is the answer. They right wing talks about how the leftist principles of “diversity,” “tolerance” and “multiculturalism” are threatening the founding principles and the ideals that hold our country together, yet it is they who seem content to desecrate our Bill of Rights (it’s discouraging that for the most part, things like habeus corpus didn’t even put up a fight). I just don’t get it. Conservatives are convinced that the only way to prevent our country’s complete deviation from our “christian” Founding Fathers is to completely divide it into the Right and the wrong, yet it was one of our country’s first leaders and greatest minds, Benjamin Franklin, who once said “We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately.”

By Chazman

December 13, 2006 11:19 AM | Link to this

You’re right TommyT. This holiday we are talking about is Christmas. Thus, the Christmas holidays, as many call it. Thus, Happy Holidays, as many say. Why should that offend anyone?

Why does this have to be explained to you?

By Fall Line

December 13, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this

Last I heard, “Three kings Day” is a christian holiday. Aren’t most Hispanics Christian?

By Redneck Convert

December 13, 2006 11:26 AM | Link to this

If the heathens would just become good Christians, we wouldn’t have to worry about saying Merry Christmas. Anyway, this country was founded by god-fearing Christians. I hear they was all on their knees back when they started it. There wasn’t a Jew or a Muslim or a Hindu to be found back then. Then we let them in this country and there’s been nothing but trouble ever since.

Last I heard, most people in this country are Christians. And in this country the majority rules. So we ought to vote to outlaw all the other religions. No other religions, no war on Christmas, right?

Anyway, I’m on my way to help deckerate the big Christmas tree at the church. But I’ll quit if Sister Dusty tries to boss me around. I don’t take orders from no woman. The bible says men are the bosses. Merry Christmas, everybody.

By Boggle

December 13, 2006 11:29 AM | Link to this

Last I checked, Honey Baked Ham sells meats other than pork. Not to mention the fact that many Jews no longer keep Kosher.

By Alex

December 13, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this

  • Virtually all of our Christmas traditions were stolen from pagan holidays that Christians felt threatened by.

  • Unless you want to change the phrase into “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Swell Epiphany,” Christmas actually is just one day out of the “holiday season.”

  • Hanukkah however, is eight.

  • Kwanzaa, in turn, lasts a week.

  • Therefore, during the time we say “Merry Christmas,” it’s much more likely to be a day of some holiday other than Christmas.

  • Most importantly: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? No one who says “happy holidays” is going to go home with you and make sure you observe holidays of all religions. And no one (well, most people) who says “Merry Christmas” is trying to convert you. So let’s make a deal. So let’s keep government out of our living rooms (and bedrooms as well, but that’s a different topic).

    • By time for the truth

    December 13, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this

    As an avowedly secular non-religious conservative I find the leftist/secular racial pandering and attacks on the FEDERAL holiday of Christmas utterly pathetic. In nasal whining yankkkee New Yaaawk City they allow a mohammedan symbol and a jewish symbol but NOT a christian one in the schools. This case is now before SCOTUS.

    The kwanza JOKE isn’t even funny - some black bigot (not a joke) arrogantly decided that blacks needed to have a micky mouse made up ‘holiday’ - so as not to be left out. So now a tiny proportion of blacks mark this utterly arbitrary contrived bollocks - purely out of racial pique. The murderous fascistic terror loving Mohammedans have NO fixed/traditional religious festival at this time of year. Jews have Hannukah which gently meanders in mid-late December according to their calendar. The only major ‘fixed’ festival at this time is the 25th December - the well established traditional birthday of Mithra - an extremely popular pagan god, hence the early christians adopted this important day many many centuries ago, albeit ignoring the arguably more historically accurate orthodox church’s designated day.

    In modern times after Xmas was made a federal holiday by the imperial fed govt it was the ONLY major fixed religious festival that was celebrated by virtually everyone here on the fruited plain. Nowadays there are two Xmases - the religious day and the tinselly, Father Christmas and Rudolph and tacky cheapo made in red commie China lights and plastic outdoor seasonal effigies that only plebian morons think are cool etc - both strands of Xmas celebrations give gifts, usually around an old ‘pagan’ decorated Xmas tree.

    Ignoring the absurdities of the alleged (back then) COMMUNAL GARDEN ‘virgin birth’ and the nonsense of the non-existent/twisted biblical “predicktions” of some kind of messiah, it is churlish in the extreme to deny the huge majority of Americans the right to enjoy their religious Xmas without the oppressive stalinist ACLU nazis stomping all over a simply enough harmless pleasure for tens of millions.

    Gone now is the spirit of the season, replaced with crappy commercialism, credit card funded gift competition and leftist spite.

    Most tragic of all is the harsh reality that increasingly the magic moment for tens of millions of kids waking up excitedly in what is still at least notionally christendom early on Xmas morning to see what Father Xmas (Santa in coca cola land) had left by the tree or stuffed into a stocking left by a child’s bed is now no longer a shared moment by all kiddies - naughty or nice.

    A British Christmas has far more ‘impact’ than an American one, not least simply because we have at least two days off - Boxing Day (the 26th) is also a national holiday. With a full football programme and most of the shops and virtually all businesses are still shut, there are NO trains either. There used to be the best telly of the year over Christmas - with Xmas specials of all the top shows, as well as national traditions like the Morecambe and Wise show and so on, and the biggest films of the year had their TV premieres. The Xmas time foods in UK supermarkets still are top quality and uniquely British, unequalled for choice anywhere I’ve ever seen. And an annual Xmas day visit to one’s local pub to see friends between 12-2pm was a great tradition that many folks used to avail themselves of.

    Here the Xmas day holiday is just another day, albeit with few businesses open. nothing on the TV to rival England. No magic, no Xmas feeling. With virtually everything open again on 26th - its gone - like a Kerry Vietnam band-aid battle scratch.

    At least I have my all region dvd player so I can enjoy my Xmas British TV specials from yesteryear again.

    Happily thus far no black or liberal bigot has decried the notion of a “white chistmas” - but give it time folks.

    Pete Sinfield wrote the lyrics:

    They said there’ll be snow at Christmas,

    They said there’ll be peace on earth,

    But instead it just kept on raining,

    A veil of tears for the Virgin birth.

    I remember one Christmas morning,

    The Winter’s light and a distant choir,

    And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell,

    And eyes full of tinsel and fire.

    They sold me a dream of Christmas,

    They sold me a silent night,

    They told me a fairy story,

    ‘Til I believed in the Israelite.

    And I believed in Father Christmas,

    And I looked to the sky with excited eyes,

    Then I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn,

    And I saw him and through his disguise.

    I wish you a hopeful Christmas,

    I wish you a brave New Year,

    All anguish, pain and sadness,

    Leave your heart and let your road be clear.

    They said there’d be snow at Christmas,

    They said there’d be peace on earth,

    Hallelujah! Noel!, be it Heaven or Hell,

    The Christmas we get, we deserve.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS … try listening also to the classic Slade or John Lennon Xmas singles.

    By getalife

    December 13, 2006 11:34 AM | Link to this

    Told ya w will send more troops.

    If he does not the Saudis will invade Iraq to fight with the Sunnis.

    Iran will invade to fight with the Shiites.

    Then you will have a full scale regional war.

    Right now, there is civil war in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.

    This is the consequences of w’s disaster. It is far from over.

    I bet all you good Christians love to see more Americans killed in this ongoing disaster because you are scared.

    Pathetic.

    By Selective Scripture quoting at 10:53

    December 13, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

    Acts 1:8- You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

    It doesn’t say “hide my name where no one will see it,” trust me.

    By Buy Danish

    December 13, 2006 11:40 AM | Link to this

    DebbieDoRant,

    If any one is in desperate need of studying history, it is you. I have not read Carter’s book, nor shall I. Here is a review from Amazon.com which is not a wholly owned subsidiary of Fox News:

    Throughout his work, Carter assigns ultimate blame to Israel, arguing that the country’s leadership has routinely undermined the peace process through its obstinate, aggressive and illegal occupation of territories seized in 1967. He’s decidedly less critical of Arab leaders, accepting their concern for the Palestinian cause at face value, and including their anti-Israel rhetoric as a matter of course, without much in the way of counter-argument.

    Or better yet, scroll down and read Jeffrey Goldberg’s unflattering review for the Washington Post.

    Carter blames Israel first, just as he blames America first. That’s why you and other Leftist admire him so much.

    Diogenes,

    It says a lot about you that you find DebbieDoRight’s blatherings have value.

    Unlike Christ, Carter did not attempt to convert Castro to ideals of humanity and Liberty, but rather chose to emulate him for his Leftist views - the very concepts which keep his people in a perpetual state of misery. Put 3 year olds in prison but we have free health care for all!

    Since you admire Christ’s “radical” side, can I infer that you would like to overthrow us just as he wanted to overthrow the Romans? If not, what was your point exactly?

    Over and out…

    By Ditzty Malloy

    December 13, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this

    Jim good comments on Honeybaked!!! But let me tell you of a situation that happened to me last night.

    You know how Wal-Mart has said it will now say “Merry Christmas” instead of that God-awful “happy holidays”?

    Well, you are not going to believe this. I was at my local Wal-Mart last night and guess what???? The very feminine looking male greeter (who was obviously from Mexico) Looks at me and says in his gay-accent “happy holidays”!! HOW DARE YOU!

    I think Operation Rescue should reinstate their Wal-Mart Boycott. NOW! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!”

    Comprahendie Wal-Mart? If they ever say that “Felixs Navedaad” to me in that same Mexican accent I’ll go ballistic.

    By DebbieDoRight

    December 13, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this

    Grow up and realize that your faith is not threatened nor cheapened by what Target or Wal-Mart calls Christmas. If it is then the problem lies within you.

    best post of the day!!!

    By Janet

    December 13, 2006 11:45 AM | Link to this

    America was found on a Christian foundation. People are welcome to come to our country and worship however they want, but they shouldn’t complain when we do Christian things in our Christian country. Personally, if I went to live a Jewish family, I wouldn’t get offended if they put up a menorah and not a christmas tree. If they are kind enough to let me into their home, I am not gonna cry about the way they do things.

    By DebbieDoRight

    December 13, 2006 11:46 AM | Link to this

    It doesn’t say “hide my name where no one will see it,” trust me

    then wear it on a t-shirt. everyone will see it then.

    By uncle jessie

    December 13, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

    Ya’ll is missing the mark. Christmas is represented by X fer X-mas. X is Chi in latin, fer Christ. X also represents St. Andrews Cross same X found on Confederate flag. So sayin happy Christmas or X-Mas same as wavin Rebel flag in thar face. Think bout it. South aint called bible belt fer nothin you know.

    By Say What?

    December 13, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

    Did “Sick and Tired” at 11:04 really say that Christians don’t own Christmas?

    Did “time for the truth” at 11:33 really say that the human sin of worshipping a false god is a reason not to celebrate Christmas?

    Did “Alex” at 11:30 really say that the Birth of Christ originated from a pagan celebration?

    Do these people really believe all that?

    Or do they jst hate religion that much?

    By DebbieDoRight

    December 13, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this

    DebbieDoRant…. I have not read Carter’s book, nor shall I

    of course not. i forgot sheep don’t read — they just follow.

    Unlike Christ, Carter did not attempt to convert Castro to ideals of humanity and Liberty

    how do u know? were u there behind the closed doors listening in? or is that something you read in Fox news?

    By MarkP

    December 13, 2006 11:55 AM | Link to this

    Jim - since you mainly focus on retail advertising rather than publicly funded displays and text, why in this case are you less reluctant to let the open market dictate how things go? Retailers need to decide on their own which cost is greater: the cost of offending Christians by omission of Christmas references, or the cost of offending other customers by referring to Christmas. I remember a time when we majority Christians complained about the name “Christmas” being misappropriated to the commercial and other secular aspects of the general “Holiday Season” - the same holiday season that now causes such affront as its own euphemism. Christmas is the time to stop reading bad intentions into simple word choices - from all sides.

    By DebbieDoRight

    December 13, 2006 11:56 AM | Link to this

    Janet: people who are born in this country and/or have ancestors who have been here for centuries aren’t guests. they are tax paying, voting citizens.

    By Jim

    December 13, 2006 11:58 AM | Link to this

    Only Christians are to be “tolerant”. It is all right for anyone and everyone to take offense at Christmas traditions, which are for retailers truth be told.

    The fact that now NOT giving your spouse a car these days makes us less of a person is now being made more evident in daily TV ads. Pathetic.

    The Birth of Christ is more likely in the spring, March or April, from planetary studies from years ago. It is also a fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy, although not the sign “they” were looking for.

    Truth be told if Charles Dickens were alive today he would have many to write about and not named Scrooge. We have lost the spirtual way of our forefathers. It may offend some but the US is a Christian settlement.

    We have seen how other countries live on a daily basis and it is not something we have chosen to emulate. God has blessed this great nation. That cannot be ignored. It bothers all to many that those blessings seem to have alluded them.

    The Nativity Story is sn excellent movie, few liberties were taken. I hope many take the opportunity to see it an be moved to action in 2007.

    By abc

    December 13, 2006 11:59 AM | Link to this

    Catholics dreamed up Christmas in the 3rd century to compete with a pagan celebration that cooincided with December 24th and 25th. Christ is believed to have actually been born in late spring. Christmas wasn’t celebrated in America until the early 1800’s, and was considered a pagan holiday until then. It’s mostly a pagan holiday today, a retail bonanza.

    By Boggle

    December 13, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this

    Actually, “Say What”, what he said was Virtually all of our Christmas traditions were stolen from pagan holidays that Christians felt threatened by.

    I would disagree with the “felt threatened by” portion of that statement, but otherwise he is correct. If you would knew…well…anything about the history of Christianity you would know this.

    Almost all major festivals in the Liturgical calendar are Christian transformations of Pagan festivals. Easter…Christmas…All Saint’s Day (the day after halloween, or “All Hallow’s Eve”…get it?).

    As the HRE moved into Gaul and other parts of Western Europe, they discovered a basic truth of conquest: Native people don’t like it when you take their festivals away. So, voila, celebrations of the Vernal Equinox became Easter, celebrations of the Winter Solstice became Christmas…etc. etc. etc.

    It’s not “hating religion” to be aware of its historical roots. Only people who worship ignorance believe that it is.

    By time for the truth

    December 13, 2006 12:03 PM | Link to this

    Did “time for the truth” at 11:33 really say that the human sin of worshipping a false god is a reason not to celebrate Christmas?

    the tw@ts are out in force today I see!

    IF??? there is such a thing as god or any kind of god then clearly his personal representative on earth is the current England Football team manager (although the snivelling wanker Peter T**r is the demon seed exception).

    By jg

    December 13, 2006 12:06 PM | Link to this

    I heard a radio account recently of a voter who threatened to file suit to get a polling place removed from a Catholic church social hall because signs there opposed abortion. Now can you imagine a value system so fragile, so ungrounded, that a mere sign would cause it to crumble, thereby possibly influencing one’s vote minutes later? I have my doubts this was about being personally offended as much as a threatened lawsuit, right or wrong, is another political weapon to be used in an issue many, on both sides, feel very strongly about.

    By Middle America

    December 13, 2006 12:08 PM | Link to this

    Last time I checked, pine trees decorated with colorful lights, ornaments and tinsel had nothing to do with the actual meaning of Christmas. So to me, people who get upset with “Christmas trees” being displayed or people who force businesses to call them “holiday trees” all make me sick. I think both sides of this argument are ridiculous. If the airport put up a bunch of crosses, then the rabbi might have a real beef, but not over secular holiday symbols like a tree. Some common sense is needed here. Just like seemingly all photo copies are called a Xerox copy, all trees decorated in December are called “Christmas trees”. That does not mean the person who put them up is necessarily celebrating the birth of Jesus. In fact, Christmas the holiday, has about as much to do with religion these days as George W. Bush does with common sense, very little. Both sides of this issue are being overly sensitive for stupid reasons.

    By Gabby

    December 13, 2006 12:08 PM | Link to this

    Mr. Luckovich, Christmas is a joyous celebration of giving. The three kings travelled to give a gift for THE GIFT OF CHRIST.

    It worries me when groups support the removal of Christ from the holiday. I fear that once they are successful and I believe they will be if we surrender, we will end up with more stories like these…

    Thieves Steal Toys Firefighters Bought For Sick Kids

    Thieves steal computers from Surrey Christmas Bureau

    Thieves steal turkeys, hens intended for needy families in Reno

    Toys Stolen from Firefighters’ Holiday Cheer Fund

    Students raise money to replace stolen Nativity scene

    There is a site where Lordnappers can get help for the voices in their head. Maybe a lot of your posters here should visit.

    By Boggle

    December 13, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this

    There is not one redeeming feature in our superstition of Christianity. It has made one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites

    -Thomas Jefferson

    By Alex

    December 13, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

    Say What, I said our Christmas traditions originate largely from Pagan holidays because it’s true. The Christmas tree comes from a pagan symbol from a winter solstice festival. Christmas evolved out of a bunch of pre-Christian celebrations of winter from the Roman Empire. It’s something we from the left wing like to call facts. From history. We don’t make it up. This may be alarming, I understand. It’s because you’ve just been so fully inundated by and socialized within an Orwellian right wing culture, which is sad.

    By Van

    December 13, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this

    Let me think here.

    The federal holiday on 12/25 is named what?

    Christmas trees are secular and not religious. Some even go so far as calling them Hanukkah trees or bushes.

    Most of our Christmas traditions have roots in many different cultures.

    So what is the big deal about celebrating Christmas? In wishing someone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, Season Greeting or Happy Holidays so terrible?

    Use which ever you wish, but do not discriminate against one or the other. As usual the secular progressives are the least tolerant and the christians are the most.

    Anyone that would be a curmudgeon regarding this time of year, isn’t going to have any happiness or peace on earth. Their own twisted minds won’t let them.

    By Marie

    December 13, 2006 12:21 PM | Link to this

    Maybe stores and other businesses should decorate Christmas trees with menorah ornaments.

    By DebbieDoRight

    December 13, 2006 12:24 PM | Link to this

    Gabby - perhaps u shd visit ur opthamolgist — this isn’t luckovich’s website……….

    By Gabby

    December 13, 2006 12:33 PM | Link to this

    Marie @ 12:21. I think that would be a great idea and any other religions symbol if they want.

    Excellent suggestion.

    By Red

    December 13, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

    For the love of Allah! You right wing wack jobs test my liberal desire to accept everyone as they are; a Christian nation? As a Christian, I can’t wait for our oppression to finally end in this country. For so long we’ve been denied our liberties because of our faith. Perhaps one day soon, we’ll finally emerge from the desert and be able to celebrate an inauguration to the Presidency of one of our own Christian brethren. Maybe even two Christian presidents in a row- or three- or forty two.

    By Boggle

    December 13, 2006 12:39 PM | Link to this

    Use which ever you wish, but do not discriminate against one or the other. As usual the secular progressives are the least tolerant and the christians are the most.

    Bunk. I’ve never met one single “secular progressive” who was offended by being wished “Merry Christmas”. I have, however, seen raving right-wing fundamentalist loons nearly spit in the faces of people in stores who have wished them “Happy Holidays”. It’s no accident that it’s the ultra-right wing talking heads who are fanning the flames of this oh-so-manufactured “controversy”.

    By Van

    December 13, 2006 12:43 PM | Link to this

    Boggle

    A good conscience is a continual Christmas. Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

    Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge

    “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

    Thomas Jefferson quote

    By Van

    December 13, 2006 12:46 PM | Link to this

    Boggle,

    And I have never met a christian that would not wish his/her jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah, but many progressive secularists would not mouth Merry Christmas and mean it.

    By DebbieDoRight

    December 13, 2006 12:46 PM | Link to this

    for those of u who say they’re worried about illegal immigration, here’s something that should make you feel better:

    http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16226320.htm