You would think that a simple greeting during the holiday season, one that includes all religions and faiths, would be the least offensive concept, but it isn't.
Apparently, saying "Happy Holidays," is akin to spitting in a Christian's face. That's not to say all Christians, but all one has to do is poke around on their social media platform before you start seeing memes popping up everywhere saying to keep the "Christ in Christmas" and how "Happy Holidays" is some slight against Jesus.
Listen, it's really pretty simple and this is where your common sense should pop up.
Christmas is one day. One day out of all of December. Some use it as a holiday to express their Christian faith by placing mangers all around their house. Oddly, they have also melded it with the more popularized Santa Claus figure, created in 1822 (who, by the way, is modeled after a Turkish saint and a Dutch figure named "Sinterklaas" -- modeled after the pagan god Oden). Many of the trappings of Christmas have nothing to do with "Christ" or putting the "Christ back in Christmas."
The "Christmas" tree began mainly when pagans would bring in branches to remind them of Spring during the cold winter days. As Christianity spread, countries like Germany went a step further, bringing in the entire tree as part of their Christmas customs. It wasn't until Queen Victoria encouraged her German husband, Prince Albert, to include a tree for the Christmas holiday, as he had in his childhood, and then suddenly the Christmas tree became the "thing."
But here's the issue with keeping it a "Christmas tree" instead of a "Holiday tree": An indoor tree decorated for the holidays is actually forbidden in the Bible.
Jeremiah 10:1-5 (KJV)
10 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
It is a form of idolatry and I think anyone who has even read the Bible, or more accurately, been read the Bible to, knows that there was a big issue with Moses and a bunch of golden-calf worshiping people and it didn't go well.
It also doesn't occur to most people that fir trees were never indigenous to the lands where Jesus lived.
But what are facts when you have faith, right?
Yet here is another fact: From November 1st to January 15, there are 27 holidays celebrated by no less than 7 major religions. Many, like Hanuka, last for several days.
Now, why is Christmas the only one that people are allowed to acknowledge and can be the only greeting during this holidays season? And why is it so offensive for someone, who may not know what faith that you are or the faith of those who celebrate other holidays during that time, to wish a general "Happy Holidays" to include and be respectful to other people of faith?
I have yet to figure that one out.
And how is it that a religion that is supposedly modeled after the kindness, graciousness and inclusiveness of a figure like Jesus Christ, now all about themselves and no one else? Is there such a threat to Christianity by these other religions and an utter sense of insecurity that you believe that by wishing someone else an inclusive greeting that Christianity will be smited?
Frankly, and this is my opinion only, I think that many of the Christians I have come across are doing a bang up job at destroying Christianity from the inside. They don't need help from anyone else. Wishing someone a "Happy Holiday" shouldn't tear away at the fabric of your faith; it should embolden it--to know that you are strong enough in your faith that to wish someone else the enjoyment of their special day(s) shows the measure of your own belief.
I would encourage anyone claiming to be a Christian today to actually read, for themselves, Matthew 5:5-7:29. You'll probably find many concepts that vary from what you've thought all along about exclusion, judgment, and discrimination.
And then maybe you won't be so quick to post exclusionary and self-righteous memes claiming that Christmas is the only holiday that should be acknowledged. Because to do that is just downright selfish and I don't think that's what Jesus' message was about.
Apparently, saying "Happy Holidays," is akin to spitting in a Christian's face. That's not to say all Christians, but all one has to do is poke around on their social media platform before you start seeing memes popping up everywhere saying to keep the "Christ in Christmas" and how "Happy Holidays" is some slight against Jesus.
Listen, it's really pretty simple and this is where your common sense should pop up.
Christmas is one day. One day out of all of December. Some use it as a holiday to express their Christian faith by placing mangers all around their house. Oddly, they have also melded it with the more popularized Santa Claus figure, created in 1822 (who, by the way, is modeled after a Turkish saint and a Dutch figure named "Sinterklaas" -- modeled after the pagan god Oden). Many of the trappings of Christmas have nothing to do with "Christ" or putting the "Christ back in Christmas."
The "Christmas" tree began mainly when pagans would bring in branches to remind them of Spring during the cold winter days. As Christianity spread, countries like Germany went a step further, bringing in the entire tree as part of their Christmas customs. It wasn't until Queen Victoria encouraged her German husband, Prince Albert, to include a tree for the Christmas holiday, as he had in his childhood, and then suddenly the Christmas tree became the "thing."
But here's the issue with keeping it a "Christmas tree" instead of a "Holiday tree": An indoor tree decorated for the holidays is actually forbidden in the Bible.
Jeremiah 10:1-5 (KJV)
10 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
It is a form of idolatry and I think anyone who has even read the Bible, or more accurately, been read the Bible to, knows that there was a big issue with Moses and a bunch of golden-calf worshiping people and it didn't go well.
It also doesn't occur to most people that fir trees were never indigenous to the lands where Jesus lived.
But what are facts when you have faith, right?
Yet here is another fact: From November 1st to January 15, there are 27 holidays celebrated by no less than 7 major religions. Many, like Hanuka, last for several days.
Now, why is Christmas the only one that people are allowed to acknowledge and can be the only greeting during this holidays season? And why is it so offensive for someone, who may not know what faith that you are or the faith of those who celebrate other holidays during that time, to wish a general "Happy Holidays" to include and be respectful to other people of faith?
I have yet to figure that one out.
And how is it that a religion that is supposedly modeled after the kindness, graciousness and inclusiveness of a figure like Jesus Christ, now all about themselves and no one else? Is there such a threat to Christianity by these other religions and an utter sense of insecurity that you believe that by wishing someone else an inclusive greeting that Christianity will be smited?
Frankly, and this is my opinion only, I think that many of the Christians I have come across are doing a bang up job at destroying Christianity from the inside. They don't need help from anyone else. Wishing someone a "Happy Holiday" shouldn't tear away at the fabric of your faith; it should embolden it--to know that you are strong enough in your faith that to wish someone else the enjoyment of their special day(s) shows the measure of your own belief.
I would encourage anyone claiming to be a Christian today to actually read, for themselves, Matthew 5:5-7:29. You'll probably find many concepts that vary from what you've thought all along about exclusion, judgment, and discrimination.
And then maybe you won't be so quick to post exclusionary and self-righteous memes claiming that Christmas is the only holiday that should be acknowledged. Because to do that is just downright selfish and I don't think that's what Jesus' message was about.