I don't see the original that Isaac is answering here, but I dislike discussing religion anyway. I did want to say that I don't think Matt is stupid for believing what he does. I do get offended when people who believe as he does start to throw stones at other beliefs, but that's a side issue to the discussion below.
The one thing I really really want to address is Christmas. As a matter of fact, there has probably always been a solstice holiday at that time. The Church just co-opted it. What I don't understand is why people get so upset about Happy Holidays? It's fun to imagine sometimes how life would be if people just left other people alone. WHO CARES what other people call it! Peace on earth Dana >> In any case, I've never attempted to force my beliefs >> on anybody, but I'd say that they opposite has >> absolutely been true - most secularists cannot stand >> the inclusion of religion, and therefore try to >> disassociate it from everything. Hence "Happy >> Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas". You know >> Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ. > >Yes, but every culture prior to christianity celebrated at that time, >so the end result of saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy >Holidays" is that you're demonstrating social prejudice for one >religion over any other. Personally it doesn't matter to me one way or >another whether a corporate entity makes a decision to demonstrate >that prejudice publicly. If I don't like the company, I don't have to >buy from them, or if I'm really offended by them, I can start a >movement to change their behavior. What I found offensive was that, as >much as I dislike Wal-Mart, christians banned together to bitch-slap >them into reverting from "Happy Holidays" to "Merry Christmas". Or so >I heard on public radio this past year. > >> If you don't believe, don't celebrate. Or celebrate >> and tolerate. It's your choice. > >Yeah, but you have to apply that equally to christians. > >> Maybe some think I'm stupid for believing, but hey, >> if I can live a nice life and get to go to Heaven >> afterward, what's wrong with that? > >I believe you get to go to heaven regardless. :P ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:203173 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
