"happy holidays" vs. "merry christmas" |
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 Dec 19 2005, 09:05 PM
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#1
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 i lost weight with Mulder!  Group: Official Designer Posts: 4,070 Joined: Jan 2005 Member No: 79,019  |
ok, i know that people are talking about this in the lounge, so i understand if a mod closes this, but i wanted to know how everyone felt about saying "happy holidays" or "merry christmas"
saying merry christmas can be offensive to non-christians. im not saying it offends everyone, but i'm sure there are some that don't like it. how is "happy holidays" disrespectful to anyone? it encompasses all the holidays in winter. december is not christmas. christmas is one day. hannukah is 8 days. i believe (and im sorry if im wrong) that kwanzaa is 7 days??. so why is christmas so important, and why are some christians making such a big deal out of saying "merry christmas"? |
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Dec 19 2005, 09:15 PM
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#2
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 Senior Member Group: Member Posts: 766 Joined: Nov 2005 Member No: 308,296 |
man isnt new years a holiday too? that is the dumbest shit ever if christians are protesting because "merry christmas" is not being used, all the other religeons should be protesting if it is used. actually, its not even a big deal.
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Dec 19 2005, 09:18 PM
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#3
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 Call me Elsie Mae Group: Member Posts: 936 Joined: Aug 2005 Member No: 207,655 |
okai first of all.. not all christians are always saying "merry christmas". They only make is a big deal b/c its the birth of Jesus Christ. and so on for the story of it.
I my self am a christan. and i say "happie hoilidays" cuz lyk you said. Not all of december is about Christmas. |
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Dec 19 2005, 09:19 PM
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#4
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 Jus Sweet Chocolate Group: Member Posts: 739 Joined: Aug 2005 Member No: 216,959 |
yea, its not a big deal. i dont care, i would use merry christmas anyways, even if ppl did feel offened.
wuts tha big deal?! and christians are not making a big deal out of it. im a christian and this is the first time i have ever heard about anything like this. :/ |
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Dec 19 2005, 09:22 PM
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#5
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i lost weight with Mulder! Group: Official Designer Posts: 4,070 Joined: Jan 2005 Member No: 79,019 |
QUOTE(jEllyBeaNs @ Dec 19 2005, 9:19 PM) yea, its not a big deal. i dont care, i would use merry christmas anyways, even if ppl did feel offened. wuts tha big deal?! and christians are not making a big deal out of it. im a christian and this is the first time i have ever heard about anything like this. :/  the debate over this has been going on for a while. some christians are mad at stores for saying "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas". they're saying its offensive or something. so, you dont mind offending someone? you don't care that they might not be christian? |
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Dec 19 2005, 09:24 PM
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#6
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Call me Elsie Mae Group: Member Posts: 936 Joined: Aug 2005 Member No: 207,655 |
QUOTE(insomniac @ Dec 19 2005, 6:22 PM) the debate over this has been going on for a while. some christians are mad at stores for saying "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas". they're saying its offensive or something. so, you dont mind offending someone? you don't care that they might not be christian? hmm.. well. I think christians who are acting lyk that.. and getting mad over something lyk this are being a little.. loopy. I mean. Maybe they ain't true to there word. cuz if your christian.. they should matter what stores say.. they should be worriing about pleasing God. |
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Dec 19 2005, 09:36 PM
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#7
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Jus Sweet Chocolate Group: Member Posts: 739 Joined: Aug 2005 Member No: 216,959 |
QUOTE(insomniac @ Dec 19 2005, 10:22 PM) the debate over this has been going on for a while. some christians are mad at stores for saying "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas". they're saying its offensive or something. so, you dont mind offending someone? you don't care that they might not be christian? well...i dont see how that would offend them really. im a christian, and i dont see why christians would be the ones upset if ppl said happy holidays, cuz really saying happy holidays is just like saying happy holidays for all the upcoming holidays. thats what it seems like to me. i mean like i said i dont care what ppl say. saying happy holidays or merry christmas is just being friendly. some christians that are getting mad over that, are just being ridiculous. |
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Dec 19 2005, 09:39 PM
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#8
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i lost weight with Mulder! Group: Official Designer Posts: 4,070 Joined: Jan 2005 Member No: 79,019 |
QUOTE(jEllyBeaNs @ Dec 19 2005, 9:36 PM) well...i dont see how that would offend them really. im a christian, and i dont see why christians would be the ones upset if ppl said happy holidays, cuz really saying happy holidays is just like saying happy holidays for all the upcoming holidays. thats what it seems like to me. i mean like i said i dont care what ppl say. saying happy holidays or merry christmas is just being friendly. some christians that are getting mad over that, are just being ridiculous. but non-christians might be offended by saying "merry christmas". thats all i was saying. |
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Dec 20 2005, 01:16 PM
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#9
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 Senior Member Group: Member Posts: 161 Joined: Jun 2005 Member No: 153,708 |
i know a lot of nonchristians and atheists who still send ''merry christmas'' cards and recieve them without any resentment or uncomfortableness. its all comercialised and not many people really give two sh1ts about the true meaning of christmas anyway.
still i see the point of using happy holidays, but its being too politically correct for my liking. i gladly accept Happy Christmas cards, and many atheists and non christians do too, cuz thats what it is. they dont have to believe in any of the background stuff. lets face it, half the christians on the planet havent a clue about it either and they still do it What religions are you refering to when you say theyre offended? cuz for example, muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, ( i know, not the messiah but still, they believe in him). And christmas day represents his birth, right? so i doubt many muslims would care. If u have a muslim friend you'd know to greet them at the end of Ramadan etc anyway, instead of christmas. basically, let ppl be offended all they like. its a multicultural society and people gotta live together and respect each others beliefs, instead of gettin so worked up about it for no real reason. |
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| *mona lisa* |
Dec 20 2005, 04:46 PM
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#10
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QUOTE(_suzie_ @ Dec 20 2005, 1:16 PM) basically, let ppl be offended all they like. its a multicultural society and people gotta live together and respect each others beliefs, instead of gettin so worked up about it for no real reason. It's okay for non-Christians to be offended when Merry Christmas is used, but not when Christians protest when Happy Holidays is used? It's not as if non-Christians don't respect Christians or Christmas, but it's stupid that Christians have to complain and make a huge deal out of something this small. I really don't think the Christian protesters are "respect[ing] each others beliefs" by doing something as idiotic as this. How many protests have taken place where non-Christians are complaining about the use of Merry Christmas? Very little or none. However, a Christian-led protest against the use of Happy Holidays should be considered as an outrage? Something's not right here. You have some twisted logic there. |
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Dec 21 2005, 04:44 PM
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#11
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 白人看不懂 !!!! Group: Member Posts: 3,838 Joined: Aug 2004 Member No: 40,824 |
Those Christians that's make it their job to complain on behalf of Christianity overstep their bounds too much.
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Dec 21 2005, 04:53 PM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Member Posts: 161 Joined: Jun 2005 Member No: 153,708 |
QUOTE(mona lisa @ Dec 20 2005, 9:46 PM) a Christian-led protest against the use of Happy Holidays should be considered as an outrage? Something's not right here. You have some twisted logic there. what? i didnt say anything about christian protesters '' it's stupid that Christians have to complain and make a huge deal out of something this small'' yeah, i agreed with that. duno what ur on about |
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Dec 21 2005, 05:11 PM
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#13
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 My desperate heart is far too weak to run for you this long. Group: Member Posts: 640 Joined: Jun 2005 Member No: 150,342 |
this sign outside of mcdonalds around here said merry christmas on it and this lady was complaining because she didnt celebrate christmas, she was jewish. i wouldnt compain though, i mean, it is sort of offending but no need to go to extreme measures.
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| *mona lisa* |
Dec 21 2005, 05:15 PM
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#14
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QUOTE(_suzie_ @ Dec 21 2005, 4:53 PM) what? i didnt say anything about christian protesters '' it's stupid that Christians have to complain and make a huge deal out of something this small'' yeah, i agreed with that. duno what ur on about Yeah... I sort of... just... went on.... a rant. 
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Dec 21 2005, 08:15 PM
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#15
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 ...who created this mess...? Group: Member Posts: 451 Joined: Feb 2005 Member No: 97,244 |
You know, I think that being offended by either one is just stupid. Either non-Christians saying "Merry Christmas" and the others being offended, or the other way around, with people of different beliefs saying "Happy Holidays" and Christians getting offended... both are just stupid.
I am not a Christian, but I don't care if someone tells me "Merry Christmas". How are they supposed to know that I don't celebrate it? Nothing to get worked up about. I think people just get offended (especially in America) because there are so many Christians here, that it just seems automatic to them to say "Merry Christmas", you know? However, I still use "Happy Holidays" because it's such a universal saying. But, if I know the person well and I know what they celebrate, then I will say, "Happy [insert holiday here]". My opinion is why should people get mad if they themselves are living in a country where their religion/holiday is not practiced as the majority, and yet they can't realize that and get mad over someone saying "Merry Christmas"? Oh and... Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas...  
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Dec 22 2005, 11:59 PM
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#16
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 Senior Member Group: Member Posts: 113 Joined: Sep 2005 Member No: 221,897 |
I think the debate is asinine. Yes, Christmas from a religious standpoint is celebrated by Christians but the Christians complaining fail to realize how secular Christmas has become. So, what do they think they're accomplishing by insisting on Merry Christmas being used? Is this another form of proselytising? LMAO!
I'm Christian although I don't practice but even if I was, I wouldn't be offended. Either greeting is just fine with me. |
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Dec 23 2005, 10:23 AM
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#17
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 Diana =] Group: Member Posts: 1,318 Joined: Jul 2005 Member No: 174,147 |
Most people I know are Christian, so I say Merry Christmas
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| *StanleyThePanda* |
Dec 23 2005, 04:40 PM
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#18
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QUOTE(bijou @ Dec 22 2005, 11:59 PM) I think the debate is asinine. Yes, Christmas from a religious standpoint is celebrated by Christians but the Christians complaining fail to realize how secular Christmas has become. So, what do they think they're accomplishing by insisting on Merry Christmas being used? Is this another form of proselytising? LMAO! I'm Christian although I don't practice but even if I was, I wouldn't be offended. Either greeting is just fine with me. Amen! yes, I am a Christian and also "pratice" it..... and it doesnt offend me. I also heard that the word "holiday" comes for "Holy day" so people saying "Happy Holidays" is like saying "happy holy days" or holy day. Here's some quotes I found from some sites: "People whose noses are bent out of shape by "Happy Holidays" can take comfort in the origin of the word "holiday." It was born early in the evolution of the English language. It came into Old English as halidaeg, or "holy day." "I'm sure that there are many who would like to take the X out of Xmas and replace it with the proper word, Christmas. But, as is indicated in the Encyclopedia Britannica, the X in Xmas does not come from our English alphabet. Rather, it is the Greek letter that looks like the English X but is pronounced "Chi". It has been, for several centuries, a symbol for the word "Christos," the Greek word for Christ. In other words, Xmas should be pronounced Christmas. Oh, and by the way, the word "holiday" comes from the words "holy day." So, if someone had wished you a "happy holiday" many years ago, he/she would be saying, "Have a happy holy day." The term has, of course, been somewhat secularized but, nevertheless, it has a religious foundation." "The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. Based on the Old English words holy and day (halig dæg), holidays originally represented special religious days. The word has evolved in general usage to mean any special day." So yeah,  people are silly.....especially during Christmas.
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Dec 23 2005, 06:46 PM
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#19
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 Senior Member Group: Posts: 8,274 Joined: Mar 2004 Member No: 8,001 |
Only idiots complain against those two terms. I'm sorry.
If you accept different cultures, you should be able to accept different religons or greetings. If you dont accept different culture, you're racist. |
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Dec 23 2005, 06:57 PM
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#20
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 Senior Member Group: Member Posts: 108 Joined: Apr 2005 Member No: 127,064 |
you say merry christmas on christmas. you say happy holidays in general and you say happy new year on new years.
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Dec 23 2005, 07:20 PM
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#21
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Newbie Group: Member Posts: 1 Joined: Dec 2005 Member No: 330,515 |
you say "merry christmas" because, that is what christmas is all about christ.but if you say "happy HOLIdays" thats like saying holy.i don't think it makes much difference and in stores and stuff you should be able to say merry christmas.i dont think merry christ or happy holidays should really be that big of a problem i say happy holidays and merry christmas.but,its not all christians who are making the problem its everyone else to why do people care so much about not saying merry christ?and actually the reason this all started because non-christians didn't want merry christmas to be said.so there are some protests aled by non-christians.
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Dec 23 2005, 08:59 PM
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 Dark Lord of McCandless Group: Member Posts: 2,226 Joined: May 2004 Member No: 16,761 |
As I returned from Chicago, I told the bus driver in a Jewish neighborhood "Happy holidays". It was only December 8th, so I figured Christmas was still a long ways off; but it still seemed awkward.
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Dec 23 2005, 09:01 PM
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#23
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 Behind every great man is a great woman rolling her eyes Group: Member Posts: 318 Joined: Jul 2005 Member No: 187,483 |
christmas isn't only for "christians" A lot of people celebrate christmas as giving gifts and some people celebrate christmas for the birth of their savior
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Dec 24 2005, 12:34 AM
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#24
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Senior Member Group: Member Posts: 113 Joined: Sep 2005 Member No: 221,897 |
QUOTE(StanleyThePanda @ Dec 23 2005, 5:40 PM) Oh, and by the way, the word "holiday" comes from the words "holy day." So, if someone had wished you a "happy holiday" many years ago, he/she would be saying, "Have a happy holy day." The term has, of course, been somewhat secularized but, nevertheless, it has a religious foundation." "The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries. Based on the Old English words holy and day (halig dæg), holidays originally represented special religious days. The word has evolved in general usage to mean any special day." So yeah, people are silly.....especially during Christmas.The origin of the word makes it all the more silly. People need to relax and ENJOY the holidays! Oops, must have offended someone. 
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Dec 24 2005, 01:56 AM
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#25
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Senior Member Group: Posts: 8,274 Joined: Mar 2004 Member No: 8,001 |
QUOTE(laylaivi @ Dec 23 2005, 4:20 PM) you say "merry christmas" because, that is what christmas is all about christ.but if you say "happy HOLIdays" thats like saying holy.i don't think it makes much difference and in stores and stuff you should be able to say merry christmas.i dont think merry christ or happy holidays should really be that big of a problem i say happy holidays and merry christmas.but,its not all christians who are making the problem its everyone else to why do people care so much about not saying merry christ?and actually the reason this all started because non-christians didn't want merry christmas to be said.so there are some protests aled by non-christians. This is modern. This is the new world, not old world. Screw "holy". Look for current meaning. Back then ... Greek people was naked in front of everyone and it didnt matter. How about now? |
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