You Shan't Jr.
Fantastic comments.
Leave more. I love open dialogues about different opinions. It's what keeps me alive.
Leave more. I love open dialogues about different opinions. It's what keeps me alive.
posted by Hand on the Stove at 9:56 PM
5 Comments:
It's like freedom of religion...except Christianity. That's how I feel a lot of the time. I personally know a woman who worked at a day care center. It was Christmas time and she wanted to put up some Christmas decorations, a pin-up tree and Nativity scene, you know the regular Christian decorations. She was told that she was not allowed to put them up but they were aloud to put up Menorahs and Star of David's even though there wasn't one Jewish kid in the day care center! What? Does that make sense? That is not "Happy Holidays" that's Happy Hanukkah. Happy Holidays includes all of the religious holidays...even Festivus. Again, Merry Christmas.
Peace in Christ,
Eric
I think it's ludicrous to imply that by saying "Merry Christmas" we're offending someone 'religiously'... No one actually means "We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ today"... Why hasn't the offering of a "God Bless You" when someone sneezes been banned? "X-mas" has become a commercialistic non-religious holiday in my opinion, and that offends me on more levels than just spiritually. So instead of Merry Christmas, I'll say a Merry Hallmark since that's what we're really thinking about on most holidays. In church on Christmas and the preceding days, "Catholics" are reminded to hold on to the true meaning of Christmas. Forget spending money and invest in family and fellowship. So to those who truly hold on to that message, I do see reason to take offense when the greeter at Walmart says "Merry Christmas"... while they "continually slash prices!" so that welfare mothers who may not work for thier money can afford toys for thier children made possible by the children who work thier asses off for .30/ day.
When I say Merry Christmas I mean I celebrate the Day Jesus was born to die. I don't take it lightly. As for the Hallmark thing, I'd say Happy Hallmark on Valentines Day, that's a "holiday" that is so Hallmark. Take your significant other out to dinner and buy them flowers on any random day. You should love them in a special way all the time, and Valentines Day shouldn't just be a reason, Hallmark and other companies made it that way. It is funny how Christmas is the biggest holiday and it's all because of Jesus. What I wonder is if the guy who is protesting to take God out of the pledge of allegiance and off our money buys gifts for his family around this time of year. If he does it is because of Christ. Know what I mean? Otherwise he shouldn't celebrate at all, which I think would be lonely. I don't believe in a lot of the Catholic beliefs but I do believe that Christmas isn't about the gifts. I do believe in sharing gifts with loved ones and needy ones in the spirit of Jesus' birth though. Let's face it, giving gifts is a display of love (depending on the gift though lol) and Jesus loved to love everyone. The whole Walmart thing does suck Crysta, but I have to say I wil still shop there because they are the cheapest.
Much Love,
E
OH yeah, Ray I think this is the most comments your blog has ever seen, w00t!
Eric: I wonder how Jesus feels about you supporting the largest corporation in the world, a company that is agressively anti-union, outsources the bulk of its product as well as tremendous amounts of labor (often in terrible working conditions), pays its employees 25% less than what its competitors pay (well below union minimums and the federal poverty line), offers health plans that most of its employess can't afford or are not eligible for (forcing them to turn to federal and state assistance, which costs taxpayers), sexually discriminates, contributes heavily to urban sprawl, devastates local economies and destroys pre-existing businesses... just because "they are the cheapest". Can you really validate the direct support of all of these practices because it costs YOU less?
Everytime you open your wallet, every nickel you spend, is a choice. Those choices have global impacts, many of which are not immediately seen. Instead of looking out for yourself and your bank account, take a step back, or better yet many steps, and look for the greater picture, try to understand how your money travels. Who benefits? Who loses? Of all of those choices, which are most important? Are cheaper socks truly worth it if it means continued suffering and oppression for others, perhaps for someone who has never had the luxury of a pair of socks? Does the CEO of Wal-Mart need another wing on his mansion if it means that the single mothers he employs can't afford to feed their kids? Do you mind that the first priority of any publicly traded corporation is not you, the consumer, nor its employees, nor the quality of its goods, but to make profit for its shareholders (they call it "fiscal responsibility")?
Where would Jesus shop?
It can be difficult to wade through the shit these days, but with such a wealth of information available to consumers, there's no excuse for ignorance. Educate yourself:
www.wikipedia.org
www.knowmore.org
Merry Christmas. And when I say that, I mean take the teachings of Christ and apply them globally. Look beyond your immediate sphere and think about the faces you've never seen. Live simply, that others may simply live.
Raymie: I love you. Come see me in Boston.
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