More random thoughts about the upcoming holiday. :P
I am getting annoyed about the so-called "War on Christmas" thing. First of all, there is no "War on Christmas". (Which comedian was it that was making fun of how in America everything is a war? War on drugs, war on poverty, war on terrorism, war on cancer, war on Christmas. I think it was George Carlin. But I digress.) It's true that PC-ism is a little out of hand, and that pisses me off too. It pisses me off that in some places Christmas Trees are now known as holiday trees. It pisses me off that Santa Claus counts as an accurate representation of Christmas in school holiday displays (which are accurately so-named because they also feature Hanukkah and Kwanzaa) and the Nativity is nowhere to be found. It pisses me off that 3/4 of the Christmas songs on the radio are of the secular family-pumpkin-pie-sleigh-ride-santa-reindeer-snowman-winter-feel-good variety, and even the religious ones have more to do with the famous persons doing the singing than with the God they are supposedly singing about. Yes, these things are definitely annoying.
But a war? No. It's just a secular world that cares little or nothing for religion. That's nothing new. It's a world that found something it likes in a Christian celebration (tradition! joy! presents!) and wants to capitalize on that good, happy feeling without having to bother with all the pesky God stuff. (Except for the part where they'll go to church on Christmas Eve, but that's generally more about tradition than actual worship.) That's also nothing new. Combine that with the modern-day attitude that everyone's a victim who has the right not to be offended, coupled with the assumption that the majority is forcing its beliefs on everyone simply by believing in them, and voila. Christianity gets shunted out of the public eye. Again, nothing new.
Look at Easter. What is Easter about in this country? Colored eggs and bunny rabbits and baskets full of candy. Resurrection of Christ? Not so much. But I don't hear anyone complaining about the "War on Easter". We simply ignore the world and celebrate it our way. (Might I add, Jews do the same thing with pretty much every holiday they have.) So what makes Christmas different? Only the fact that it's so commercialized. If extravagent gift-giving became commonplace on Easter, you'd see people getting a little more annoyed. But since it's just candy, eh, whatever.
I did say already that I agree that Christmas has gotten a bit too PC these days. And I do admire people for starting to stand up for it. Seriously, holiday trees takes the cake for me as far as ludicrous inclusivity (what other holiday at this time of year HAS a tree?). Joe told me about some town where a priest was invited to say a blessing at some public event and mentioned God, so the town supervisor then hastily grabbed the microphone and apologized for the mention of God, and the townspeople turned into an angry mob. That sort of thing is awesome and just what we need. I am tired of the idea that everybody will be "offended" by what everybody else does or doesn't say, or do, or display in their yard. That is what pisses me off more than anything. Instead of respecting everyone else's traditions, people have become obsessed with the idea that everyone else is DISrespecting their traditions.** If I wish a Jewish person "Merry Christmas" this does not equivocate to my saying "You have no right to be Jewish and celebrate your own holidays, you must convert immediately, you filthy heretic." This is retarded, people. This mindset is what grates on my nerves.
And this mindset is the very thing that pisses me off about the retaliation to the "War on Christmas". Because it's not simply about Christians fighting back against the stupidity of the PC world. It's about Christians deciding that they're offended by the stupidity of the PC world. ("Christians" refers to both Catholics and Protestants, by the way. I've seen it from both ends.) It's about Christians telling the retailers "We're offended by your 'Happy Holidays' and your 'Season's Greetings'! Say 'Merry Christmas'!" No, no, NO!!! You fruitcakes!!! First of all, you can't FORCE anyone to say anything. But second and most importantly, sinking to the opponent's level is not the way to come out on top. What kind of a hypocrite does it make you, when you complain that all this "I'm offended by you" crap has gotten way out of hand, and your solution is "I know -- I'M offended by YOU! So HA! Take that!" Oh lordy.
Relatedly, if I may ask, is it not also a little hypocritical to "reject" the secularism and, dare I say it, commercialism of the modern Christmas... and then go yelling at the stores for not using the word Christmas? "I'm going to boycott your store because your ads say 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'!" Okay, so they'll change their ad for you, and then what? You'll go in there, "Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas!" button proudly displayed on your jacket, and buy five thousand dollars worth of useless crap to put under your Christmas tree in the name of Jesus? What kind of message are you really sending here?
Off-topic for a moment: "Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas" is kind of a catchy little slogan. I'd wear a button like that if I had one. I used to have one that said "Jesus is the Reason for the Season!" I'd also like to see one that says "Keep the MASS in Christ-MASS!" Muahaha. Or how about "Keep the HOLY in HOLY-day!" See how long "Happy Holidays" remains the PC greeting once people catch on to that one.
Anyway, I think I'll take the Easter approach: celebrate the holiday however I feel like, put my focus where it belongs, and just ignore the outside world. Except the part where I repeatedly smack myself in the forehead at the stupidity of others. Retailers can do whatever they want with regard to the holiday as far as I'm concerned. I have more important things to worry about. :)
**Note that there are certain people who DO say, do, or display things for the express purpose of offending and disrespecting others, and I am not condoning this. I am talking about innocent people who are just trying to share the joy they have in their own traditions. I hate that I have to put this disclaimer in but I know if I don't, somebody will inform me that I don't have the right to be offended when people pee on the Virgin Mary or somesuch nonsense. :P