if christmas is offensive to non christians?

Question

then why isn't labor day offensive to welfare recipients?

why isn't memorial day offensive to people who never had a family member die in a war?

why isn't verteran's day offensive to non veterans??

Answer 1

I've been hearing this recently, but ARE people actually offended by Christmas? I think the whole thing began with the rediculous movement in this country to be politically correct to the point of absurdity. All of a sudden, everyone found every word offensive. This was never the case 15 years ago. I always say Merry Christmas to people (at the right time of year, of course) & have never had anyone say anything mean back to me. If someone says, oh I'm Jewish, I say, well, in that case, Happy Chaunnakah! and we both smile and move on. You can't worry about offending someone so thin skinned that a kind greeting upsets them. If that upsets you, the best place for you is probably a mental institution.

Answer 2

people can choose whether to participate in Christmas or not. The truth is that it is often more offensive to Christians because the festival is so commercialized and bears little resemblance to celebrating the birth of Christ.

I find remembrance day difficult. Some find comfort and that is good. I hate the way war is glorified on these occasions. There is no glory in war. It is true that some men were very brave, but in general I do not think it is right to say 'they gave their life for their country'. Mostly they do not - in the world wars they were conscripted by the state and were forced to kill otherwise they would be shot themselves by their own country. They were forced to fight through fear of punishment. Because war is 'legalized' such as in Afghanistan by the Americans - the ones who kill are glorified as heroes, yet a person who aids the suicide of a loved one,at their request, is branded a murderer. Sorry if I've gone off the point, but I hope it explains why I find memorial days offensive.

Answer 3

It depends on the content and the context. Xmas decorations can be just a wonderful display of light and sound while at other times it can be strikingly offensive when filled with only religious meaning and put out in a way that wreaks of apostolic endeavors. If it is your faith then practice it but don't try to force others to practice your faith. Christmas is not the only holiday that can be offensive to others. After all Christmas began as a pagan festival of midwinter and the relighting of the fires that bring the spring - hence the yule log on the fire.

Answer 4

People take religion very seriously. I don't think it is a matter of non-Christians being offended by Christmas itself but by the fact that people want to throw it in everyones faces as if everyone celebrated it. Christians have a way of thinking that because they have such a high percentage of people in this Country that the separation of church and state doesn't apply to them. I haven't seen any non-Christians complain to neighbors about their personal celebrations or Christmas lights. But rather about when Christians want to put up a nativity scene at the Capitol. It's these little things that Christians do to try and show the rest of the Country that they have more power that gets on the nerves of non-Christians.

Answer 5

I'm a pagan and I'm not offended by Christmas! I say 'Merry Christmas' all over!

Here's the thing: Christmas/Yule/Hanukkah are about family and community, about celebrating light in the darkest time of the year, about celebrating life in the dead of winter. These are universal human concepts that don't belong to only one religion.

I wish the focus could be on what unites us, not what divides us.

Answer 6

I'm Atheist, and not at all offended by Christmas. I still say "Merry Christmas" and stuff because it's habit, and it's still fun to celebrate without the religious aspects. I just dislike how people still have "Merry Christmas" put in public places. I can understand why people who celebrate something different would find that offensive. I think it should say "Happy Holidays" to include all religions. A "Merry Christmas" sign seems the same to me as going "Welcome Asian People." It's inclusion of one thing makes other things automatically excluded.

Answer 7

There is a separation between religion and state. Only recognizing one of the three holidays is wrong. I personally celebrate Christmas. The question is, "Why is my holiday more important than theirs?" it's not. It's discrimination to constantly throw my religion, my beliefs in others face. Every one has a right to believe what they want to believe. When all society focuses on is Christmas it would make them feel less than. How would you appreciate our country always throwing Hanuka in your face, you wouldn't.

Answer 8

Since when was Christmans about Christ. So the Christians stole the day out from the pagans and declared it the birth of Christ. I'm in it for the family, food, and gifts. Nothing offensive about a day off from work.

Answer 9

A better question is why Martin Luther King day isn't most offensive to non-Christians out of all the holidays.

He was a Christian minister who used the moral authority of his religious faith to greatly influence American law and society, for the better.

What about "get religion (and morality) out of government?" I'm glad America listened to King, not them.

Answer 10

I won't say Christmas is offensive to me - but I do have some heart burn over the 2-3 months of Jingle Bells on the radio and in the shopping malls and on the TV and in the newspapers and in the schools on on the public streets.

If you celebrate Christmas then you have my best wishes - but don't flood the whole country with it, please. Can you imagine if, say, Hanukkah, was celebrated in this country with all the commercialism as Christmas is? It's way too "in our faces".

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