Why manufacture a non-existant "War on Christmas"?

Question

First, read the story at the link.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-12-18-gunn_x.htm

What purpose does it serve, really, to fabricate this "war"?

David S - "What would you call it when some companies that do 50% of their business during"Christmas" season outlaw the use of "Merry Christmas" as a greeting because they are so afraid of offending some half-wit that doesn't celebrate it and wants to complain because some-one said it to him."

I'd call this a *profit-motivated* decision, not religious or PC. And, BTW, it's inane to call this kind of decision "outlawing" anything.

"Or the fact that they out-lawed Christmas parties at school..."

I'd call this upholding the Constitution.

".All it is is a bunch of secularists and atheists trying to take the tradition of God out of American society.I am not a "Christian" in the true sense of the word,But to say there is not an organized attempt to obliterate God and Christmas out of America is naive"

I'd say that ithere is an attempt to get Christians play on the same field as people of other religions. And, BTW, other religions recognize "God", so that's not real.

For a very long time in the U.S., Christians have had special privileges in public religious expression, and I do understand that it cannot be comfortable being forced to give those up. That is NOT discrimination, however, nor is it a war on Christmas or Christianity. Was the Civil Rights Act a "war" on white people?

Answer 1

jeez, amen. I was just talking to a friend yesterday about how at this one place I worked this overly PC person had nixed the Christmas party (even though like some of upper management is Jewish and has no problem with a Christmas party). Meanwhile, there's Billo and his pack of clowns with there "pity us, Christmas is under attack" nonsense. What a couple of wet blankets.

Then there's me, in the middle, basically an Atheist but I grew up with Christmas and I like the holiday (today anyway). Nothing like a little conviviality to warm the spirits, eh? I mean, you don't have to believe in a god or even the divinity of Jesus to stop the rush and just be a decent person.

So, to summarize - they manufactured the war to stir parishioners or viewers or listeners to action. To get them to go out and say Merry Christmas a bit louder, a bit more militantly. And above all to keep watching (in the case of Bill O'Reilly) and dropping green in the collection plate - those decorations don't buy themselves, you know? They, and the PC anti-merry-christmas nuts are all a bit too tightly wound.

Merry Christmas.

Answer 2

> Was the Civil Rights Act a "war" on white people?

Sadly, in some people's eyes, it was - and we're seeing a comparable reaction here. Christianity has held a position of dominance for so long in this country that people see it as the norm. Attempts to level the playing field, no matter how fair-minded they may be, are perceived as an assault, simply because it disturbs the status quo.

Quite simply, they "manufacture" the non-existant war because they connot conceive of there being anything else. The only way, to their mindset, that someone would have an issue with certain things (nativities on public lands, etc) is if there was a full-fledged assault going on. At a time when conservative Christianity is seeing its moral base dissolving left and right, they feel like they're backed into a corner, and that anything getting close to them is a threat. Even if it really isn't.

It can be hard to give up that unfair privledge, when you've gotten used to it.

Answer 3

What would you call it when some companies that do 50% of their business during"Christmas" season outlaw the use of "Merry Christmas" as a greeting because they are so afraid of offending some half-wit that doesn't celebrate it and wants to complain because some-one said it to him.Or the fact that they out-lawed Christmas parties at school or any of a half of dozen other things.All it is is a bunch of secularists and atheists trying to take the tradition of God out of American society.I am not a "Christian" in the true sense of the word,But to say there is not an organized attempt to obliterate God and Christmas out of America is naive

Answer 4

I don't understand the war on Christmas thing either. I don't celebrate Christmas but I do celebrate the Solstice time. I have heard Christians say I am somehow a hypocrit for celebrating. How can that be when they put Jesus's birthday at Dec. 25th to take over solstice celebrations to begin with? I don't have a problem with them saying Merry Christmas although I think Happy Holidays is nice when you are in a situation where you don't know what the person celebrates. I mean we are a country with people celebrating Kwanza, Hannakah, Yule, Solstice, etc... So why not be inclusive? No one is telling them they can't celebrate however they wish. Yesterday someone asked why atheists celebrate at all and when she got a bunch of answers said her only real objection was atheists still refering to it as Christmas. I thought they were mad at us for not calling it Christmas anymore. So now I don't know if I should say Merry Christmas back and be considered a hypocrit or say Merry Solstice and be considered a rude Christmas killer.

Answer 5

That's a great editorial. To answer your question,

1. It increases Fox's ratings -- people love controversy, so when there isn't a controversy, they manufacture one.

2. Politicians want to divide us instead of unite us in order to get our votes. If the neo-cons can use Christmas as a tool to get people to vote for them, they will do it. (Or gay marriage or abortion, etc.) They want the voter to say, "Yes, he seems to be a pretty good senator, but he isn't calling the tree a Christmas tree, so I am not voting for him, the infidel !!!"

3. Christians are beginning to feel threatened by so much diverstiy of religion in our country. They want to turn back the clock.

Answer 6

The same thing that is served by fabricating all kinds of issues, it gives people something to do. Really, what would Sharpton and Jackson do without some silly problem? How about global warming? You name it and someone will fabricate it.

Answer 7

Christians want to keep God & Jesus/Christ in our culture and are sad that he is being taken out...
Although I have more important things to do like winning people to Christ, you will see a cultural change, for the worse, if you remove the remembrance of God from culture (look at what happened to Israel...the whole Old Testament is about their gradual decay away from God).

Answer 8

You fell for that B.S. article????
I can guarantee you ,there is NO ordained Baptist Minister ,at least one that is real,on the staff of the American Communist Legal Union.ACLU.
#2 When I was a kid it was Christmas carols at school(No more),Manger displays at Malls(no more),Christmas Vacation is now "Winter Break",like Spring Break instead of Easter Vacation.Merry Christmas was everywhere,not Happy Holidays.Christmas and Hannukah were welcomed with displays all over.Now everyone wants to sue. That was a crap story that was in USA today.Unless it was a setup.

Answer 9

It fulfills the need of some Christians to "prove" that they are being persecuted. I imagine they're hoping it will be some kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. If they shout loudly enough that there's a war on Christmas, eventually someone may get fed up enough to actually start a war on Christmas.

Sad, really, the delusions.

Bright blessins!
)O(

Answer 10

It throws the public's attention off from the real problems, like our slowly worsening economy.