I wrote a note about Christmas dinner yesterday and I abbreviated it to Xmas. My boyfriend said it genuinely offended him because the holiday is about Christ, whether you believe that he's the son of God or not. It's 'taking the Christ out of Christmas' he said. He's not even religious! We don't go to church or say grace before dinner or anything even REMOTELY religiuos so I dont' even know where this is coming from. I'm an atheist so i celebrate Christmas as the spirit of goodwill and family togetherness and my atheism has never been a problem before. I also dont 'think he's 'finding God' either.
I think this is absolutely ridiculous but I'll respect his wishes and not write Xmas anymore (Like society doesn't have more offensive things to deal with! Jeez Louise!) but I wanted to know what other people thought about this situation.
2007-10-15 09:00:24 · 33 answers · asked by abrennan01 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
first, Xmas is a well-established abbreviation for Christmas, which itself is an abbreviation of Christ's Mass, or more specificall, Jesus Christ's Mass... so his high horse left the stable without him.
Next, there is a concerted movement of sorts, "keep the Christ in Christmas," which is part of a larger persecution-complex; Christians who long for the days when they had complete hegemony over society use this and other slogans to keep their outrage alive and well.
But they also ignore the aspect that Christianity borrowed the pagan sostice holidays to create Christmas; no serious biblical scholar believes Jesus was born on December 25. Failing to stamp out the pagan holidays, Christianity appropriated it, and now they don't want to share. Rather childish, IMHO.
2007-10-15 09:09:33 · answer #1 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
X-mas is an old way of writing, been around for a long time.
Still, he is right.
This is how it happens- little by little, with seemingly very small and insignificant things, Christianity is attacked.
Sounds crazy, but if you'll take the time to examine what's been going on with society and the church, you will see it to be true.
When attacked in this manner, things slowly wear away, as would happen with anything.
Personally, on this issue, I don't see much damage.
I do believe it originated from Christ's own initials, so how horrible could it really be?
2007-10-15 09:15:07 · answer #2 · answered by Jed 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Your boyfriend was offended?
Sorry, but your boyfriend is a moron.
In Ancient Christian writings (usually written in Greek), "X", "χρ" were abbreviations for the Greek word ΙΧΘΥΣ, which meant JESUS CHRIST.
Another symbol was: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Simple_Labarum2.svg
In the earliest manuscripts of the New Testament, X is an abbreviation for Christos, which is obviously Christ.
So, despite what your boyfriend says, "X-mas" is not a way to take Jesus out of Christmas.
It was a lazy way for writers to get out of printing ΙΧΘΥΣ over and over again. The abbreviation still stands today. Your boyfriend should not be offended.
2007-10-15 09:13:28 · answer #3 · answered by CanadianFundamentalist 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think it's ridiculous he overreacted. I have heard of religious people refusing to abbreviate to Xmas, but I'm not religious. You're right, to me the holiday season is about goodwill, giving, togetherness. I'm just lazy so I use the X.
Ask my husband. I'm too lazy to call him Christopher; I always just say Chris. Not to be offensive; I'm just lazy! (Maybe I can shorten that to X?) hehe
2007-10-15 09:05:13 · answer #4 · answered by Flatpaw 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I heard that all of my life. "Don't write X-mas because you are xing out Christ!" That is stupid. In reality, the first letter in Christ in Greek is X!!! Xmas is an acceptable way of abbreviating it.
2007-10-15 09:24:57 · answer #5 · answered by tempest_twilight2003 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your boyfriend doesn't understand Christian history very well, does he? I'm a Christian, and have known since I was a little kid that "X" is a very old abbreviation for Christ (from the Greek letter Chi) that was originally used by Christians. I was taught this in a Christian school. It is of Christian origin, and I've seen multiple sources that agree with that analysis. The idea of the "X" as "crossing out Christ" is laughably absurd, and is a relatively modern analysis.
2007-10-15 09:05:37 · answer #6 · answered by solarius 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
He needs to be educated about his own religious beliefs.
"X" is a commonly used and accepted abbreviation for Christ. It's even used in the church.
http://www.cresourcei.org/symbols/xmasorigin.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas
2007-10-15 09:17:48 · answer #7 · answered by Jess H 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not offensive. Many of the early Christians used X for Christ because the could not write. Literacy was very rare back then.
2007-10-15 09:08:43 · answer #8 · answered by Myth Buster 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Since so many people find it offensive, I only write Xmas on my personal to-do-lists. I've seen bumper stickers that say "Keep Christ in Christmas!" I don't find it offensive in the slightest. I don't want to offend either, so I spell the whole thing out. Good for you for respecting his wishes. Hopefully he understands that you didn't do it intentionally.
2007-10-15 09:06:33 · answer #9 · answered by DogAddict 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I hate this. I am an atheist, but it has been Christmas as far as I can remember. It is also a sacred holiday to some. The jolly fat guy is a saint for pete's sake. Damn, Christian's take back Jesus's b-day!!!! I'll even help.
2007-10-15 09:05:43 · answer #10 · answered by Frank B 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋