In the USA that is 90% Christians why has celebrating Christmas become politically incorrect?

Question

Isn't the majority in a democracy suppose to decide what is and isn't politically correct or is that the right of the minority special interests groups?

Answer 1

Actually, only about 75% of the USA is Christian. And I celebrate Christmas, say "Merry Christmas," send Christmas cards, deck the halls, etc....

Answer 2

It hasn't become politically incorrect. It may be a little more politically inclusive, though. This morning I was trying to decide what sort of paper would stand up to a bit of wind and a little rain so that I could use it to wrap my garage door to make it look like a giant Christmas gift. I decided it would be a more accurate reflection of my sentiments if I made the tag read "Happy Holidays" since I'm not a theist, and I have a small number of Jews in my circle of friends.


What you decry as political correctness is nothing more than good manners. It is INconsiderate not to CONSIDER others when you make a public show.

The majority in a democracy is supposed to determine what public policy is, but the majority does NOT get to squash the minority, nor determine how the minority "thinks and feels." That is absolutely the antithesis of the "American spirit." The precious right of free speech is far more than the restriction to agree with the loudest among us.


EDIT - a lot of argument about numbers. I didn't know how many are "Christian," so I looked here: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/population/

According to a chart at this US govt link:
Adult population, total 2001 207,980,000 or 100%
No religion specified, total 29,481,000 or 14.17%
Total other religions 7,740,000 or 3.72%
Total Christian 159,506,000 or 76.69%
Refused to reply to question 11,246,000 or 5.41%
Unaccounted in original document 7,000 or .01%

Answer 3

Shouldn't Christians be more worried about Christmas becoming a marketing tool than whether or not it is politically incorrect to say Merry Christmas? What does Christ have to do with Christmas as most Americans celebrate it? The fact of the matter is that cities and towns all over the US celebrate Christmas because it is good for business; not because they are Christian. If they would admit that it wouldn't be about church and state.

Answer 4

Democracy consists of two conventions= majority rule and protection of minority rights. Just FYI. Minority special interests must have the ability to be themselves and maintain their own identity.

However, celebrating Christmas has not become politically correct eitherway. Still, houses, hospitals, fire stations will all display lights for the season: maybe with Christmas mottos, maybe just Winter's greetings. Eitherway, the majority of the population will celebrate and publicly celebrate Christmas this year.

One final point, how can celebrating a private religious festival be deemed "politically incorrect." Shouldn't it have nothing to do with politics in the first place? Shouldn't it just be something that you do with friends and family and not something you have to force into the political sphere?

Anyway, have a nice Christamas: you'll always be able to in the U.S.A.

Answer 5

Well for starters your numbers are wrong....the Christian population of the USA in 2001 was 80% and was decreasing at the time......5% were other religions and 15% per non-religious and those 2 groups were doubling their numbers.

So in 2007 it follows that only about 60-75% is Christian.

Also there is a seperation of church and state in USA so while you can celebrate what you want you CANNOT force me to celebrate YOUR religious holiday......which is what most people really want to do......force others to obey their religion...all stemming from a lack of faith in their religion.
Now this seperation has historically worked to the benefit of BOTH religion and State and only stoneblind jackfools wish to merge the 2 as the merger seems to be a big cause for the decrease in Christian members and increase in atheists.

Anyway it is in NO WAY considered "politically incorrect" to celebrate Christmas and you are trying to mislead people for saying so. There has been a decrease in the ILLEGAL state sponsered religion which is pissing off those I mentioned above and at same time due to the increasing non-Christian population businesses do not wish to lose business so they generalize their "holidays" so that everyone can fit in.

No where in USA can you not walk down street and say Merry Christmas...the people who are bitching are those who want a law to FORCE non-Christians to say it back instead of Happy Chuanaka or Happy Kwanza or Happy Holidays

So go ahead and celebrate Christmas...no one will care or dispute....if you are mad your local mall is not doing so then do not shop there and go find a store/mall that celebrates only Christmas...since the American Free Market will decide these things....if you want to have religion in the State then that is treason and if there was any true justice in the world any God would strike someone merging the 2 down.

Answer 6

Regardless of whether your statistic is correct, your question is still based on a faulty premise. Tell me where in this country you can go without being presented with Christmas. It is everywhere and it is unavoidable. The so-called "war on Christmas" is a myth created by right-wing media talking heads. In addition, this society provides that the minority will be protected against the majority when the majority wishes to do something they are not supposed to do. This includes government support for religion. If retailers choose not to use the word "Christmas," that is their own business decision. If you are the free-market capitalist you claim to be, you should have no objection to that.

Answer 7

With all due respect the fact that you offer only your own opinion rather than facts leads me to believe you are attempting to utilize Y/A! as a soap box to vent your frustrations.

However, with that said you also appear to being making a common misconception among Mayberry Machiavellis that belief in the Christian God translates into sharing your own "mores" and/or political beliefs.

It's more probable than not you may be experiencing a back lash to the Evangelicals attempting to shove religion down America's throat for the last 30 years in an attempt to turn back the hands of time.

Back in the late 70 and 80's Christmas cards with Yule Time Greetings, Happy Holidays, and Season Greetings were common and yet thanks to Dobson, Falwell and Robertson those simple holiday greetings have been utilized by the TV pulpit as a means of raising funds and moblizing the troops.

Mean while I will be celebrating Christmas, Christ's birth..... SEASON'S GREETINGS!

Answer 8

USA is only 60% Christian, and we have freedom of religion which should not interfere with any celebration. We could all celebrate together all holidays, if we weren't so busy finding faults.

Answer 9

It's not politically incorrect. It's just that some of us non-xians like to wish people good will and cheer by saying Happy Holidays. That way we can express our sincere wishes to everyone we come in contact with. If you prefer to say Merry Xmas, by all means, do so! Even though I'm not an xian, I gladly accept all holiday greetings that are addressed to me! It's the good intentions of people that is important, not the language or phrase used.

There is no war on xmas, people. That is just dumb!

Answer 10

You are right, almost 90% of Americans are Christian. Even websites that hate Christians admit this. (Sometimes they say 80%, but some sites say over 90%. This one says 86.5% based on a Gallop poll.

I would like to see what the Jews in Israel would say if the 5% of Israel that is Christian decided that Israel should stop celebrating their holiest Holidays in public and replace all of their holy symbols with pagan goofery. By the way, the percentage of Christians in Isreal is much higher than the % of jews in America, but we still allow Jews and Atheists to boss us around.