MERRY XFESTIVUS EVERYONE!
Posted on 12/04/2004 12:13:54 PM PST by yonif
AUGUSTA -- "Happy holidays!"
Bah humbug, says Maine Christian Civic League Executive Director Michael Health.
It's "Merry Christmas," says Heath, who recently kicked off a campaign in Maine to bolster traditional greetings in lieu of more politically correct salutations.
"Tired of the secularist scrooges who are taking over Maine's cultural landscape? So are we," Heath wrote in a recent message to league members. "That is why we are teaming up with the Alliance Defense Fund to fight Scrooge-like secular intolerance this Christmas season."
Heath said he wrote the message as his part of the national Christian group's campaign. The Alliance Defense Fund is looking for cases to test in court and Heath asked his members for examples.
"There is increasing hostility toward Christians that is expressed outside the church publicly. It's something that seems to be increasing, and increasingly American people are being asked to push expressions of Christ to the margins or out of view, and this is part of that," Heath said. "Our point is, people can say 'Merry Christmas' in schools or wherever."
Heath said Friday that he received a complaint from a member alleging a teacher -- at a school he declined to identify -- had instructed students not to use "Merry Christmas," suggesting "happy holidays" instead. He said he was sending that information to alliance lawyers.
The issue has struck a nerve among Christian Civic League members, judging from their reaction to a new Alliance Defense Fund lapel pin which says: "Merry Christmas Believe It. Say It."
"They gave us 500 pins and we handed them all out in just two days without any advertising on our part, so there's a lot of concern about this," Heath said.
Some of Heath's past campaigns have been controversial. In the past year, he was criticized for suggesting Gov. John Baldacci may have "one of those imaginary gay genes" and was suspended for a month when he began an effort to identify gay legislators and state officials.
"We've got to represent diversity and be tolerant of everything except, I guess, Jesus at Christmastime," Heath said. "I see it as the opposite of that; they're being tolerant of everything except Christianity or Christ."
The Christian Civic League director said legal challenges by the American Civil Liberties Union and others over use of religious symbols in public places are the most visible assaults on Christian Christmas. And he said Christians feel increasing pressure to avoid symbols of their faith.
"Over time, they've been radicalizing this. We started with freedom of religion. Now we're to the point where the default is you keep quiet about your deeply held beliefs," Heath said.
"They need to back off and the ACLU needs to back off and stop pushing so hard against anything that includes Christmas carols and those kinds of things, just like a scrooge."
LOL - Great tagline.
I'm not Jewish, but if a Jewish friend wishes me "Happy Hannukah" (is that proper spelling?) I don't interpret it as a curse. I don't know any Muslim people, but I wouldn't flip out if I were wished "Happy Ramadan" either.
Likewise, "Merry Christmas" does not equate to "Convert or Die."
A Merry Christmas to all, and to all happy holidays wishers- Good Night, Get lost and good riddance!!!!!!!
"Funny thing is, I hate Christmas."
I think what you're trying to say is that you hate the commercialized crud they try to substitute for Christmas. I, too, hate the decorations and such, especially when they go up before Thanksgiving. I don't particularly like the tinny caroles in malls. I love them when my kids sing them, however. My son was picking his way through a Christmas song book this morning, playing them on his electronic keyboard. I liked that! I bet you would have, too, even though his playing wasn't perfect.
Actually, I am looking for a book of Christmas carols so I can sing them to the old people I play for. Not much time left!
"Actually, I am looking for a book of Christmas carols so I can sing them to the old people I play for. Not much time left!"
I often find such things in thrift shops, if that helps any. If you talk to the people there, they might even save such and call you. Of course, it might be too late for this year. Worth a try, anyway.
Might try the library, as well. Even if they are in the reference section, you could xerox the ones you want.
Monday I'm heading for the library and used book stores!
Merry Christmas and a Happy Feast of the Circumcision
Not really.
I just visited my friendly Middle Eastern grocer to get another bottle of the best olive oil I have ever used. I know him well.
When he wished me "Happy Holiday," I was touched.
great links - thank you, and Merry Christmas!
Mrs LJ and I make edible presents for friends and relatives, and other than that it's pretty quiet! (I get to eat the ones that are too burnt or aren't the right shape -I'm not really very "little".)
I like reading the Bible about Jesus' birth on Christmas eve. I like it when it snows too, but it doesn't much around here.
I try to avoid going in any stores in the whole month of December, just puts me out of countenance.
You're right - they are really nice. I'm going to order some. I am so happy that just maybe, finally, we are going to take Christmas back!
You've obviously missed the quiet conversion of year annotation to CE, displacing AD.
Even admitted God haters agree CE/BCE annotation is lame:http://www.ha.sad22.us/BenJohnson/bcbce.html
Doesn't CE mean Christian Era? Not exactly the same as the Year of Our Lord.
Not at all, please see links in 57 and 58.
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