Posted on 12/17/2004 11:06:40 PM PST by neverdem
Some Christians object to nonreligious 'Happy Holidays' and push for a 'Merry Christmas.'
RALEIGH, N.C. — This year, as Christmas season swung into gear, Pastor Patrick Wooden's followers fanned out to shopping malls across Raleigh to deliver a muscular message of holiday cheer: As Christian shoppers, they would like to be greeted with the phrase "Merry Christmas" — not a bland "Happy Holidays" — and stores that failed to do so would risk losing their business.
Nearly six weeks later, some citizens in Raleigh are seething over what they see as an attempt to force religion into the public square.
But others say "Merry Christmas" is rolling off their tongues more easily and more often than in previous years.
Conservative Christians nationwide have converged around the topic of Christmas, complaining that secularists and nonbelievers have tried to obliterate the holiday's religious meaning.
In Oklahoma and Miami, local skirmishes have erupted over the display of nativity scenes on government property. A California man has called for a boycott of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores, demanding the phrase "Merry Christmas" be used. In Denver, the mayor's attempt to remove "Merry Christmas" from a light display raised such a howl of protest that he reversed his decision.
Here in Raleigh, the grass-roots campaigning has focused on retailers. And it's been so invigorating that the church is making plans for next year, said Wooden, a barrel-chested former football player who leads a conservative black congregation of about 3,000.
"Our position is: If they want the gold, frankincense and myrrh, they should acknowledge the birth of the child," said Wooden, pastor of the Upper Room Church of God in Christ.
Conservative Americans feel ready to push back against "the secularists or the humanists or the elitists" who dominate popular culture, said the Rev. Mark Creech...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Backlash.
A Blessed Christmas to all!
Jerry Doyle has been pounding the idea of standing up for what we feel is worth standing up for even at the risk of repercussion in doing so.
Perhaps he has felt a sense of change in the wind....
I visited a church a couple of months ago, and the pastor said, "Don't be afraid to speak up for the gospel," or something like that. Then he said, "The people you are afraid of offending don't hesitate to tell you what THEY think." And I had never considered that. Since then, I've been bolder. When likeminded people speak up, it helps others speak up, too. If you think you're the only one, you are more likely to stay silent. FR is good for that reason alone.
Or, you could stop, say "Holiday? What holiday?" and try to get them to say it.
This afternoon Mrs Litte Jeremiah went to the bank. As she left, the bankperson said "Happy Holidays" so Mrs LJ repeated and then realized what she had done, so then she loudly said "Merry Christmas, I mean!"
The bankperson said something like, "The first one was right."
All I can think of is sheep and goats.
At work I received a management news email explaining how we have to be sensitive to others(the 3% non-Christians in our country)and understand that other religions need to be respected by our lack of celebration of Christmas.
Kwanzaa and Atheism were even mentioned!
I can guarantee that if a non-Christan promoted their religion or lack thereof at work, that their outspokenness of such would be met with nothing but praise.
This, I might add is a VERY large and prominent company.
Say Merry Christmas. Use it or lose it.
Well said, kitkat!
I always use 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Channukah', to my friends and customers.
Amen!
An attempt to force religion into the public square.
Just wish we had NEVER tolerated it being forced OUT
of the public square.Had Christians stood firm in the
60's none o this repairing the breach or restoring what
has been taken from us would be necessary today.I have
NO control over how any other thinks or acts--I am a
Christian and am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If the nations Capitol can declare carved in the stone of
the rotunda dome "the New Testament According to Our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ."Then any Christian in America ought
be able to claim the same-there is a free exercise clause-equal to and not subordinante to the establishment clause.
It's not Christmas yet. It's only December 18. I will begin saying "Merry Christmas" on December 24 ... until then, I respond to "Happy Holidays" with "You, too!"
I don't think atheists are the big problem - it's not like they're a big voting block, and they're usually standing alone (not associated with some national atheist association). The problem is the aclu.
There really needs to be an aclu watchdog organization, getting as much info as it can about them, and eventually 1.exposing them for their what they are (anti-American communists), and 2.bringing lawsuits against them to curtail them and eventually take them completely down (like a rico suit for their organized actions against Christians).
When you said "Merry Christmas" did they respond?
Our experience has been that most will respond with a rather warm "Merry Christmas"...almost gratefully.
They are just doing what management told them to do, for the most part. When that secret commeraderie is revealed, they usually get a big smile.
Sad that it has to be this way for such a unifying holiday.
Heck with it...to paraphrase Charlie Brown, "I'm not letting them ruin MY christmas."
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