Posted on 11/19/2002 6:17:05 PM PST by mlmr
The Christmas stock is out in the stores. There are scads of snowmen, Santas, reindeer and other items craving for your dollar. But interestingly enough, when one asks for religious Christmas items, at most stores, which serve a public that is conservatively estimated to be about 67% practicing Christian, there is nothing for sale.
No Christian based ornaments, hardly any Nativity scenes, and Christmas card... “Well Lady, I have robins, joke cards, Santas, dressed and nude, as well as lovely winter scenes and smart looking graphics.” Nativity scene? Magnificent reproductions of famous religious Nativities painted by the Masters? Ummm...no.
Some clerks make a weak smile and point out their extensive angel ornaments...others are belligerent and say firmly: "No we don't carry that sort of thing here." One owner said she did not carry religious Christmas items because people would be offended.
Guess what? I am offended. Every time I walk into a store decked out in its Christmas finest and cannot find any religious Christian items, I am offended. Every time I walk through huge displays of Christmas knickknacks and have to hunt to a bottom shelf of dark aisle to find a small nativity or Christian Advent calendar, I am offended. Every time a walk into a store with a brimming Menorah display, but no equally brimming nativity display, I am offended. (I have nothing against Hanukkah, I just want my religious tradition upheld with respect too. After all we are talking about 2% of the US population versus 67%.)
It is odd. When I talk to clerks about the availability of religious items in their stores, most also tell me that many people ask for them, but there just isn't anything available. Funny, that there is a need and no will to fill it.
I am equally offended by the Christians who are oblivious. Who no longer expect their tradition will be honored by having its items made available through retailers. Christian who don't want to rock the boat. Christians who don't want to seems too pushy or too religious.
I recommend that all thinking Christians go into retailers and ask where the Christian religious objects are located. If there are no religious objects available, perhaps it is time to tell the retailer how disappointed and offended that your religious tradition is being dismissed.
So I have decided to be offended...and to let people know...that true plurality honors even the faith of the majority and dominant culture. I encourage you to do the same...it confuses 'em when we use their words and phrases against 'em.
I am moving in that direction myself. I told LLBean last year that they lost my business because of their aggessive non Christmas advertising.
I remember displays of religious items in secular stores. Nativities, religious wrapping paper, religious Christmas cards, religious ornaments for the tree..
LOL
Are you pulling our legs? Why on earth...?
No, I don't live in Utah, I live in Arizona and used to live in liberal Wisconsin where one could also find any kind of Christmas ornament or decoration one could wish for--secular or religious.
Dadadadada...however the Mission Impossible theme goes... You exactly have my point...let us not become marginalized.
You are absolutely correct. This is what happens when someone spends too much time listening to the elite media and academic establishments. You begin to confuse their propaganda with reality.
I smell a huge profit potential for a brave retail firm. Just as Rush moved in to fill a void in media (because at the time he started, everyone in media assumed that elite liberalism was reality in america), a retail establishment could make it big by publicly pushing for Christmas over the generic and/or multicultural crap that is being pushed at most vanilla retail chains.
Same here. It really bugs me when I go for weeks and weeks during Christmas season, and not one ad has the word "Christmas" in it! I kept track last year, and I only saw or heard two ads with the word "Christmas." The ads were for See's Candies and Macy's Department Store. I made it a point to patronize both.
I think of Utah as a state with a dominent religious population. No other reason.
How do you see this happening in retail?
Simple... the spirit of ANTICHRIST is alive and well in America and throughout the world.
The true meaning of Christmas is this: The Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, came into the world for the express reason of dying for our sins and rising again from the dead because we are all spiritually lost, dead in our sins and on our way to hell. Jesus is the "reason for the season."
Satan, and those who follow him, do not want that message to reach the masses, lest they repent and turn to Christ for salvation from their sins. Besides, that would cut into marketers profit margins.
I agree. I now patronize the Vermont Country Store Catalog becasue not only did they have a nice letter last year that actually spoke about the true meaning of Christmas ...using the 'J' word I might add...they also have nice stuff.
Agreed, and may I add, "Actually fork out the cash to buy a few of those religious items".
Asking is a good thing, one reason being that it's free ... but buying something will help assure retailers there is a market for those items.
I agree. But this is just the opposite. The Poles did not have the consumerism to push out Christmas. Here Christmas is not competing in the marketplace of ideas and products.
I got upset because the Christmas stuff was on display at my local stores before Halloween!Tons of nativity scenes, angels, and doves.
D@mn Walmarts!
All that peace on earth crap displayed prominently.
ROTFLMAO!
Where do you live?Perhaps in an area where there are far more bars than churches would be my guess!
Why do you say that?
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