Monday 19 December 2005

Reasons I don't Understand America Part 3

While Christian groups are warring to make sure that business and government workers say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays," one place you won't hear either greeting this December 25 is at many of the largest churches in the country.

That's because [...] the churches won't be open that day.

From Christianity Today's Weblog via The Rage Diaries.

Personally, I think it funny how religious holidays become more and more secular. Christmas is about presents and dinner and stress. Jesus gets mentioned[1] in one or two of the carols, but not so much it would scare the children. St Patrick's day is an excuse to drink too much Guiness and wear green, it's almost pagan, really. As soon as England can come up with a drink and a colour they can agree on (Real Ale and red would probably be my choice) I'm sure we can turn St George's day into the bacchanal that it deserves to be.

[1] Warren Zevon wrote a song called Jesus Mentioned:
Can't you just imagine
Digging up the King
Begging him to sing
About those heavenly mansions
Jesus mentioned

2 comments:

Ten-Bob Dylan said...

Absolutely... then the Torygraph jump on it - you can't call the pathetic attempt at celebration 'Christmas Lights' anymore - it's 'Holiday Lights' or 'Celebrity Lights' because we don't want to offend the Jews and Muslims - what about me? I think atheists should start getting righteously indignant about all these 'Christian' festivals. Or is it just 'political correctness gone mad?' What mugs we are!
It's already started...
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/12/17/santa.rampage.ap/?section=cnn_topstories

Paul said...

Didn't the tories already try and get May Day changed to Trafalgar Day or something like that. You know why celebrate an International Workers' Day when we can have a jolly old knees up at that time we got one over on the frogs...

As for the name of the lights, well yes, they are Xmas lights; calling them something else doesn't change their symbolism (a rose by any other name...).

The thing about "Happy Holidays" I understand more (its a holiday season with various holidays going on, if I could find someone who didn't think Kwanzaa was a joke I'd be trying that one), in our multi-cultural times you don't know 100% what religion a person belongs to so why risk offense? There's tinsel and trees and snow in every damn shop window so it's not like anyone is trying to hush up Xmas or anything....