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Comments on: Xmas (or Festivus for the rest of us) http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:29:05 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Paul http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124&cpage=1#comment-5417 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:01:33 +0000 http://paulclaessen.com/blog/?p=124#comment-5417 @Injun, Okay, read the comments at the man’s blog.
Just what I expected: some level-headed folks calmly pointing at the facts of history and a lot of folks fighting over the honor of being the most ignorant, like the guy blaming political correctness on people who are too easily offended. While I agree that people are way too easily offended, he seems to ignore the fact that the article he is aplauding was written by a man who feels deeply offended by politically correct ‘idiots’.
So now we have a situation where people are deeply offended by people who try not to offend people.
One can never win…

]]> By: Paul http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124&cpage=1#comment-5416 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:50:57 +0000 http://paulclaessen.com/blog/?p=124#comment-5416 Oh, and when you, respectfully, wish someone a ‘Happy Celebration-that-you’re-not-really-familiar-with’ .. make sure not to make painful mistakes, like the Japanese department store some decades ago, that tried to appeal to the upcomig ‘westernization’ trend by displaying a huge red and white-bearded Santa Claus … snugly nailed to a cross.

]]> By: Paul http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124&cpage=1#comment-5414 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:36:43 +0000 http://paulclaessen.com/blog/?p=124#comment-5414 s own blog" I'd rather not. Do I really have to? Oh well, I'll give it a shot.]]> @Injun: “look at the man’s own blog”

I’d rather not.
Do I really have to?
Oh well, I’ll give it a shot.

]]> By: Paul http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124&cpage=1#comment-5413 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:34:27 +0000 http://paulclaessen.com/blog/?p=124#comment-5413 s foot steps actually celebrate Christmas?" Their creed does not mandate they do. Do I have a problem with Christians celebrating Christmas? Not in the least! As long as they remember that this time of year is celebrated by many other people of different creeds for a variety of reasons. To each his own. While you may appreciate the gesture, you'd probably feel a bit akward when a Jewish person wishes you a "Happy Hanukkah", and that same person would probably frown upon being wished a Happy celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is not so hard to understand. Then, why is it such a huge problem for people like Mr. Martin, to wish people whose religious affiliation is unknown to them, 'Happy Holidays'? It simply avoids offending people. So what I DO have a HUGE problem with is the extreme ignorance (if not arrogance) of, especially Christian, people like Mr. Martin, who insist on, basically, wishing Jewish people a 'Happy Christmas' and call people who are more sensitive towards other people's beliefs 'idiots'. This last word coming from the same Mr. Martin who calls himself "very respectful of other religions". What is needed here is some simple education. No, 'Christ' is not the reason for the season. The season (solstice) if the reason for many kinds of celebrations. Christmas is just one of them, and to demand that YOUR celebration should trump all others is ignorant, arrogant and disrespectful. It's also undemocratic, and therefore un-American. I respectfully wish my Christian friends a Merry Christmas, may I ask them to return the favor and wish me .. oh well, a Happy Festivus, I quess, would do nicely... and when in doubt, 'Happy Holidays' always sounds nice. (which could get you labeled an 'idiot' by Mr. Martin, but that defines him, not you. And we must hope that such rudeness will vanish, once Mr. Martin catches up on his study for a Master's in Christian Communications) As for 1 Cor 11:23-26 .. let's keep THAT discussion till next Easter. One celebration at a time. ;-)]]> @Deannie, regarding the question “should those people who want to genuinely follow in Christ’s foot steps actually celebrate Christmas?”

Their creed does not mandate they do.
Do I have a problem with Christians celebrating Christmas? Not in the least!
As long as they remember that this time of year is celebrated by many other people of different creeds for a variety of reasons. To each his own. While you may appreciate the gesture, you’d probably feel a bit akward when a Jewish person wishes you a “Happy Hanukkah”, and that same person would probably frown upon being wished a Happy celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is not so hard to understand. Then, why is it such a huge problem for people like Mr. Martin, to wish people whose religious affiliation is unknown to them, ‘Happy Holidays’? It simply avoids offending people.
So what I DO have a HUGE problem with is the extreme ignorance (if not arrogance) of, especially Christian, people like Mr. Martin, who insist on, basically, wishing Jewish people a ‘Happy Christmas’ and call people who are more sensitive towards other people’s beliefs ‘idiots’. This last word coming from the same Mr. Martin who calls himself “very respectful of other religions”.
What is needed here is some simple education.
No, ‘Christ’ is not the reason for the season. The season (solstice) if the reason for many kinds of celebrations. Christmas is just one of them, and to demand that YOUR celebration should trump all others is ignorant, arrogant and disrespectful. It’s also undemocratic, and therefore un-American.
I respectfully wish my Christian friends a Merry Christmas, may I ask them to return the favor and wish me .. oh well, a Happy Festivus, I quess, would do nicely… and when in doubt, ‘Happy Holidays’ always sounds nice.
(which could get you labeled an ‘idiot’ by Mr. Martin, but that defines him, not you. And we must hope that such rudeness will vanish, once Mr. Martin catches up on his study for a Master’s in Christian Communications)

As for 1 Cor 11:23-26 .. let’s keep THAT discussion till next Easter. One celebration at a time. 😉

]]> By: injun http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124&cpage=1#comment-5412 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:12:42 +0000 http://paulclaessen.com/blog/?p=124#comment-5412 Glad to see you’re not the only one making these observations, look at the man’s own blog: http://www.rolandsmartin.com/blog/?p=118#comments

]]> By: deannie http://claessen.com/blog/?p=124&cpage=1#comment-5410 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:36:52 +0000 http://paulclaessen.com/blog/?p=124#comment-5410 And so, as it turns out, Christ really is NOT the reason for the ‘season’, is he? Which more pointedly begs the question: Should those people who want to genuinely follow in Christ’s foot steps actually celebrate Christmas? It is very interesting that there is no record of Jesus Christ ever celebrating his own birthday or making this a requirement of his disciples.

Jesus did however make it clear that they were to remember that last supper and its meaning for all foot step followers as stated at 1 Cor 11:23-26 “For I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to YOU, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body which is in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as YOU drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.”

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