Tis the season to be Jolly… until you wish the WRONG person the WRONG greeting this season.
“Merry Christmas” makes the masses happy. Even those who don’t follow the whole Christ part of Christmas go along with it to please everyone who does. Even those who celebrate Hanukah or Kwanza don’t seem to bark at you when you say the wrong phrase to them, it is SO many (not all but still to many) “Christians” who get their tinsel in a tangle over this one simple phrase.
Me personally I say “Merry Christmas” BUT I also say “Happy Holidays” but what I really mean to say is “Please enjoy your holiday with your loved ones WHATEVER you celebrate” If it’s a small baby in a barn, at midnight mass, or spinning your dreidel.
So PLEASE stop with the obnoxious “Christ in Christmas” or “Jesus is the reason for the season” crap. I’m amazed that it ALWAYS seems to be ONE religious group that shoves their point of Christmas down everyone's throats.
And while it may seem that I’m picking on just one religion (in which all honesty I am) know that I believe there is NOTHING wrong with religion, it’s wonderful. It keeps people at peace, makes their soul happy, and comforts them. Good for them.
BUT for me personally, I’m agnostic. I believe in Santa Clause and for that much the Easter Bunny. I’m NOT religious (was raised Roman Catholic) NOW I do put up a tree, a few for that matter, and I call it a Christmas tree. I put up Christmas lights, and Christmas decorations, and well for the last 33 years it’s been CHRISTMAS everything, so JUST because I say ‘Christmas’ doesn’t mean I believe in a immaculately conceived baby in a barn.
I believe in the spirit of Santa, and that drilling the idea of this fake man in a beard with elves and Santa Cameras all over the house will make my children behave better so I can spoil them with toys and gifts.
I believe in family coming together, baking together, just enjoying the season of love and joy. I love singing songs that I have for the last 33 years, and YES many religious, but the comfort of my youth in the Catholic church, and the fact that these songs bring back happy memories are why I love to sing them.
I’m NOT angry if you’re a devote Christian who believes in Christmas with Christ in it. I’m truly not. I’m all for whatever makes your heart happy. But understand that there are SO many of people like me who just. do. not. want it shoved SO far up our asses it makes us uncomfortable to be around you.
This post stems from the town I live in, and the mayor saying “In this town we STILL say Merry Christmas” and the ever so annoying villagers are all joining in ranting about how CHIRST is in THEIR Christmas, and if it’s OK to say “God” any more or “Amen to that” PLEASE stop harassing others with your religion. You are NOT a Christian when you bully others with YOUR ideas.
You’re a Christian when you treat others with love and respect, the way your Christ would want you to.
Happy Holidays to you and yours, may your holiday (whatever it may be) be filled with love, joy, friends, and family,
JCat McGack
4 comments:
I had pretty much this same exact conversation at work yesterday. I agree with you 1000000%. A coworker was horrified I don't talk about Baby Jesus to my kids. Perhaps *I* should be horrified that she DOES.....
(this was your best blog ever....& now I'm wondering how many former SMNS people feel the same way?!?!)
Sure, 10 years at SMNS could make anyone doubt LOL... I lost "faith" and just accepted my own intellect in college. Blame it on too many ethics or philosophy courses, or just the fact I felt so judged by "Christians" when I became a single mom at 19... either way, I just couldn't find any strength in my beliefs any more. I had what I felt were to many valid questions and I tried to find it again. I really did, but it was like finding out Santa & the Tooth Fairy didn't exist.
However, that being said, I also believe people can change. It's our self-defense against pain in this life. Always evolving to find that comfort.
I only had 7 yrs at SMNS and that was plenty for me to pick a public school during my move.. I loved it and have since sent my kids to public achooling... I myself have lost "faith" as well. Yes my kids are all baptised Catholics yet we honestly don't go to church. I feel when they want to do what they want and when so be it. I will not shove anything down their throats as I so had done to me during my catholic schooling days. I did go to church on occasion; later in life, yet all the Catholic church talked about was finances.. Enough said. I have frequented other churches w/ friends and honestly have found some I like much better yet again I will not attend. I feel that church is not the place one must go just to beleive in God. I along w/ Sara have to much outside knowledge to truely beleive... yet this is just my lifestyle and I don't expect all to agree and honestly I don't care. We are all on this earth for a short time and I want to enjoy the time I have on here w/ my family the way I want to enjoy it.. So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.....
I agree with you....and I do keep the Christ in Christmas as well...but not to the extreme, the Christ in my Christmas is the feeling of giving, sharing, being a community...helping those in need if I can. But truly, it's not keeping the Christ, just keeping the good things forward in a world we are surrounded in shit, no need to shove religion down already struggling peoples throats, no need to judge others who do not believe or practice the the same as I may..just share an extra smile, an extra glance, a helping hand, anything to remind others, we are all going through this...we are all going to make it the best with what we can...and we should all support one another and not try to share a disapproving look or stare...Christmas is about all things, a feeling, a warm and fuzzy comfort from our childhood past, that jolly old fat man and that lil baby in a manger all have their place... Does that make any sense? I guess I am trying to grab onto anything lately that can keep me from wanting to go down a dark hole and crawl into the fetal position in retreat from this crazy messed up existance that we call ours. Sorry to write a blog post on your blog post.
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