December 24, 2004
Christmas: Only for Christians?
I'm getting very sick of hearing and reading that Americans have taken "the reason from the season" of Christmas and all of that bullshit. Sure, for a lot of people, Christmas is a religious holiday, the way it began. But I can't believe that people are so clueless and naive that they actually think that Christmas in the United States has been a religious holiday in recent memory, including those you-should-believe-what-I-do middle-agers who've found the Lord. How many people are still alive who didn't get Christmas as a commercial or -- at best -- a cultural holiday?
I know some people still experience Christmas firstly as a religious observance. Yes. But, as a culture, that's just not how it is here in the United States. Everyone knows that, right? No one says you can't go to church where you can say "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays," right? Why should your church extend to the mall and to the bookstore? Why do you need to "get Christmas back" from its current cultural and commerical meaning? Who's stopping you from still letting Christmas mean to you what you want it to mean to you? What can't we all have Christmas and have it the way we want it without people speaking out telling us that we stole their holiday and that we should give it back? As if Jesus was really born on December 25th and as if the idea of the Christmas season wasn't stolen from someone else.
Oh, wait, I forgot. This is America, and we were founded by Christians, and "most" of us still convince ourselves that we're Christians, so we should all just let Christianity go where it wants to go? Right. You know what? The real Christians I know don't want to claim Christmas for what it is anyway, since they can tell the difference between the public sphere and the private one. I wish there were more people like that.
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2 comments:
It's true, the entire season/holiday known as Christmas has been destroyed beyond repair. Children selfishly begging 'Santa Claus' for gifts, only to do the same thing the following year. Although, the idea of aboloshing and banning Christmas Trees, and specific words is ludacris. Are people that scared of their own identity and beliefs? They seem threatened, and it's sad. By publicly displaying outrage against a holiday, they exhibit their weak (or lack of) belief and insecurities. I mean, we ALL have our own civil liberties, and free speech is one of them, but people seem to pick a fight at everything now. Contrary to popular belief, not every single thing done/made post 20th century needs to be changed. Leave the holiday alone, it's a part of Western culture.
Well, doesn't everyone start fights about EVERYTHING though? That's just human nature. I agree with Pragmatik's view, Christmas really has no meaning anymore- just like easter. A giant red man in a suit=presents, and a pink bunny=candy. That's about all people get out of most holidays. Though I suppose it's only fitting that our culture here was founded on the back of capitalism, and so our commercialized and materialistic views are only the norm considering our countries past.
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