Comments on: No Offense but … Merry C****tmas!

By: Paul White

Paul White — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:36:06 +0000

For years, whenever I hear people say “Happy Holidays” at Christmas time, or see it in ads for stores, I ask questions or write letters to find out what’s up. With very little querying, many of the individuals, and some of the businesses, admit that they are afraid of offending Jewish friends and customers. The rest simply decline to name any group. No one has ever mentioned Buddhists or Muslims, Wiccans or atheists. I have Jewish neighbors and used to work for a company with a high representation of Jews. More than half of them expressed disdain for Christmas. Thus my experience implies that while Christians, sadly, are willing to be curbed in their expression of their religion, they are not the source of the pressure to do so.

By: susan brown

susan brown — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:45:40 +0000

Happy Holidays to all Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Confucius, to all who celebrate the winter solistice. Otherwise, your telling that this magazine is only for Christians, that Jews or any others should not even bother to subscribe this magazine. It just like the republican exclusive party. No jews aloud unless they recognize that they are the almost Christian, and I have to believe in your baloney rhetoric?

Forget your proselytizing! I thought this magazine was about expatriates!

By: susan brown

susan brown — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:36:05 +0000

You are wrong. You want to be exclusive, however Christmas was never celebrated in the US, as a matter of fact, Our founding fathers conduction Congress on Dec 25th, because they felt that freedom from any religion must be the foundation of our democracy. They remembered the centuries of religious wars throughout the world did not make the world better, it just brought death, destruction, injury of self, property, and pursuits of happiness. I would appreciate if you would state the facts, not make them up.

By: Marv Harris

Marv Harris — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:38:01 +0000

Well said. Anyone not able to see how Christmas has been under assault in the USA the past ten years has been living in a cave…or is part of the problem, imo. Intolerance is the result of political correctness – ‘special rights for me, none for thee’

It’s been going on for sometime in many fronts of American Culture. Push back Christians. …with love.

Marv

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:23:55 +0000

What a shame to see such lack of respect by the author – the Editor no less – for current multi-cultural, multi-denominational environment in which most of us live and work. What this nation was “founded upon” is not as important as what we are today! I am happy to say “Merry Christmas” if I know for sure the recipient of my greeting is a Christian, otherwise I shall not be some presumptuous to assume s/he should be one. Can I wish this author Happy Hanukkah when Christmas and Hanukkah overlap and simply presume s/he is member of the Jewish faith?
A most disappointing article indeed from a publication that claims to be inclusive, unless I am mistaken about the inclusive part.

By: CNH Johnson

CNH Johnson — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:44:01 +0000

I want to become an ex-pat to leave jingoism behind, and to be part of a global community.

I agree whole-heartedly with Rachel, and am unsubscribing from the blog because of my distaste for the changing tone of recent articles.

CNH Johnson

By: shea

shea — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:04:08 +0000

The celebration of Christ’s birth may be exclusive to Christianity, but the winter holidays called “Christmas” and the customs associated with it are overwhelmingly pagan in origin. The tree, the time of year, etc. It was basically created by the Romans to replace the winter solstice celebrations of the pagan Europeans they had conquered. You can go here to learn more: http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&q=pagan%20origin%20of%20christmas . You may be surprised to learn that the Pilgrims outlawed christmas because of its pagan origins!

By: patricio molina

patricio molina — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:56:58 +0000

Bravo!……..I always say Merry Christmas and Happy Easter in the spring!

By: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 03:50:16 +0000

This article confuses at least three completely independent ideas. I agree that this kind of article makes me less likely to continue reading this magazine. The few sentences that are relevant to expat living are almost competely buried by unhelpful political/religious opinions.

First, the US government is not supposed to “establish” any religion, which is generally accepted to also mean it should not promote any one religion over another. Christianity is a religion, and as a non-Christian, I think it is pretty important that the government (at least at the Federal and State levels) not favor Christianity. So let’s not have religious displays on government property, please. If they are allowed, then any other religion should also be able to put up a display, as long as it is not disrespectful of other religions. Why in the world would anyone get upset about an athiest display next to a Christian one? It sounds perfectly fair to me. However, I prefer the solution of not mixing government with religion at all, so hooray for Washington State.

Even if America were founded on Judeo-Christian values (debatable), that’s no argument for violating the constitution or for encouraging “mob rule” to make minorities feel like lesser citizens.

Second, private citizens on private property should be allowed, if not encouraged, to express their faith. So bring on the Christmas (or any other holiday) decorations and displays on private property, paid for with private funds. And of course, any individual is free to celebrate according to their own beliefs.

Third, as for the greetings. I prefer to say Happy Holidays, because I don’t want to assume that the other person is Christian. If I know their religion, I’ll tailor my greeting appropriately. Otherwise, why would I want to make someone already in the minority feel even more like an outsider? It’s a simple matter of empathy, courtesy, and common sense. When someone who doesn’t know my beliefs greets me with a Merry Christmas, I am slightly annoyed, but take no offense and reply back with cheer, acknowledging their good intent.

We can all get along. Just don’t shove your religion down my throat where it is inappropriate to do so, such as on governmental property. I promise I won’t shove my religion down your throat either.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:23:01 +0000

Well said. When I interact with those who are of different cultural backgrounds, I do not expect them to apologize for their cultural practices, nor should I (or we) have to apologize for our own. In an attempt to be all inclusive as opposed to celebrating our rich cultural differences, we do nothing but “wash away” our cultural expression as well as that of others.
Merry Christmas!
Nathan

By: Editor B

Editor B — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:53 +0000

I was so taken aback when I first read this editorial that I didn’t know how to respond. Now that I’ve mulled it over for a few days, I think it’s best to just say this: I think you’re way off base. I’m an American living in America, and I don’t recall ever feeling Christmas was under assault as you describe. If “happy holidays” has gained ground as a more inclusive greeting, so what? Isn’t that really for the best? It really bewilders me why anyone would take offense at such a well-intentioned greeting.

The perspective you’re putting forward here seems to be rather intolerant.

I have to agree with Rachel — this is not what I expect to see on the virtual pages of Escape from America.

By: Worldmusic

Worldmusic — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:13:59 +0000

I completely agree with you Rachel, and was right about to post something along the same lines until I read your post. I am a former Peace Corps Volunteer, and I discovered this ezine in the early 2000′s when I came back from my service. I’ve been puzzled by the “rightward” slant this site has taken the past year, starting around the election. I can no longer recommend EFAM to my friends. I can read the Weekly Standard or peruse Pajamas Media.com if I’m in need of a rants like this. Very disappointing.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:02:37 +0000

Actually there are plenty of Americans out there who don’t “secretly” celebrate Christmas and we certainly don’t want yet another reminder of the religion that dominates our culture. I am not a Christian and do not celebrate Christmas. It DOES annoy me when people wish me a merry Christmas. So now you have officially heard from someone who DOES want to hear Happy Holidays. And I can guarantee you that my circle of 50+ friends and all the people they know feel that way as well. I am relating this to you because you somehow think this is some “politically correct abstraction” when in fact it did arise out of real people’s actual feelings.

I’m sorry that as a Christian you are bothered by your holiday not being the only one acknowledged. But just because other traditions are numerically in the minority it does not make them less important than yours.

I am rather disappointed with the direction this magazine is taking. Between the anti-immigrant rant in last month’s issue and this editorial, I feel that this ezine is moving away from what it is supposed to be discussing-the expatriate lifestyle and those who live it and aspire to it.

Rachel Silverstein

By: anti-muslim

anti-muslim — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:22:26 +0000

Very very happy to hear it. As a hindu, and a fanatic at that, I dont have any problems wishing people merry christmas and happy new year. This political correctness is just another way of getting down on your knees in front of muslim intolerance. THEY get offended when you mention christmas. Because their faith is not strong. I as a non-christain, I dont get offended. This political correctness is just another name for bending backwards to appease muslims.

By: Mrs Lizzie Da Vall

Mrs Lizzie Da Vall — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:46:57 +0000

Oh how lovely! Someone has spoken out at last, even though it is in the USA and not here in Britain. This gradual corosion of the right to celebrate our Christian heritage has been spreading around the world so gradually over the last few years and only now have people realised exactly what is going on.

I’m not knocking other beliefs: everyone has a right to their own religion so why should we apologise and try to hide ours? When America does something, Britain usually follows so there is hope for us all.

Merry Christmas to one and all!