"Truckdude" <unrealemail (AT) cox (DOT) net> wrote

ANyone who IS offended by "Merry Christmas" can fuck off back to some 3rd
world hell hole where they won't hear that. What is THE PROBLEM? I don't get
offended if I hear someone say Happy Hannukah!

"Hachiroku" <Trueno (AT) ae86 (DOT) GTS> wrote

He's got me beat with "AND a Happy New Year" - same to you!

-Dave

"Scott in Florida" <JustAsk (AT) Florida (DOT) com> wrote

Five or six Christmases ago, before the phony "War on Christmas" began, I
started routinely saying "Merry Christmas" to clerks in stores. The
principal reaction I got was surprise. Why? Because other shoppers, eighty
percent of whom identify themselves as Christian, never said "Merry
Christmas" to store clerks and the clerks no longer expected to hear "Merry
Christmas" from a shopper. That's right, all the alleged Christians out
there, suddenly hot under the collar because Gibson or O'Reilly or Fallwell
tells them "Liberals" and "Secular Humanists" have declared war on
Christmas, haven't been bothering to say "Merry Christmas" to people they
meet in stores for years.

Why did I start routinely saying "Merry Christmas" to store clerks years
ago? Because, back then, I realized that *I* never said "Merry Christmas"
to people and then I paid attention and noticed nobody else was, either.

The secondary reaction that I got was, of course, gratitude. Why? Because
so many other shoppers swear at the clerks or, at best, simply treat them
like animated extensions of the cash register. Being acknowledged as human
beings was a delightful change. The Christmas shopping season generally
sucks for store clerks. The orgy of consumption has gotten to be so bad
that people have written to the local paper asking why major stores aren't
open until midnight on Christmas Eve so they can do their Christmas shopping
right to the last minute. Well, hel-looo? Shouldn't we give shop clerks a
little time off to be with their families on Christmas Eve? I can't help
but think that religious freedom should include a little free time to
practice religion.

I do sometimes get a third reaction, a sigh and something similar to "I'll
just be glad when it's over." They're not referring to Christmas, I think.
I think they're referring to the crush of shoppers finally vanishing out the
door, so they can go home and try to recover some Christmas spirit
themselves.

Of course, I had some trouble myself getting past a certain guilty or sad
feeling for saying "Merry Christmas." I felt like I was kidding myself
about their chances for a "Merry Christmas." I mean, we know what these
people make. For a college kid needing a part-time job, clerking in a store
is a good way to pick up extra cash. For a parent, however, the
minimum-wage register clerk lifestyle is not going to lead them to a "Merry
Christmas" in any material way and I can't help but think about that when I
wish them a "Merry Christmas." I ask myself, "Does this person have health
insurance for himself and his kids?" "Will their be presents under their
tree?" "Do they feel a twinge of pain every time they scan out an item they
can't afford for their child?"

"Hachiroku" <Trueno (AT) ae86 (DOT) GTS> wrote

You're welcome - glad it did! I usually lurk in the background, even though
I no longer have a Toyota. Still good information in and between between
the OT posts and cool jokes!

-Dave

"Hachiroku" <Trueno (AT) ae86 (DOT) GTS> wrote

It'll be a definate consideration for the next new/used car I buy!

No, not dumb. Perhaps someone who has never thought too deeply about
it, or pehaps a bit of a gambler.

My line of thought: In simple terms, an agnostic says that the
existance of God cannot be proven (nor disproven).
Therefore, one who is a believer (or non-believer) and refuses to
accept the term agnostic for himself/herself should be able to prove /
disprove the existance of God.

At least one experiment was done which gave a slight indication that
illness can be cured by prayer, but they didn't say which
interpertation of God it was.
Would the patient get worse if the prayers were to the wrong God?

Funny stuff, this religion

Karl

Wickeddoll® wrote:

You miss the point. Wishing someone Merry Christmas is an expression of the
wishor's faith, not the wishee's faith.

If you are without faith in God, then you can wish Merry Christmas and be a
parrot, or wish Happy Holiday and show all that you have no faith. (A wise
man, I think it was WC Fields, once said, it is better to remain silent and
be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.).

People with faith in God almost universally will wish Merry Christmas to
everybody. The wish has no reflection on the faith of people receiving the
wish. And, people of different faith, or no faith at all, should accept the
warm wishes in the spirit in which they were given, not as an insult or
affront to their faith or the lack thereof.

And, a person of faith has all of the proof they need that God exists. It's
the people that lack faith that lack the proof. If one lacks faith that God
exists, then the proof that people of faith have will not be accepted. So,
people of faith are not agnostic according to the definition you give us. A
believer is by all definitions not an agnostic because his proof is given
and accepted. The fact that you might not accept the proof he offers does
not diminish his proof for him.





<midlant (AT) earthlink (DOT) net> wrote

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

*nodding*
I disagree there - I say "Happy Holidays" because I respect the beliefs (Or
non beliefs) of others.
*nodding again* If you don't believe in a diety, what's the harm? What
always gets me is how angry some atheists get about religion, even when you
don't attack them for their stance. If you're so sure we're foolish to
believe, why does it bother you so much that we do? My having faith has no
impact on your life whatsoever. Only the extremists (Either way) are the
real danger, not the average believer like myself.
*high-five*

Sheesh.

Natalie

"Wickeddoll®" <wickeddoll1958DIEspammersDIE (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

I say Merry Christmas because I can't possibly know the belief or lack
thereof, and since the greeting is an expression of my faith, not
recognition of theirs, they ought not be offended because my faith is
different. I'm not offended that their faith is different.




Bingo! Your expression of your faith ought never be construed as an attack
on another's faith. And, if they're right about there being no God, then
your only loss is that you give up wine, wonem, and song in order to
preserve your faith that He would not want you to behave that way. But, if
you are right and the athiests are worng, I'd not want to be an athiest.
I'll take my wine, women and song in moderation and pray that He is
mercifull to my efforts.




*high-five* back at ya ...

"Jeff Strickland" ...
OK

:-)

:-)

Natalie