Dec 21 2007
Is Jesus the Reason for the Season?
Sound Off’s Roland S. Martin wrote a commentary on CNN.com today in which he claims,
Because of all the politically correct idiots, we are being encouraged to stop saying “Merry Christmas” for the more palatable “Happy Holidays.” What the heck are “Seasons Greetings”? (…)
But this seeming backlash against Christianity is bordering on the absurd, and we should continue to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
What is disturbing about paranoid rants such as Martin’s is that he’s making arguments that are unfriendly (when people say Happy Holidays they’re backlashing against Christianity) and unsupported (Jesus is the reason for the season).
When people say Happy Holidays they actually try to be nice and not make assumptions about one’s religion. If I know someone is Christian I have no issues saying Merry Christmas, but when I don’t know, or when I know someone is not Christian I’d rather wish them Happy Holidays than nothing at all. Of course I could come up with something more creative, such as “Happy Winter Time Off!”
To use Martin’s own linguistic choices I must say you have to be an idiot to claim that Jesus is the reason for the season. Jesus is the reason for the celebration of Christmas as in “the mass of Christ,” the birth of jesus, but he is certainly not the reason why people throughout centuries have celebrated this time of year.It is common knowledge that the Christmas traditions are borrowed from a number of pagan celebrations such as the Northern European Yule and the Roman Saturnalia.
Decorated fir-trees, gift giving, mistletoe, holly, carol singing etc. are all traditions predating Christianity.
So if how we celebrate is a collection of pre-Christian traditions, and what we celebrate is highly varied based on religion why would saying Season’s Greetings or Happy Holidays be an attack on Christianity?
36 responses so far
The irony that these terminally irony-deficient clowns always seem to miss is that their whining and moaning about the so-called “War on Christmas” is itself a form of political correctness.
I prefer happy festivus!
Because people like Martin are on a one-track mind, really. They fail to recognize any sense of plurality in their most precious of traditions.
This is an attack on atheists. Simple. None of us really care what people say to us, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyful Nude Solstice… it doesn’t matter.
They have trumped up this imaginary “war on Christmas” to enrage the Christians against secularists. Not a single atheist I know makes a fuss about it… instead, they are rather proactive, much like the Connecticut Valley Atheists who built their own display.
So the whole idea of a “war on Christmas” is really another example of the persecution complex applied to themselves from some invisible enemy. It’s really no different than this: http://www.ohio.com/news/12528421.html
And that is everyday news.
I got hit with this a few days before Christmas. I work for the Federal Government. I am an atheist (with a little agnostic thrown in). I celibrate Christmas (more the idea of love your neighbor and the economic philosophy of jesus). I said to a visitor, “Happy Holidays.” She went off on me about how jesus is the reason for the season and how dare I denigrate christianity. I replied, mildly, “I work for the United States Government. I work for all Americans of whatever faith. If I was not on duty, I may have said something else. This is my own choice and my own way of being inclusive of all Americans of all faiths or of no faith.” Her jaw hit the floor. Her eyelids fluttered. She stammered a moment. Then she said, “I can see that,” and walked away. I may have actually gotten through to someone. Probably not, but I can dream, right?
WOW, great comments all. And I left on vacation right when this conversation began? Thanks for the great points.
During my travels this past week I saw a road sign that took the “Jesus is the reason for the season” to a whole new level. It actually said “Jesus is the reason for all seasons.”
I like this, because next time a bad snow storm hits and I see 8 cars in the ditch within a mile of each other (yep, I got to see a chain of spun-off cars) I will blame it on Jesus, after all he’s the reason for all seasons, good or bad.
Jesus created axial tilt? So before the common era (I really dislike that term (common to who? just us Euro-centric egoists)) there was no axial tilt? There were no seasons? Wow. Now I wonder what the pre-christians were celebrating during the nearly universal winter solstice celebrations in the northern hemisphere.
Just live your life, don’t do bad things and wallla …. you are striking two flies. You are believer and you will get good thing in your life.
I don’t understand why everything has to be so politically correct these days. People need to just live and let live!
Just live your life, don’t do bad things and wallla …. you are striking two flies. You are believer and you will get good thing in your life.
Yes maybe :/
Just do onto others, as you would do onto you and all will be fine.
Thanks,
James
The Sports Picks Guy
The answer is, “Jesus should be”. But obviously we are centered with our life-goings and the preparations for the season, not really felt and bored in mind the real spirit of Christmas. But for the sake of happiness and fun, let Christmas be held by folks in all walks of life. Jesus was born to shower the world with happiness and love, so we should enjoy this season with prayers and good deeds.
This is not just only in this case but every religion think like same or use to convey like that. This is really deep thoughts from the author of the the blog. Really impressive comment.. Great work.
Religions are made to point things out in hard manner, to restrict and to be rigid.
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Very interesting post. Thanks for sharing!
Interesting! This is my favorite post about Is Jesus the Reason for the Season? | Skepticum.
I’m tired of all the “PC” junk going around. If you aren’t celebrating Jesus when you celebrate Christmas, then you shouldn’t celebrate it at all.
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This is not just only in this case but every religion think like same or use to convey like that. This is really deep thoughts from the author of the the blog. Really impressive comment.. Great work.
I said to the guests, “Happy Holidays.” He went on me, because of how Jesus is the season, and dare to denigrate Christianity. Jesus was born in Bath and the world the joy of love, the prayers and good works should enjoy this season with
Now I wonder what Christians ?? ago almost universal in the northern hemisphere winter solstice celebrated at the ceremony. But for the sake of happiness and joy, Christmas will include people of all walks of life.
Nowadays, a lot of christians think that at Christmas they are celebrating the Santa and not the birth of Jesus, and at Easter, they are celebrating the rabbit, not the reviving of Jesus. That’s very irritating to me…
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thank you for sharing. Really thank you so much… Very informative post..!!
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It’s sad that a lot of kids these days are raised not knowing the true meaning of these holidays. I’ll admit that I dont attend church much, but at least my kids know the real meaning of the holidays…
I just wanted to say thank you for helping me show some family members. You have earned my respect. Thank you for all your efforts to be a leader in this area.
Nice post. It was helpful and informative.
Our Modern “Christ-mass” is a fraud! It is a pagan holiday with a Christian sticker on it.
The Bible and the Bible alone should be the rule of faith & practice. 
All who wish to serve the Creator in Spirit and in Truth will do so on HIS appointed Holy Days.
http://www.worldslastchance.com/view-video/437/christmas-origin-history-traditions.html
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Jesus absolutely should be the reason for the season. It’s become too commercialized now, and people focus more on gift giving than they do on the real reason for the holiday season.
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