Why are some people offended when the word "Christmas" is used?

[RO Citizen]

If such ppl exist, they're weirdos. Everyone loves the practice of celebrating, getting presents, getting around with your family (ok, sometimes this may not be liked), and stuff, no matter if it's called like Jizzus or Hannukkah (spelling?) or Buddhaparty

[♔Goodguy1066♔]

I have not met these people myself, but it seems like every year more and more of these people come out of the woodwork and say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas", just for the sake of being politically correct.
Seems like some of you have never heard of these people, so I guess its just something that happens in America (which I highly doubt).


Basically, I don't have a problem with people saying "Happy Holidays," (although I would rather them just say "Merry Christmas") but why do I have so say something or not say something, because it MIGHT offend someone, just for the sake of political correctness?
It seems like Christians are having something shoved down OUR throats

If more and more people are saying happy holidays (not a trend I'm aware of), it's because:
A) Thankgiving, Christmas and Easter are all quite close to eachother, hence the 'holiday season', and 'happy holidays'
B) As many Western states absorb foreign immigrants from all parts of the globe with all sorts of religions, many of which happen to fall on the time-frame of Christmas, more non-Christians become friends with Christians and saying 'merry Christmas' to a Muslim or Hindi is silly. So when you, say, send an E-Mail to all your friends, 'happy holidays' is a fair choice of words
C) Happy Holidays is alliterative, which always sounds good.

[Corvis]

^The first reason is why I say happy holidays starting on Halloween. It's just easier. And yet I rarely meet anyone offended if I say merry Christmas, but plenty of people I know (some in my extended family) get plenty riled up when I happen to say happy holidays. Because they buy into that supposed subversion of their culture Rupert Murdoch's empire sells every year. Get over your self-righteousness about your faith supposedly being attacked by the godless atheist/liberal/politically-correct entity that sprouts up every year just to pick on poor ol' you. Meanwhile I'll be getting fat on turkey and chocolate and buying (and receiving) presents from others, like the holiday season is really about.

[Himster]

I've never heard of these people. I don't think they exist.

I know plenty of people who get pissed off when someone says "happy holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas". But they're morons.

[Khassaki]

Removing toy pigs from early learning sets as it might offend non-christians

http://news1.capitalbay.com/news/pc_..._learning.html


Certainly in Australia their is no baggage attached to "merry christmas" and I've never heard anyone say "happy holidays."

Christmas is for kids anyway who shouldn't need to deal with political correctness.

[enoch]

well the title says it all

Why do you think people are offended when they hear the word "Christmas," or when ever they hear even someone else mention the Nativity story and they get all their feathers ruffled

I respect those people who don't use the words "Christmas" and don't celebrate the holiday as a Christian one, but why do they have to boycott buisiness who have "Merry Christmas" on their front door? And why are they forcing everyone else to speak in a politically correct way? Obviously they are entitled to their opinion, but why do they force others to not say something they don't like? I'm not trying to force Christmas down anybody's throat, and I don't think most Christians are.

As I said before, I respect those people, so if you are one of them I would like to hear form you, and I mean no offense to anyone.

So please, discuss

Why would you respect those people? I hope it is for another reason than because they overreact to our current American form of celebrating the Sun God's rebirth.

Really. If that is why you respect them it is very poor.

between you, me, and the internet, christians are always trying to shove something down someone's throat - it is our historical legacy - this is not an uncommon legacy for a popularized prophet formed cult

[Dr. Croccer]

Because there are some people who campaigning to remove a lot of religious references in public life. The same people who try to remove memorial crosses from public land because they think it conflicts with seperation of church and state. That, and because, in America at least, you've got other holidays at the same time, like Kwanza and Hanukah. Even though the former is a nationalist construct and the latter insignificant and unimportant in comparison to other Jewish holidays.

[enoch]

Because there are some people who campaigning to remove a lot of religious references in public life. That, and because, in America at least, you've got other holidays at the same time, like Kwanza and Hanukah. Even though the former is a nationalist construct and the latter insignificant and unimportant in comparison to other Jewish holidays.

Christmas isn't that important to Christianity. Hanukah is more significant historically and mythologically to Judaism than Christmas is to Christianity. Jefferson and Franklin were two of those people who campaigned to remove religion from public life. I know, say it say so, but it is. Or was. So confusing.

[Elfdude]

Well, depends a lot on what the offense is. I've never seen Merry Christmas become a negative thing on its own. Many of the businesses here use Merry Christmas on their windows. Only government businesses are really specific about it and even then rarely so. As far as nativity scenes and things which are explicit religious symbols, yeah I can see the irritation they cause people and can understand suing to get them removed.

However I'd say I get yelled at for using happy holidays more often. There seems to be a knee jerk reaction by many many people to react as though happy holidays is somehow insulting christians. Most of the time I'm not even referring to christmas which always makes for an awkward 'oh sorry'. I do have to admit though that there are people who exist who might make a big stink about something like that but they seem to be far more rare than those who make a stink about the opposite.

Sounds like a case of this to me personally:

[Papay]

I've never heard of these people. I don't think they exist.

I know plenty of people who get pissed off when someone says "happy holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas". But they're morons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQblPkx3shY

Christopher Hitchens on Christmas

[nce_wht_guy]

I honestly don't think I've ever known anyone who's been offended by the phrase 'Merry Christmas'. Just other Christians who, for some reason, take offense to being wished 'Happy Holidays'.

[Ellsid]

It has a better ring to it than happy winter solstice. But people get offended when you don't use Christmas!

[Boer]

While there may be some people who are offended when hearing "Christmas", I think there are very few of them but a lot of myths about them spread to try to rally and fire up Christians. Apparently Satan's never real enough, so the pastors need to go invent new demons.
Personally, I don't care if someone says "Christmas" "Happy Holidays" or "Scooby Dooby Doo." What I do have a problem with, however, is government endorsement of religion.

[Helm]

Christians like to say that in the UK when they're prevented from wearing a cruicifix to work and such, but in their case they probably are. They're still in a slim majority but most of those who call themselves Christians don't really care about religion, they will go to church if it's a funeral or something.

[removeduser_487563287433]

They're not oppressed. They're being asked to follow a dress code that applies to everybody - but for some reason they think they are entitled to special treatment.

[Monarchist]

I tend to think it's a lingering aversion to saying "Mass" among atheists and protestants. They know just how beautiful the Catholic Mass is, and refuse to go anywhere near it because of its sacrificial nature. Saying "Christmas" is awfully, dangerously close to saying "Christ's Mass". All cognitive dissonance must be expunged from a society which has rejected God, apparently.

[Corvis]

protestants don't like to say christmas. wat