Love To All The World
Dec. 25th, 2002 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolfsbrideWell, it's that time of year again.
This year I've actually had TIME to observe things instead of being buried under a huge pile of work. I'd like to share a few of my observations.
First and foremost, it seems SOME people have gotten a little more stupid than in previous years. I am of course speaking of the view put forth by some idiot that we should do away with the word Christmas because it is offensive to other religions.
Um. Excuse me, but I don't see anyone making the Jews stop calling Hanukkah Hanukkah. Or telling people they can't call Ramadan Ramadan. Or suggesting to any other religious group that they have to change the name of their holidays to something else because it's offensive to other religions.
No one would ever think to suggest such a thing.
But apparently it's ok to suggest this to Christians. I am aware that Christianity has a bad reputation in many people's eyes. And deservedly so. But I hope that even people who hate Christianity and all that is stands for can see that this view is the height of political correctness gone a muck.
It is interesting to note that several different people from a variety of non Christian religions have been interviewed since this whole nonsense was put forth and they have all said that they don't have any problems with Christmas. That they celebrate it along with their own holidays since their kids go to school with kids who either celebrate the religious aspect or the tree and presents aspects.
So, who is being offended? Obviously a few people be. It makes me wonder what will happen in successive years to come. We've already been told that Christmas lights and Christmas trees are offensive to other religions. Which is stupid really because lights and trees have NOTHING to do with the religious aspect of Christmas so how can they be offensive.
I guess it's the thought of a big fat jolly white guy breaking into their house to leave unwanted gifts that bothers them. Whatever the reasons behind it, it seems to have worked. As I walked through the malls the past few weeks, I noticed that indeed, there were barely any decorations of any kind up at all.
I can see this backfiring severely by creating more animosity between the different religions. At least in my city anyway. There is already the feeling that other religions getting more and more special treatment. It remains to be seen where this friction will lead. Call me weird, but I feel as though all the stuff that is coming up now, is payback for all the grief Christianity caused.
The city in which I live is incredibly ethnically diverse. And it saddens me that we can not rejoice in our differences and take the best of what each offers and thus enrich our lives.
My second observation has to do with the media. It used to be that Christmas movies like It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street would air ad nauseaum before the big day arrived. This year they were on once, maybe twice if you call 3am a suitable air time. This greatly annoyed me.
I LIKE the old Christmas shows. I LIKE Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and the Land of Misfit Toys. I LIKE The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I LIKE all those OLD Christmasy kids shows. This year there was a marked DECREASE in the number of OLD movies and kids shows being televised and an INCREASE in new stuff.
I'm sorry but new does not equal better. In most cases it doesn't even come close to being good. Why oh why, do the people in charge always feel the need to alter things that don't need altering.
I suspect that it is a heinous plot to make you buy the old movies and kids shows by filling the airwaves with crapola. Congrats on a job well done then guys. Gah.
The other media related thing that I noticed was that there was a significant decrease in Christian Christmas songs being aired on the radio. That made me sad too. I like all the fun songs but the Christian ones are cool too and it's a shame that we're letting a religious blind spot distract us from what is really important.
And no I'm not going to say at this time of year because one, Christmas Day *isn't* the day Jesus was born. It's the day a bunch of people chose. And two, the thing that is really important is a thing that I wish people would remember all year round and not just one day of the year.
It's like Valentine's Day. Yes, let me treat you like crapoloa 364 days a year so that I can express my *love* for you on one day by giving you dead flowers and drug laden chocolates. Bah. Bah humbug even.
This important thing that I refer to is of course love. Whether you subscribe to the Christian birth of Jesus or to the Coke a cola Santa Claus, it's all about the spirit of love. Love is something that even non Christians, atheists and agnostics can appreciate.
Things pass away. Love shared is not halved as one would think. Love shared multiples. Love shared is contagious.
So if you're the present giving type, how bout next year instead of giving things one day of the year and being mean and grumpy or just being your plain ole insensitive self to those around you the rest of the time, you spend the whole year instead giving the gift of love.
It's cheap. It's easy to wrap. It doesn't take up much space. It won't spoil. And you don't have to spend hours in the mall or standing in line to buy it.
Anyway, that's it. That's my Christmas message. I bet it's better than the Prime Minister's or the Queen's :D
And to sign off I'll like to leave you with two quotes as you all go about your day tomorrow.
From Santa and Tiny Tim: God Bless us everyone and Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
WW
This year I've actually had TIME to observe things instead of being buried under a huge pile of work. I'd like to share a few of my observations.
First and foremost, it seems SOME people have gotten a little more stupid than in previous years. I am of course speaking of the view put forth by some idiot that we should do away with the word Christmas because it is offensive to other religions.
Um. Excuse me, but I don't see anyone making the Jews stop calling Hanukkah Hanukkah. Or telling people they can't call Ramadan Ramadan. Or suggesting to any other religious group that they have to change the name of their holidays to something else because it's offensive to other religions.
No one would ever think to suggest such a thing.
But apparently it's ok to suggest this to Christians. I am aware that Christianity has a bad reputation in many people's eyes. And deservedly so. But I hope that even people who hate Christianity and all that is stands for can see that this view is the height of political correctness gone a muck.
It is interesting to note that several different people from a variety of non Christian religions have been interviewed since this whole nonsense was put forth and they have all said that they don't have any problems with Christmas. That they celebrate it along with their own holidays since their kids go to school with kids who either celebrate the religious aspect or the tree and presents aspects.
So, who is being offended? Obviously a few people be. It makes me wonder what will happen in successive years to come. We've already been told that Christmas lights and Christmas trees are offensive to other religions. Which is stupid really because lights and trees have NOTHING to do with the religious aspect of Christmas so how can they be offensive.
I guess it's the thought of a big fat jolly white guy breaking into their house to leave unwanted gifts that bothers them. Whatever the reasons behind it, it seems to have worked. As I walked through the malls the past few weeks, I noticed that indeed, there were barely any decorations of any kind up at all.
I can see this backfiring severely by creating more animosity between the different religions. At least in my city anyway. There is already the feeling that other religions getting more and more special treatment. It remains to be seen where this friction will lead. Call me weird, but I feel as though all the stuff that is coming up now, is payback for all the grief Christianity caused.
The city in which I live is incredibly ethnically diverse. And it saddens me that we can not rejoice in our differences and take the best of what each offers and thus enrich our lives.
My second observation has to do with the media. It used to be that Christmas movies like It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street would air ad nauseaum before the big day arrived. This year they were on once, maybe twice if you call 3am a suitable air time. This greatly annoyed me.
I LIKE the old Christmas shows. I LIKE Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and the Land of Misfit Toys. I LIKE The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I LIKE all those OLD Christmasy kids shows. This year there was a marked DECREASE in the number of OLD movies and kids shows being televised and an INCREASE in new stuff.
I'm sorry but new does not equal better. In most cases it doesn't even come close to being good. Why oh why, do the people in charge always feel the need to alter things that don't need altering.
I suspect that it is a heinous plot to make you buy the old movies and kids shows by filling the airwaves with crapola. Congrats on a job well done then guys. Gah.
The other media related thing that I noticed was that there was a significant decrease in Christian Christmas songs being aired on the radio. That made me sad too. I like all the fun songs but the Christian ones are cool too and it's a shame that we're letting a religious blind spot distract us from what is really important.
And no I'm not going to say at this time of year because one, Christmas Day *isn't* the day Jesus was born. It's the day a bunch of people chose. And two, the thing that is really important is a thing that I wish people would remember all year round and not just one day of the year.
It's like Valentine's Day. Yes, let me treat you like crapoloa 364 days a year so that I can express my *love* for you on one day by giving you dead flowers and drug laden chocolates. Bah. Bah humbug even.
This important thing that I refer to is of course love. Whether you subscribe to the Christian birth of Jesus or to the Coke a cola Santa Claus, it's all about the spirit of love. Love is something that even non Christians, atheists and agnostics can appreciate.
Things pass away. Love shared is not halved as one would think. Love shared multiples. Love shared is contagious.
So if you're the present giving type, how bout next year instead of giving things one day of the year and being mean and grumpy or just being your plain ole insensitive self to those around you the rest of the time, you spend the whole year instead giving the gift of love.
It's cheap. It's easy to wrap. It doesn't take up much space. It won't spoil. And you don't have to spend hours in the mall or standing in line to buy it.
Anyway, that's it. That's my Christmas message. I bet it's better than the Prime Minister's or the Queen's :D
And to sign off I'll like to leave you with two quotes as you all go about your day tomorrow.
From Santa and Tiny Tim: God Bless us everyone and Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
WW
