'Tis the Season

Atrios blogs an amusing exchange from CNN about the purported "war on Christmas." (I said about all I've got to say on the topic last year.)

Comments

[Jesse Walker]

Well, crap, there goes next week's "the War on Christmas is a quagmire" column. Nothing like someone else exploiting a joke before you get a chance to do your version.

[Deus ex Machina]

So is the religious right so bereft of causes that "Happy Holidays" has become this year's nipplegate?

[James]

I like the line, "who can escape the Christmas celebration?" For that matter, in Minnesota, car dealers are forbidden by law to sell cars on Sunday. Not Friday. Not Saturday. Sunday. A gross violation of the separation of Church and State, but we let it pass because we're extraordinarily tolerant of the Christian minority. And what has this tolerance gotten us? Accusations of "discrimination" for saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

I think the real issue here is the extent to which we've pandered to minority sentiment. I mean, these goddamned Christians are worse than the Quebecois! From here on out I'm going to only buy my cars on Sunday, dammit! One more smart remark from the Christians and there'll be no Christmas for anyone.

[Brian Courts]

Hey, not to worry, with Bill O'Reilly on the case the War on Christmas is as doomed as $3 gas (heh, maybe we should just call him $3 Bill). Thanks to his tireless work, this weekend I paid under $2 per gallon for the first time in a long time. Thanks Bill, and Happy Holidays!

[thoreau]

It wasn't too long ago that some Christians complained about retailers making Christmas so commercial and secular.

Now they're upset that retailers aren't appropriating the name of Christmas.

We Christians really need to make up our minds on our stance vis-a-vis retailers.

[thoreau]

$3 Bill! I love it!

Where do you live that you can pay less than $2 per gallon? I want to move there!

[thoreau]

I have a dream that some day I will be able to go out in public and admit to being a Christian without persecution.

I'd like to be able to tell people that my wife and I got married in a church without being sneered at.

I'd like to be able to attend mass in a beautiful, tall building, rather than an underground safe house where we hide from the secret police.

I'd like to be able to vote for a candidate who will openly admit to being a Christian.

But I can't do those things...oh, wait a minute, yes I can.

Sorry, I thought I was in China for a moment. I need to stop listening to Bill O'Reilly.

[eric mattingly]

I'm kind of liminally a Christian and it seems to me that believers in this religion-- people who are really convinced of the lovingness of God and the radically other, salvific reality of Christ as the divine Logos-- would find more joy in it and try to celebrate their lord's birth rather than be so unhappy all the time. In other words, if your faith gives you an interminable inferiority complex, then perhaps you should re-consider your faith (and yes, I've considered that the idea of an inferiority complex is built intrinsically into Christianity and I agree... to a point).

[Leo the Lion]

(and yes, I've considered that the idea of an inferiority complex is built intrinsically into Christianity and I agree... to a point).

Don't you mean "persecution complex"?

[eric mattingly]

Leo,

I relize you probably meant that ironically, but I would actually say that feeling inferior would be a necessary cause for feeling persecuted.

[David]

At first, I thought/hoped that Sam Seder was arguing with Bobby Knight. I was disappointed when the whole thing didn't devolve into a chair throwing melee.

Kidding aside, you'd be surprised at how many people I know that believe in this "war on Christmas" nonsense.

[dhex]

it's very popular. i don't quite know why.

[joshua corning]

ok so when does Reason start making jokes about about the straw man invented by people who are...

oh hell.

is there really anyone of any importance who is saying there is a war on chirstmas...i mean really guys. You are pocking fun at no one who exists.

well here hoping for next year.

happy holidays

disclaimer (written by a former shepard with no lines in the school chistmas play every year for 5 years and who knows full well that the guy who played Joseph every year turned out ot be gay...yeah that one is on you sister Tonya 😛 )

[Happy Jack]

This is more than a mere "War on Christmas." It's a War on Christians. Apparently, the people that wear the beanies are behind it.

[mediageek]

I'd just like to stop for a moment to point out that the domain http://www.waronchristmas.com is still available.

[Yogi]

Hey, this makes about as much sense as the war on drugs, right? what do you people expect?

[Fighter]

Check out http://fightchristmas.blogspot.com for a real taste of the frontlines of the war.

[Thomas Paine's Goiter]

"This is more than a mere "War on Christmas." It's a War on Christians. Apparently, the people that wear the beanies are behind it."

Elizabethan schoolboys?

[joe]

I haven't seen a televised ass kicking like that since the first presidential debate. Ouch.

[Hellbound Alleee]

sure there's a war on Christmas. It's being waged by christians. History shows that every time christians won this "war," they outlawed christmas. Every time christmas was won back, it was won back secularly. It's a goddamned secular holiday, and there's no reason to think otherwise. Every aspect of christmas is found in other religions (all the way down to the gold, frankincense and myyrh) -- yet every ritual was secularized. That's because the holiday is based on facts of reality, not mythology.

I sure don't want christmas to mean what the war-wagers want it to mean: 'Tis the Season for Christian whining.

[thoreau]

History shows that every time christians won this "war," they outlawed christmas. Every time christmas was won back, it was won back secularly.

Wow. I'd never heard of this. Could you point me to some sources, or tell me what times and places you were thinking of? This sounds fascinating.

[V Moose]

is this the time for that old, nearly-forgotten STAGE WHISPER comment?

eric m: (was never a fan of your cousin Don) - good point. the persecution feeling is primed by the inferiority. or at least a very shakable faith.

although, did coach knight's style remind anyone of-- nevermind.

when the current ruling class whines about being persecuted, however, it just shows how silly they are. maybe their imaginary friend (friends?) haven't been answering.

think: the microphone in kent's braces in "Real Genius" 🙂

[Native NYer]

The cheapest gas in New Jersey in under $2. At least on Route 9 near Morganville.

[joe]

And VMoose? Stop playing with yourself.

[VMoose]

🙂

[keith]

You know what this war needs? Hulk Hogan as Santa with Muscles. He'll teach ya some Christmas spirit, all right.

Actually, you know what will save Christmas? Legions of little Oliver Twist style ragamuffins darting about the snowy winter streets, chirping, "Merry Christmas, guv'nah!" before huddling down in front of a single lump of smoldering coal to eat their watery gruel.

[V "twistedevil" Moose]

keith:

better access to abortions would cure the latter problem.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

The problem is that most of you whipper snappers are too got dang young to realize that the War on Christmas is actually over. The hard core Christians lost and they're so dang dumb that it's taken them twenty years to realize it. Now they're pissed and striking back.

[Dave Barry]

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'