How many of you say "Merry Christmas"

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by blowry

I just read as thread on here about religion....I believe it is MY RIGHT to say "Merry Christmas"! I am 49 yrs old and have said this my entire life. This is america! the land of free speach! Last Christmas after I paid for my gifts I said "Merry Christmas" The woman at the counter looked at me and said "Happy Holidays" I looked back at her and said NO! "Merry Christmas"! I REFUSE to take Christ out of Christmas....THIS IS MY RIGHT! and no one is going to take it from me..we have had different beliefs from different religions for YEARS! why change things now! If you don't believe in Christmas just smile and walk away...say nothing! but don't take MY right away....And if I want to pray in public, school, say the pledge of allegiance I am going to do it!
just want to know how you all feel about this one!

Sorry, but I couldn't pass this up.

You say this is a land of free speech. Yes, it's your right to say Merry Christmas, but it's also the checker's right to say Happy Holidays. You can't argue free speech and then yell at someone for exercising the right themself.

Let's be honest with ourselves. Christmas is a pagan holiday that was adopted by the Roman church to win over more followers that didn't want to give up their holidays. Christmas was a celebration of the Winter Solstice and many pagan's held celebrations around that time. Easter is the Spring Equinox. The Christians appropriated many pagan festivals and traditions of the season, that were practiced in many parts of the Middle East and Europe, as a means of stamping them out. There were mid-winter festivals in ancient Babylon and Egypt, and Germanic fertility festivals also took place at this time. The birth of the ancient sun-god Attis in Phrygia was celebrated on December 25th, as was the birth of the Persian sun-god, Mithras. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and plenty, that ran from the 17th to 24th of December. Public gathering places were decorated with flowers, gifts and candles were exchanged and the population, slaves and masters alike, celebrated the occasion with great enthusiasm. The earliest English reference to December 25th as Christmas Day did not come until 1043.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an athiest. I'm one of those Christians that doesn't live her life as a contradiction. I follow the Bible and nothing but the Bible, and we were not instructed or authorized to set apart a day to celebrate Christ's birth, we were told to celebrate his death in weekly Communion.

To me Christmas isn't about Christ, it's a time to get together with your family.

So for me, it's a hearty Happy Chrismahanukwanzika to all.