Taking the Greeting out of the Season

I read an interesting string of arguments today about Focus on the Family’s list of retailers that use “Merry Christmas” and those that use other phrases like “Seasons Greetings.”

When the list was released, some folks were offended because the “Seasons Greetings” list was published basically as a blacklist. And shopping at the “Merry Christmas” list was encouraged by FOF.

I know religion is a very personal topic, that’s why is stirs so many deep emotions, and oftentimes, big frothy reactions from people. So listen up.

“Seasons Greetings” is not a politically-correct euphemism for “Merry Christmas.” No one’s trampling anyone’s religion here.

When people say “Seasons Greetings” they’re not trying to take Christmas away from anyone, but rather, quite the contrary. It is a simple way to show that you are not assuming the person you are greeting shares your religious beliefs. Which, in turn, is freeing you linguistically and socially to celebrate a Christ-full Christmas, Hanukkah –or whatever you may celebrate–or not celebrate. This is a greeting meant to pass on the excitement of first snowfalls, twinkle lights, roaring fireplaces, outdoor ice skating, and hot chocolate. It is in no way a castration of any “true meaning” of the season.

During the season in question, our country celebrates Thanksgiving and the New Year. Also, lots of individuals and families celebrate their personal religious holidays with their personal traditions. The biggie and most commercialized in our country at the moment is Christmas.

Now here comes the argument that saying “Seasons Greetings” is contributing to Christ being lost from Christmas. This argument leaves me asking, what? did someone shove him in the wrong box in the attic when they put him away last January? Only those Christians who allowed themselves to get caught up in the commercial side, forgetting their own spiritual side, are experiencing this self-induced loss. Plenty of folks keep Christ on the tops of their minds every day, including Christmas. Blaming others’ cheery winter greetings for your own feelings that the meaning has been extracted from your holiday is simply not logical. Do a little soul searching. You’ll probably find that missing meaning in there somewhere rattling around in a mislabeled box.

Many retail stores and companies choose to say “Seasons Greetings” for the reason illustrated above: it is not exclusive. Enjoying shopping at stores on the “Merry Christmas” list may be a great way to share in the spiritual side of Christmas with fellow Christians (and what an insult to the religion if these stores turned out not to be Christian-run). Likewise, for Christians to boycott companies that choose to open their doors to other religions seems a little ugly, and dare i say, exclusive, to me.

So please, let’s not over think this thing. Set aside those lists and infuse our economy with a little extra holiday cash. And more importantly, let’s embrace the long tradition of excitement that this season brings, and pass good will onto your neighbors regardless of how, or even if, they decorate their mantles.

The Passing of Prop 8 is a Slippery, Slippery Slope

Don’t punish others because you feel uncomfortable, or be careful what you wish for. The passing of Prop 8 is a slippery slope endangering the rights of all Americans.

If you are uncomfortable around people who are gay, that is your problem to deal with. For example, I am uncomfortable around people who make racist remarks. This language is offensive to me. I can choose to either avoid spending time with people who use this language, or work on getting over it.

The fact of the matter is, there are racist people in my country.

I can choose to yell at them. I can choose to call them names. What I cannot choose to do is take away these people’s rights to use this language. It is their constitutional right that is the foundation of the freedom in our country. In fact, this is #1 on the Bill of Rights.

What if I started a movement to take that right away? What if I now decided what language was appropriate and what was not?

Likewise, to amend the Constitution, as Proposition 8 has in the state of California, has done just that. It is thrusting a group of people’s discomfort onto other people in the form of laws. And this is simply not right.

At this time, I’d like to point our 2 weaknesses inherent to the metaphor of my example above.
1. People are not born racist or speaking in racist language. People are born gay.
2. Using racist language hurts people. Being gay does not hurt people.

For these reasons, it is even more crucial that gay people (or any group of people) are not singled out and stripped of rights they used to have. They have committed no crime; they have not changed the status of their citizenship; and in addition, they were born gay.

What logical, legal reason is there to make this group of people lower class citizens? In a country where we are afforded the gift, privilege, and right to the pursuit of happiness, how can we take this away from our fellow citizens? If we can do this, what rights can other groups of people take away from you?

This is a slippery and ugly slope, my friends.