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Protecting Christmas

Minotaur

Governor
That is the title of Palin's book "“Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas," and it reminded me of how you protect Christmas. In explaining her book she noted: "What I’m saying is we need to protect the heart of Christmas and not let an angry atheist armed with an attorney, a Scrooge, tell us that we can’t celebrate traditional faith in America. We have a constitutionally protected right to celebrate faith and Christmas is a part of that. And today on Veterans Day of all days, we should be cognizant of the fact that sacrifices have been made for these freedoms. We are so appreciative, thankful for America’s freedoms and we want to protect them. Not just that spirit of Christmas but overall our– our constitutional right to exercise our faith."

And I wondered how one human being could get Christmas and families so wrong as to merit a description she feels the need to a build a case on. The reality is Christmas has nothing to do with others. Christmas is all about your family, your memories, and your traditions. Nothing impacts that and nothing comes near the importance of that. So at Christmas we see families doing what they have always done, even if it is choosing to not celebrate it or celebrate it and that my friend does not need approval, nor will it ever. Palin can't put God into my Christmas and I can't take God out of hers.

After my first husband's death years ago I sat and cried in my oversized and cold house listening to the rain and wind outside. A month had passed since his death and every house was decorated but my own for the first time in my life. I looked outside and saw that the small pine tree we planted in the spring had blown over and I cried harder and then I thought about the last time we went shopping and bought new Christmas decorations now sitting in the garage. I drug the pine tree into the house and retrieved the still packaged new bulbs and decorated as some warmth returned and a smile. That tree brought "us" back together for the last time - the time I needed to start healing. Christmas was and is a part of it all. It is our memories built over many years. In the end it was the one thing that could not be taken away but it was enough. Christmas can't be taken away and no one family can impose theirs on another family because Christmas happens in your home or environment - it is you. Palin's concept cuts both ways. Merry Christmas!
 
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Caroljo

Senator
For Christians, Christmas is about the birth of Christ.

Myself, I think Christmas has become way too commercialized. To most, it means buying stuff that's not needed, parents worry about not being able to buy all (or any) of the gifts the kids "want", who can decorate their homes the best......it's become all about greed and want. People struggle and spend money they don't have then get depressed when all the bills come in. This isn't what Christmas was supposed to be about.
 

ITALIA

Mayor
For Christians, Christmas is about the birth of Christ.

Myself, I think Christmas has become way too commercialized. To most, it means buying stuff that's not needed, parents worry about not being able to buy all (or any) of the gifts the kids "want", who can decorate their homes the best......it's become all about greed and want. People struggle and spend money they don't have then get depressed when all the bills come in. This isn't what Christmas was supposed to be about.
Try rather than buying each other unneeded gifts you instead do the gift buying for a needy family or families. You'll feel much better about the holiday. You do know that noone knows the birthday of Christ and actually you are celebrating the invincible sun god. Christmas is about money, money, money and whether retailers have a successful or unsuccessful year. Just like most holidays.
http://christianity.about.com/od/christmas/f/christmashistor.htm
 
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Renee

Governor
For Christians, Christmas is about the birth of Christ.

Myself, I think Christmas has become way too commercialized. To most, it means buying stuff that's not needed, parents worry about not being able to buy all (or any) of the gifts the kids "want", who can decorate their homes the best......it's become all about greed and want. People struggle and spend money they don't have then get depressed when all the bills come in. This isn't what Christmas was supposed to be about.
I celebrate Christmas and I am a Jewish atheist
 

JuliefromOhio

President
Supporting Member
are there any Palin fans out there who buy into her nonsensical fearmongering that...... protect against an angry atheist armed with an attorney, a Scrooge, tell us that we can’t celebrate traditional faith in America?
anyone, Caroljo, anyone?
 

NinaS

Senator
Supporting Member
are there any Palin fans out there who buy into her nonsensical fearmongering that...... protect against an angry atheist armed with an attorney, a Scrooge, tell us that we can’t celebrate traditional faith in America?
anyone, Caroljo, anyone?
Will Palin even be home with her brood on Christmas or out and about spewing her venom about something she knows nothing about?
 

Caroljo

Senator
Try rather than buying each other unneeded gifts you instead do the gift buying for a needy family or families. You'll feel much better about the holiday. You do know that noone knows the birthday of Christ and actually you are celebrating the invincible sun god. Christmas is about money, money, money and whether retailers have a successful or unsuccessful year. Just like most holidays.
http://christianity.about.com/od/christmas/f/christmashistor.htm
Because nobody knows for sure, this is the day we celebrate it. And no, you may be celebrating a sun god, but we aren't. And I agree...Christmas is all about money now.

And I do give to others at Christmas as much as I can. It still shouldn't be this way, it shouldn't be all about the gifts.
 

Zoar

Governor
Isn't it when Jesus Claus rewards people for being good and punishes them for being bad?

And wasn't it when the folklore hero, Santa Christ, was born?
 

Jim Scott

Council Member
I believe that what concerns Sarah Palin is that the secularization of Christmas has almost obliterated it's original meaning and purpose: the birth of Jesus Christ. This happens when the 'religious' aspect of Christmas is overrun by not only it's commercialization but recently enacted laws or public school regulations that have morphed what was once a school 'Christmas Celebration' into a 'Holiday Festival' or some other such 'non-religious' euphemism. All because a few atheists were annoyed that the name 'Jesus' might be uttered. Even the traditional, centuries-old Christmas carols have been sanitized out of many 'public' Christmas events because of the alleged fear of officials that someone may be offended by hearing the word 'God' or 'Jesus' sung at a time when Jesus' birth is celebrated.

Yes, it's ridiculous and unnecessary. One of the worst ramifications of the adoption of Political Correctness or, to put a fine point on it, left-wing doctrine, codified.

While we can all celebrate Christmas in our homes as we choose - or not at all - Sarah Palin makes the point that the national holiday (since 1870) has been attenuated to the point where it's reason for being celebrated - the birth of the Christian Savior - has almost vanished from the public consciousness and she is troubled by that. She is not alone.

Jim
 

JuliefromOhio

President
Supporting Member
I believe that what concerns Sarah Palin is that the secularization of Christmas has almost obliterated it's original meaning and purpose: the birth of Jesus Christ. This happens when the 'religious' aspect of Christmas is overrun by not only it's commercialization but recently enacted laws or public school regulations that have morphed what was once a school 'Christmas Celebration' into a 'Holiday Festival' or some other such 'non-religious' euphemism. All because a few atheists were annoyed that the name 'Jesus' might be uttered. Even the traditional, centuries-old Christmas carols have been sanitized out of many 'public' Christmas events because of the alleged fear of officials that someone may be offended by hearing the word 'God' or 'Jesus' sung at a time when Jesus' birth is celebrated.

Yes, it's ridiculous and unnecessary. One of the worst ramifications of the adoption of Political Correctness or, to put a fine point on it, left-wing doctrine, codified.

While we can all celebrate Christmas in our homes as we choose - or not at all - Sarah Palin makes the point that the national holiday (since 1870) has been attenuated to the point where it's reason for being celebrated - the birth of the Christian Savior - has almost vanished from the public consciousness and she is troubled by that. She is not alone.

Jim
if that really is her aim, she could initiate a War on Santa instead of taking cheap shots at atheists.
 
if that really is her aim, she could initiate a War on Santa instead of taking cheap shots at atheists.
Palin can't tell the 2 from 3 or the dreck from the chocolate. She only posts or prints other people' retarded creations under her name as long as that excites the lower IQ part of US population known as Amcons
 

Caroljo

Senator
if that really is her aim, she could initiate a War on Santa instead of taking cheap shots at atheists.
It's the atheists that are determined to take Christ out of Christmas....not Santa. Because, you know how tolerant atheists are of anyone that believes. All this talk of God and Jesus just completely ruins their lives....so it's better to make those darn Christians give up one of their most important holiday celebrations. As long as the atheists are happy that's all that counts.
 
That is the title of Palin's book "“Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas," and it reminded me of how you protect Christmas. In explaining her book she noted: "What I’m saying is we need to protect the heart of Christmas and not let an angry atheist armed with an attorney, a Scrooge, tell us that we can’t celebrate traditional faith in America. We have a constitutionally protected right to celebrate faith and Christmas is a part of that. And today on Veterans Day of all days, we should be cognizant of the fact that sacrifices have been made for these freedoms. We are so appreciative, thankful for America’s freedoms and we want to protect them. Not just that spirit of Christmas but overall our– our constitutional right to exercise our faith."

And I wondered how one human being could get Christmas and families so wrong as to merit a description she feels the need to a build a case on. The reality is Christmas has nothing to do with others. Christmas is all about your family, your memories, and your traditions. Nothing impacts that and nothing comes near the importance of that. So at Christmas we see families doing what they have always done, even if it is choosing to not celebrate it or celebrate it and that my friend does not need approval, nor will it ever. Palin can't put God into my Christmas and I can't take God out of hers.

After my first husband's death years ago I sat and cried in my oversized and cold house listening to the rain and wind outside. A month had passed since his death and every house was decorated but my own for the first time in my life. I looked outside and saw that the small pine tree we planted in the spring had blown over and I cried harder and then I thought about the last time we went shopping and bought new Christmas decorations now sitting in the garage. I drug the pine tree into the house and retrieved the still packaged new bulbs and decorated as some warmth returned and a smile. That tree brought "us" back together for the last time - the time I needed to start healing. Christmas was and is a part of it all. It is our memories built over many years. In the end it was the one thing that could not be taken away but it was enough. Christmas can't be taken away and no one family can impose theirs on another family because Christmas happens in your home or environment - it is you. Palin's concept cuts both ways. Merry Christmas!
Ms. Palin mentions "Scrooge" as in those taking away Christmas. My take on Charles Dickens and his character Scrooge, was that in Scrooge's mind, money was more important than all things. The spirits of Christmas that came to visit him came to show him that as you have pointed out, Christmas is spiritual. It is within us or not, it cannot be taken away from us, we can believe or not believe and we can join the spirit of Christmas, which has been liberality and giving, rather than the opposite that Scrooge represented, his own wealth over that of those that worked for him (contributing to Scrooge's).

In the last few decades "Christianity" has become politicized and has for the most part supported conservative, not liberal, politics. At the same time, "conservative" politics has been more and more about 'keeping more of what one has' and justifications for cutting off the needy while promoting and lauding the personal accumulation of great wealth, far beyond any personal needs and comfort (gluttony) and the promotion of extreme narcissism (the individual means more than anything or anyone else) and the notion that the successful are so, solely because of their own brilliance and single handed labors, ignoring and forgetting anyone that contributed to making the "brilliant" brilliant and contributing to their ideas, inspirations and the labors of many, needed to pull it all together. In some people's minds, those often supported and promoted by a "religious" or "Christian" activist arm, in many cases represent the greed, gluttony of Scrooge. Even Scrooge had enough humility within him to recognize what the spirits were sent to show him. In this day and age, some seem to believe themselves to be the equivalent Christ/God when they offer to relate their "importance" to the world and how they try to make someone believe they do absolutely everything single-handed, with no help at all.

For those that like Christmas, celebrate it. It's not about lights, wrapping paper, iconic representations and how much one spends, but about the birth of what Christ represented, what he taught and the life he gave in faith of all he taught so that humanity might begin to "know what they have (had) done".

In the minds of some Christ taught that God is not impressed by ostentatious giving or displays of great wealth and not impressed by those who try to impress with their wealth and material success. He taught God was not big on worship of carved images of and idols, but taught that God is only looking for faith and prefers they keep it between themselves and God, not present displays to impress others of their faith.

Christmas is not material, but spiritual, no one can take your faith (regardless of what it is) from you, unless you stop having faith. Some may have faith in Christ, some may not. Some may have faith in other named gods, have different levels of faith in any sort of gods or the extent of their watching out for who is naughty or nice. Some may have faith that there are no gods.
 
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EatTheRich

President
It's the atheists that are determined to take Christ out of Christmas....not Santa. Because, you know how tolerant atheists are of anyone that believes. All this talk of God and Jesus just completely ruins their lives....so it's better to make those darn Christians give up one of their most important holiday celebrations. As long as the atheists are happy that's all that counts.
As an atheist, I have no intention of stopping other people from making their Yuletide a celebration of Jesus's birth (as opposed to what it is for me, a secular love-feast with friends and family; or its original meaning, a pagan solstice ritual). What I object to is the government celebrating a sectarian religious holiday on my dime and pressuring the rest of us to follow along.
 

JuliefromOhio

President
Supporting Member
It's the atheists that are determined to take Christ out of Christmas....not Santa. Because, you know how tolerant atheists are of anyone that believes. All this talk of God and Jesus just completely ruins their lives....so it's better to make those darn Christians give up one of their most important holiday celebrations. As long as the atheists are happy that's all that counts.
so you bought into Palin's baloney. I knew you would. :)
 

Zoar

Governor
I'm NOT an atheist and i think the Republicans have invented this war just so they could cry poor victom, boo hooo hoooooo. Palin plays the victom card every chance she thinks she can. And FOX has been crying about liberals stealing Christmas for years now just to get their gullible viewers raging and angry just so they can have some bile woth their holiday meal.
 

Pogue Mahone

Legalize it.
I believe that what concerns Sarah Palin is that the secularization of Christmas has almost obliterated it's original meaning and purpose: the birth of Jesus Christ. This happens when the 'religious' aspect of Christmas is overrun by not only it's commercialization but recently enacted laws or public school regulations that have morphed what was once a school 'Christmas Celebration' into a 'Holiday Festival' or some other such 'non-religious' euphemism. All because a few atheists were annoyed that the name 'Jesus' might be uttered. Even the traditional, centuries-old Christmas carols have been sanitized out of many 'public' Christmas events because of the alleged fear of officials that someone may be offended by hearing the word 'God' or 'Jesus' sung at a time when Jesus' birth is celebrated.

Yes, it's ridiculous and unnecessary. One of the worst ramifications of the adoption of Political Correctness or, to put a fine point on it, left-wing doctrine, codified.

While we can all celebrate Christmas in our homes as we choose - or not at all - Sarah Palin makes the point that the national holiday (since 1870) has been attenuated to the point where it's reason for being celebrated - the birth of the Christian Savior - has almost vanished from the public consciousness and she is troubled by that. She is not alone.

Jim
Game, set, match, end of thread.
 
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