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Sometimes it defies logic - if this "holiday" wasn't created to celebrate Christ's coming to earth, then why did it start? Why do we give gifts? It's to show love to others like God the Father did by sending Christ to earth to save mankind. PC has definitely stolen some important things in American life!
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The "holiday" was originally a Winter Solstice festival before the Christian church took it over.
Having said that, it's still an important time to celebrate with friends and family and even with colleagues. Christmas, (C)Hannuka(h), Solstice, whatever.
As for the PC brigade, I wonder if they ever actually *asked* the people they think are being offended? Personally, I'd be offended if somebody assumed I'd be offended about something without actually asking.
Professional Geek,
Amateur Stage-Levelling Gauge
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Agreed about the Winter Solstice. But how many people would be celebrating Winter Solstice which was a pagan holiday? The birth of Christ is what December 25th is all about; at least in this country.
I think you make a good point about asking those whom they think they are offending. Seems we're more worried about what people think than thinking ourselves.
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Really, it's no one's birthday: just created to fit the calendar, for there is no particular record - or, for simplicities sake, ask a member of the Greek Orthodox faith the calendar date of your festival.
And that's what the December celebration was: the festival of Janus, the two-faced god of coming-and-going (amongst other things). Hence, the new year is this time of year.
The gifts, yule-logs, tree decorations? They're all from what you'd call pagan customs and rituals. The christian church adopted a tremendous amount of this stuff, decorated it to suit there needs, and went on celebrating them. It was a good way to get converts.
Other examples (sorry to burst more of your bubbles): easter bunnies and eggs? All are from the fertility festivities that were part of the coming of spring.
Before you reply, however, consider the following: you faith should secured by its philosophical teachings and values, and not the decorative trappings. If the above notes really do anything to harm the worthwhile aspects of your beliefs, then you should have a long and hard think. There are, indeed, christian sects who disavow all of the seasonal trappings in the practice of their faith: does that make them less christian?
Try Malachi 1:11 - and I suggest you try several translations, for some tend to distort this message, from a recognized prophet, which is that all believers, in all faiths, are acceptable.
'For, from the rising of the sun to its going in, Great [is] My name among nations, And in every place incense is brought nigh to My name, and a pure offering, For great [is] My name among nations'
"As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert
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I understand about the acquisition of some pagan holidays after the conversion of Constantine. My faith in Jesus Christ is not based on my feelings about Christmas and Easter. I do know that Jesus Christ was born on earth, was crucified and rose three days afterward. I have no particular feelings about a specific day.
Regarding Mal 1:11 - people are certainly free to believe what they want, thanks to our fighting men and women and our constitution. In reading verse 1 of Malachi 1, the audience is Israel, which was practicing Judaism.
I don't really want to get into a religious argument. My salvation through Jesus Christ is very real experience. There's an old saying - A man with an argument is always at the mercy of a man with an experience.
I respect anyone's right to practice their beliefs. Not withstanding, I hold fast to my faith as a Christian and would encourage anyone to read John 14:6 where Jesus says, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life - no one comes to the Father but by me.
Again, I respect everyone's right to their own beliefs. In America, we owe thanks for that right to those who held to Judeo-Christian beliefs and founded this country.
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The PC brigade do go over the top.
In my office we have muslims, hindus, jews, christians (of several different denominations), budhists, agnostics, atheists. Some of them fall into more than one category. Everyone is celebrating Christmas, both personally, and as an office.
As a programmer and a Pastor of a small church (two full time vocations is a pain) I have had many conversations recently about celebrating or not celebrating Christmas, and personally I feel the most important question is, "why are you celebrating Christmas"?
I am celebrating, remembering the coming of the saviour of the World, 2000 years ago (day irrelevant), and some of my collegues are celebrating another year in their families without killing each other.
Isaiah 9:6-7[^]
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Aside from the 'company' party, there are numerous local parties on (usually) Dec 24th - in my group, it is put on by a group who are Buddhists.
It's really a holiday party, rather than a christmas party. This is not due to "PC" fears, but rather to what this time of year is (at least in the urban parts of the US) - the holiday season.
We're together - having a good time - the corn, the wine, and the oil of plenty - and doing it together. That is the cause for celebration. Those in your office who are not christians - that's what they celebrate with you. This short period when people are nicer to one another (even to strangers) Were these people to debate this (with you), it would certainly be considered bad taste on their part (Why did they come? is then overheard). There are many times when minorities have learned to smile and nod their heads in agreement. They are celebrating with you - perhaps even for you and your joy - but celebrating christmas, per se? Hmmmm . . .
The above is just opinion; what follows, however, is food for thought. All the complaints about Political Correctness - how disingenuous! It is (almost invariably) the words of those who are in ownership of the expression that was changed. Were that shoe on the other foot - perhaps they'd want a little consideration for their sensibilities.*
It's really a matter of considering the context: if you send holiday cards, is it not inconsiderate to send a non-christian a deeply religious christian theme? The question, really, is how does one take into account other's sensibilities?
Unfortunately, one can always find absurd 'PC' examples and use them to try discredit the concept of considering the feelings of others . . . by giving them a label. For a christian church to avoid calling its party a 'christmas party' would be absurd. For a municipality with a diversity of citizens, who are equal partners, it really does make sense. Context. Context. Context.
There's a Native American saying: 'Let me not criticize another man until I have walked a mile in his moccasins'.
A favorite theme in Mid-America: Put prayer back in schools. These half-wits think that the prayer will be to their liking - but what if the teacher leads in a daily praise of satan?
Season's Greetings
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I'm offended by them having stopped it. Does that mean they have to reinstate it?
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Funny that, just about a week ago, there was a secret party on in Dublin - a banking organization, but they have named it as "Employee Awards" party, the crowd were caught all dressed to the nines having a crafty smoke outside a building when really it was a "Christmas Party" but they were all told to keep quiet and not let members of the public know!!!
They did not call it as such as to not cause an outrage when the recession is going on as a lot of companies have cut out christmas parties...sad I know...
Tom
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Just me, my wife, and our buddy Dom.
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Instead of a big blow out, they give us the week after Christmas off
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I miss having that week off! Now I get Christmas Day and New Year's Day off...that's it. Although they usually let us sneak out early on the Eves.
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Sadistic managers with the intent of supporting their 'favorites' might even make and force their scapegoats to keep scrubbing their asses on the chair even on the XMas and New Year.
There are a lot of such bad mongers at least in the part of the world.
Vasudevan Deepak Kumar
Personal Homepage
Tech Gossips
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep!
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Mark Denson wrote: they give us the week after Christmas off
 Thats day dreaming
Anyway Congretes and Enjoy 
Believe Yourself™
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The only hitch to the affair was that the bar was closed while speeches and presentations were going on. We started with over 1200 people, but by the time the bar re-opened it was down to less than 500.
Chris Meech
I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar]
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra]
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At least they had the bar open for a while before the boring stuff...
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then yes, we do. Typically someone at work will organize some kind of party and our company is willing to say it's a company party. Although, it's up to us to organize and pay for and not on company time. Sometimes, some of the management will kick in some money of their own...since we don't get any kind of Christmas bonus, special gifts, or...well...we don't get anything special.
Wait! We get Christmas eve and Christmas day off!
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The President of the company makes Ebenezer seem friendly. he tends to not make eye contact and is rarely seen among the common folk.
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Have you ever thought about changing jobs?
------------------<;,><-------------------
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Yes, except it is a stable job, I've rasied my kids as a single Dad and needed the stability. It is a job, has benifits, and pays well. That's my criteria. Now I'm older and for us, jobs are harder to find.
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Oh yes, me too, and now I'm over 50 the grass on the other side looks greener every year, but not for me. But I have one kid in Uni and the other going soon, so I am stuck here till I retire. We do complain a lot, but I've worked at much worst places. The department gets 20 Euro a head for our party, and maybe half of us turn up, so it's a good deal.
Once we all toddled along to a Christmas do, and the buffet was all spread out under plastic, so we could see it and not eat. We had to wait till all the bosses had made their speeches. After 1 hour of speeches I had to go and get my kids from the childminder. No buffet for me.
------------------<;,><-------------------
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We organise something ourselves and get £10 each towards it from the company. But it has to be a group thing.
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