Christmas is everywhere with lightings, decorations and all (and yes, shopping). Merry Christmas! Or should it be said Happy Holidays?
Those guys who are unhappy with God and religion being present in people's life, have come up with a bright idea: instead of greeting each other with Merry Christmas (which should be the most normal rational way of greeting over Christmas) people have to say a neutral greeting just to be politically correct.
An apple is an apple no matter what you call it. What makes an apple an apple is its unique delicious taste and pleasant fragrance. If you refer to it in a neutral way like fruit or call it whatever else just because you don't like the name or feel allergic to its taste or flavor, it will still remain an apple.
True, in this country, religion and state have been separated to preserve freedom of religion and belief for every individual and to prevent politics from playing with religion (and have they succeeded BTW?); but what makes Christmas a holiday widely celebrated everywhere all over centuries is remembrance of the person said to be born on this night and not just because it's merely a holiday (actually, Jesus Christ has not been born on Dec 25, but that's another story).
Let's accept that statesmen should avoid religious talk so that all people could feel their religious freedom been protected (and this could violate freedom of expression for the persons who happen to be in office in a secular government system and for the people who've elected them). But why should such practices find their way into people's daily life and even into church? Even as a Muslim, I find it absurd to make people get used to greet each other in such a tasteless way. I was greeted with Happy Holidays twice in churches on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (and trivially I replied on both occasions with Merry Christmas).
Speaking of Christmas, I've continued with my field work as a Sociologist (or Anthropologist? the line is blurring over recent decades) observing festivities at various churches. I just have to find some time and access to Internet to write more about all the interesting things I've observed yesterday, last night and today.
Merry Christmas!
Those guys who are unhappy with God and religion being present in people's life, have come up with a bright idea: instead of greeting each other with Merry Christmas (which should be the most normal rational way of greeting over Christmas) people have to say a neutral greeting just to be politically correct.
An apple is an apple no matter what you call it. What makes an apple an apple is its unique delicious taste and pleasant fragrance. If you refer to it in a neutral way like fruit or call it whatever else just because you don't like the name or feel allergic to its taste or flavor, it will still remain an apple.
True, in this country, religion and state have been separated to preserve freedom of religion and belief for every individual and to prevent politics from playing with religion (and have they succeeded BTW?); but what makes Christmas a holiday widely celebrated everywhere all over centuries is remembrance of the person said to be born on this night and not just because it's merely a holiday (actually, Jesus Christ has not been born on Dec 25, but that's another story).
Let's accept that statesmen should avoid religious talk so that all people could feel their religious freedom been protected (and this could violate freedom of expression for the persons who happen to be in office in a secular government system and for the people who've elected them). But why should such practices find their way into people's daily life and even into church? Even as a Muslim, I find it absurd to make people get used to greet each other in such a tasteless way. I was greeted with Happy Holidays twice in churches on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (and trivially I replied on both occasions with Merry Christmas).
Speaking of Christmas, I've continued with my field work as a Sociologist (or Anthropologist? the line is blurring over recent decades) observing festivities at various churches. I just have to find some time and access to Internet to write more about all the interesting things I've observed yesterday, last night and today.
Merry Christmas!
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