the posts that upset my relatives

[dragonyphoenix]

When I posted the accurate nativity play, double duchess said she'd been curious what posts had upset my relatives. So, in the order I'd posted them to Facebook ...

Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Oy.

Vey.


Gabrielle

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

Christmas is about the birth, the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

[the-emu.livejournal.com]

This idea that Christmas belongs to Jesus and how dare people suggest otherwise is quaintly American.

You find a little of it in Australia, but it's a tiny niche, mostly confined to talkback radio, and the rest of us roll our eyes. Christmas is public holidays, Santa, family, and eating your weight in ham (or barbecue or seafood). It's the big opening to summer holidays. Christians can enjoy it for the religious tropes; for the rest of us, that stuff's long gone.

Japan isn't Christian at all. They celebrate Christmas with decorations and KFC, no Jesus needed.

8^-

I wonder if they would find this offensive too....

[snogged.livejournal.com]

[double_dutchess]

I knew that Christmas was originally a much older holiday, but not in so much detail. A Babylonian fertility symbol -- interesting!

I can understand that not everybody cares to be reminded of these things, true as they may be.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

And here I thought the Christmas tree was a Germanic Pagan symbol!

Linus failed to mention that some Calvinists banned the celebration of Christmas because of all the Pagan ritual it entailed -- gift-giving, drinking, feasting.

None of this is to say that Christians are wrong to believe what they believe and celebrate the way they celebrate. Only that both the celebrations and the beliefs have historical parallels (one might say origins).

Personally, I find all the history and synchronicity fascinating, but I'm an atheist. :)