Yes cultural assimilation is a good thing. When in Rome ...
There's no reason why you can't celebrate both your own cultural holidays and the primary ones. If I lived in Beijing I wouldn't turn my back on Chinese New Year just because I'd still want to celebrate our New Year.
Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer
You don't see how it is wrong to celebrate a holiday for people whose identity is by and large based on a religious background that is incompatible with christianity? I think the most positive take you can have of Jesus from a Jewish point of view is somewhere between a fantast and a heretic. You can't rationalize away Jesus from Christmas by pointing at the fact that pre-christian customs were coopted into it; the essence is that those things are now percieved as belonging to Christmas and no longer to the worship of Donar or the like. The reason why it's not such a big deal for a muslim (in general) is that Jesus is considered an important prophet, his mother is considered a special woman and celebrating his birth is just a tiny bit on the iffy side, but not so much now that even the birth of Mohammed isn't ignored any longer.
Being in Rome doesn't mean you have to become a polytheist.
Congratulations America
^^ What he said.
No that's not true. SOME link Xmas to Christ but by no means do all do so. There is zero obligation at Christmas time to go to Church. At Christmas I will: put up a tree, decorate it with tinsel and fairy lights, take time off work, buy cards and presents, see friends and family, eat mince pies and have big dinners. I won't: go to Church. That is far from unusual so where is the religion in any of that? Its only Christian if you choose to let it be.
No Randblade, it is STILL a christian holiday. In 100 years from today you might be right, but as things stand today, it's christian. You are merely tinkering in its margins, like my family is. And the reason why we do that is that it's inside our comfort zone. For a lot of Jewish people it's well outside of their comfort zone. As I can testify from personal experience, not for all Jews.
Congratulations America
No its not JUST a Christian holiday - no matter its disputed origins, it is also a national public holiday. In the UK it and Boxing Day are both Public Holidays, in the USA Christmas IS a Federal Public Holiday: http://www.opm.gov/Operating_Status_...edhol/2012.asp
Some may celebrate religion, but its still a national Public Holiday that has entirely secular celebrations around it as well as the religious ones. You may be over-sensitive and refuse to observe it, but that'd be like me going to the USA and refusing to observe Fourth of July. Or Khen going and being upset by Veterans Day.
Thanks for confirming you can't read. It explains a lot about your lack of understanding.
Congratulations America
Thank you for confirming you've lost the argument and can't think of any factual replies.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote