Christmas (1 Viewer)

[withoutaface]

With all this talk of non Christians despising Christmas and everyone treading on eggshells to be PC, I'm wondering what the thoughts of people of non Christian faiths (or lack thereof) thought of the celebration of Christmas.

 

[Generator]

Now to explain myself... I am unsettled by the way in which the season has been become nothing more than a commercialised cesspit of personal indulgence. Now, this isn't unsettling because it is a religious date coopted by the market, but rather I am unsettled by the way in which I am criticised by some in my family for saying that "enough is enough" or "I only want so much" or "if you going to get me something, could it please be of some use?".

Yes, I'm whinging about nothing when others actually have something to complain about, but I still consider the season to be more effort than it is worth.

 

[neo o]

I'm annoyed by the expectations of other people, not by the holiday. I don't want to receive presents from anyone, and I don't want to give them out either. I hate Valentine's day and Mother's day for similar reasons, because if I don't open my wallet, I have to put up with whinging women for at least a week or more.

 

[mr_brightside]

Whilst a nativity scene in a public place is ignorant of other religions, It doesnt overly bother or unsettle me.

Fucken christmas...

 

[Rafy]

I dont mind the celebration of chirstmas in public places by means of display of neutral, non-religious symbols and decorations (i.e stars, tinsel, trees etc), but things like nativity scenes are something for the home.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

How is it ignorant of other religions?

For every nativity scene do we now have to have an adjacent statue of Buddha, Vishnu, Allah and Shylock?

 

[Generator]

Whilst a nativity scene in a public place is ignorant of other religions, It doesnt overly bother or unsettle me.

'Ignorant of other religions'? In what way? Keep in mind that it isn't as though Chirstmas is the only occasion to be celebrated in public each year, and believe it or not, but some of the others aren't even Christian (or religious) for that matter. Who would have thought!

Edit: Though this isn't a Christian country, it is a country with a Christian majority (or at least one that identifies with Christianity), so there's nothing to be gained by demeaning public displays at Christmas time, especially when we are all free to celebrate (or not) the day as we see fit.

 

[neo o]

I dont mind the celebration of chirstmas in public places by means of display of neutral, non-religious symbols and decorations (i.e stars, tinsel, trees etc), but things like nativity scenes are something for the home.

Christmas isn't a secular holiday. Christmas is a celebration of what's depicted in a nativity scene.

 

[mr_brightside]

How is it ignorant of other religions?

For every nativity scene do we now have to have an adjacent statue of Buddha, Vishnu, Allah and Shylock?

Its only fair.

Theres no denying that Christian holidays recieve more attention.

 

[withoutaface]

Its only fair.

Theres no denying that Christian holidays recieve more attention.

That's because more people celebrate them. Do you suggest affirmative action for holidays now?

 

[Captain Gh3y]

There's no denying there's more Christians in this country than the other religions. If the proportions of say, Christians and Muslims was switched, more attention would surely be paid to say, the Fast of Ramadan than Christmas. (no offence if that's a bad example of a Muslim religious event)

 

[withoutaface]

Christmas isn't a secular holiday. Christmas is a celebration of what's depicted in a nativity scene.

It's actually a pagan holiday whose meaning got shifted by the Romans cause they couldn't erase it altogether.

 

[Xayma]

Nativity scenes I don't like. General Christmas scenes, even if they include a santa (given that the modern image is so different from the St Nicholas image), I don't mind and they add a bit of colour.

 

[Generator]

Nativity scenes I don't like. General Christmas scenes, even if they include a santa (given that the modern image is so different from the St Nicholas image), I don't mind and they add a bit of colour.

I haven't seen a nativity scene for some time, it seems. To me, public displays at Christmas time only concern the Christmas Tree and Santa Claus. That said, I too would feel quite a bit of discomfort if the focus shifted from the mainstream to the traditional, but that isn't to say that I'm entirely against the Christian message being displayed (any more than I am other days of the year being celebrated in such a public manner for whatever reason that I may not agree with).

 

[neo o]

It's actually a pagan holiday whose meaning got shifted by the Romans cause they couldn't erase it altogether.

So it has a pagan meaning to the majority of Australians today, smartarse?

 

[withoutaface]

So it has a pagan meaning to the majority of Australians today, smartarse?

I'd say to most Australians the materialist meaning is the overriding one

 

[Generator]

So it has a pagan meaning to the majority of todays Australians, smartarse?

On a serious note, I would say that it does (in a way), because I doubt that most people pay more than lip service to the christian idea of Christmas, even if they consider themselves to be christian.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

Perhaps the Pope should excommunicate the pagan idol Santa Claus, and declare all his worshippers heretics.

 

[Iron]

Baby Jesus, the loosing rival of Santa and the Coca-Cola corp, is fine in my books. Tradition, culture, church and childhood aside, there's plenty other symbolism in the nativity which the kiddy-fiddling, over-fed, ever-hungry, uber-commercial jolly old saint nic lacks. Take the sheep(herds) for example - reminder of drought-stricken rural australis? Or the property boom? (no room in the inn) The ageing population? (babies), GPS innovation by wise men? Teenage pregnancy? Arial Sharon's health scare and his now 'Stable' condition (stable, xmas - that sly dog) And surely we dont have to mention the middle-east (what's going down in Bethlehem 2005yrs later?) Why should Islam have any beef(/pork) against the birth of the prophet Jesus?
Point is that the nativity means something and sparks discussion. Id sooner accept a few casualties to heated debate than loose the whole nation to the economy.

 

[malkin86]

I remember reading in the paper recently that the more important things to Australians were family, prezzies, and food, rather than religion.

I don't mind the nativity scenes, and I tend to like them if I see them - "Jesus is the Reason for the Season!!!" annoys me, though. Too frantic and rude.