R
RubyT
Guest
Are you trying to imply that saying your sorry to a Jewish person for a well wishing blunder is apologizing for your religious beliefs?
- Status
R
RubyT
Guest
:tiphat: Say that three times real fast
S
survive
Guest
Isn’t it?
L
Lainey63
Guest
I’ve said this before on another post. Where I work we have many different faiths…but many times if I know someone is Jewish I have said Happy Holidays…and they responded Merry Christmas! 
I guess I work in the nice part of town.
I guess I work in the nice part of town.
C
ChristIsLord
Guest
who cares christ wasn’t born on december 25th anyway, the holiday is so secular there’s almost nothing christian about it anymore. you may as well get offended by someone wishing you a happy 4th of july at this point.
i had a muslim friend wish me a happy eid and i didn’t care, he said i am a muslim i just haven’t reverted yet. i didn’t care, i thought it was meant to be a friendly gesture.
i had a muslim friend wish me a happy eid and i didn’t care, he said i am a muslim i just haven’t reverted yet. i didn’t care, i thought it was meant to be a friendly gesture.
R
RubyT
Guest
Good point. :tiphat:
I rarely encounter a Jewish person who is offended. I think they are intelligent people who know that Christians are all for helping Israel. We share a common bond in this regard.
I personally have sent more to Jewish charities this year than any other charities. I have Jewish friends, Muslim friends and even an Israelite friend. By loving all people I send my message of Loving Christ too.
R
RubyT
Guest
Not at all. It’s apologizing for the blunder. Not your beliefs.Isn’t it?
How do you extrapolate that?
S
survive
Guest
There would be no reason to apologize, as a statement of my beliefs is a part of my purpose on earth rather than a blunder. If someone wants to imagine some unkindness in a statement of kindness for the sole reason that it si also a statement of my beliefs, isn’t it the other person who is actually being hostile and blundering?Not at all. It’s apologizing for the blunder. Not your beliefs.
How do you extrapolate that?
“Merry Christmas” is short for “I’m a Christian, it’s around Christmas time, that is important to me and I wish you well.”
C
ChristIsLord
Guest
this is a bit off topic but this is a very recent phenomenom and primarily an evangelical one. for most of the churches history they pretty much treated the jews pretty badly, no reason to rehash it all here. and today the catholic church is anything but a supporter of zionist israel, there is nothing in catholic theology requiring the creation of an israeli state like it is in evangelical theology and eschatology.
that said i think in todays day and age it’s pretty presumptuous to say “merry christmas” to strangers you have no idea if they’re hindu, christian, buddhist, atheist, muslim etc…
F
fixacarman
Guest
Personally, I prefer Merry Christmas. I’m tired of all the PC BS! I’ll even shop at stores that have “Merry Christmas” signs and avoid ones with “Happy Holidays”
B
bpcatholic
Guest
- Gentle correction…Christmas is not a day but a liturgical season that lasts until January.
- What do Buddhists celebrate this time of year anyway?
R
RubyT
Guest
My apologies for being off topic.
Although I am a RC I never mentioned the CC. I wasn’t specifically talking about the Catholic Church. I said Christians not the CC. I was talking about Christians in general today which yes would include evangelical theology. I am not talking about the history of the CC. Who said anything about zionist Israel? However: The church in following Jesus teachings has always promoted love. Love thy neighbor. If I choose to support suffering Jews it is my prerogative. I never said I was supporting zionist Israel. I have also given a significant amount of funds to the CC.
If you disagree with my statement that “most Jewish folks today believe that christians are all for Israel” why don’t you just say so. I could be wrong as I don’t know their hearts. However, it has been my personal experience with the Jewish people that I meet.
C
Chris_LaRock
Guest
If someone is offended by ‘merry Christmas’, I think that shows some level of bigotry on their part.
R
RubyT
Guest
I see your point and I don’t totally disagree. Here my perspective.There would be no reason to apologize, as a statement of my beliefs is a part of my purpose on earth rather than a blunder. If someone wants to imagine some unkindness in a statement of kindness for the sole reason that it si also a statement of my beliefs, isn’t it the other person who is actually being hostile and blundering?
“Merry Christmas” is short for “I’m a Christian, it’s around Christmas time, that is important to me and I wish you well.”
When you say Merry Christmas to a Jewish person you have already proclaimed your faith. They don’t celebrate Christmas and it is already after the the fact that you let them know you are Christian (by saying Merry Christmas). You apologize for assuming they are also Christian. So then, you have proclaimed your faith and acknowledged you understand they are not Christian.
The apology is simply for the misunderstanding. It is, in no way, denying your faith. You don’t compromise your sole reason for being on earth whatsoever. Its called being polite. As a matter of fact you are being a kind witness for the faith by your politeness and showing that you are not self righteous. Thats my take on it, in a nutshell a smug attitude isn’t much of a positive witness for the faith. Witnessing for the faith is important is it not?
Enough said.
Anyway, see you around the forum.Wishing you well also and have a Very Merry Christmas.
Hallelujah Christ is Born.
K
kalt
Guest
But is it really a blunder? What difference does it make if the person celebrates the holiday? Wishing someone a Merry Anything isn’t a social blunder.
It’s not like we’re wishing someone a Happy Birthday when it’s not their birthday. But even that isn’t a social blunder worthy of an apology. The person would just say, “Thank-you, but it’s not my birthday.” The other person would say, “Oh, I’m mistaken then. Well, have a Good Day!”
Why would an apology be expected.
In the Xmas case, it’s not the person’s personal event that you’re talking about. It’s an event that is happening, even if that person doesn’t celebrate or believe in it.
If you don’t celebrate your birthday, but someone wishes you a Happy Birthday, would you say. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t celebrate birthdays.” Wouldn’t that be rude? I’m sure if you said it rudely enough, it would elicite an apology. But the birthday boy would be the one who owed the apology.
Since when is good manners considered rude, and rude, pay-attention-to-me behavior condisered the default setting.
No one should apologize for wishing someone a Merry Anything, unless that person knows that the particular person doesn’t want to be wished anything.
This reminds me of the hospital that decided not to play Brahms’ Lullaby when a baby is born, because it was insensitive to others who either lost a baby or who are their having a hysterectomy before they could have a baby.
Again, since when is forcing the entire world to acknowledge your sadness the default setting. Maybe most of you are a lot younger than I, but it wasn’t that long ago that people were expected to keep their personal problems to themselves and to politely celebrate the good fortune of others. Now it’s not considered rude at all to divulge all kinds of personal things in public and to expect that others should be forced to acknowledge these things. And not just that, but that since you are unhappy, people who’ve had a happy event happen to them should be stopped from expressing that joy.
I guess I sound like an old fogey, but what in the world has happened to manners?
Again, since when does someone who expresses well-wishes to another owe the other an apology because he’s doesn’t feel like hearing it? Good gief, Charlie Brown.
V
Valke2
Guest
I think this issue gets a lot more attention in the media than in the real world.
Merry Christmas.
Kalt
K
kalt
Guest
Emily Post may have a different take on this, but since when is it not rude to reject well-wishe–in any way, no matter how mild?
Is, “Thank-you, but I don’t celebrate Christmas.” a polite repsonse?
Is after hearing “Merry Christmas” really the time to declare your opinion on the holiday? If it’s coming from someone you work with and don’t know well, wouldn’t it be more polite to accept and return the good wishes, and then to somehow let the person know that you’re not Christian at some other time of year?
When someone is being nice to you, it’s not polite to be anything but nice back. It’s not polite to make someone uncomfortable who has just warmly extended good wishes to you.
I’m uncomfortable when people wish me a happy birthday. So what am I supposed to do? Let them know that their kindness isn’t appretiated? Sure. Why not? How dare they assume that everyone would want to be remembered on their birthday? Maybe some people hate birthdays. That’s how it would work if we follow the pattern.
I think people mistakenly believe that “Merry Christmas” is a personal matter. They seem to put it in the same category as comments on someone’s weight loss or some other personal comment that would be rude coming from someone who doesn’t know for sure that you want it to be acknowledged, or from someone who isn’t a very close friend or relative. (We all know that it’s considered rude to comment on other people’s bodies, even when we think it’s a compliment–I hope. )
In cases when you’re uncomfortable with good wishes that someone extends to you, their intention is really what counts. And it’s your intention in responding that counts.
Holiday wishes are returned, not corrected.
Is, “Thank-you, but I don’t celebrate Christmas.” a polite repsonse?
Is after hearing “Merry Christmas” really the time to declare your opinion on the holiday? If it’s coming from someone you work with and don’t know well, wouldn’t it be more polite to accept and return the good wishes, and then to somehow let the person know that you’re not Christian at some other time of year?
When someone is being nice to you, it’s not polite to be anything but nice back. It’s not polite to make someone uncomfortable who has just warmly extended good wishes to you.
I’m uncomfortable when people wish me a happy birthday. So what am I supposed to do? Let them know that their kindness isn’t appretiated? Sure. Why not? How dare they assume that everyone would want to be remembered on their birthday? Maybe some people hate birthdays. That’s how it would work if we follow the pattern.
I think people mistakenly believe that “Merry Christmas” is a personal matter. They seem to put it in the same category as comments on someone’s weight loss or some other personal comment that would be rude coming from someone who doesn’t know for sure that you want it to be acknowledged, or from someone who isn’t a very close friend or relative. (We all know that it’s considered rude to comment on other people’s bodies, even when we think it’s a compliment–I hope.
)In cases when you’re uncomfortable with good wishes that someone extends to you, their intention is really what counts. And it’s your intention in responding that counts.
Holiday wishes are returned, not corrected.
I see your point and I don’t totally disagree. Here my perspective.
When you say Merry Christmas to a Jewish person you have already proclaimed your faith. They don’t celebrate Christmas and it is already after the the fact that you let them know you are Christian (by saying Merry Christmas). You apologize for assuming they are also Christian. So then, you have proclaimed your faith and acknowledged you understand they are not Christian.
The apology is simply for the misunderstanding. It is, in no way, denying your faith. You don’t compromise your sole reason for being on earth whatsoever. Its called being polite. As a matter of fact you are being a kind witness for the faith by your politeness and showing that you are not self righteous. Thats my take on it, in a nutshell a smug attitude isn’t much of a positive witness for the faith. Witnessing for the faith is important is it not?
Enough said.
Anyway, see you around the forum.Wishing you well also and have a Very Merry Christmas.
K
kalt
Guest
V
Valke2
Guest
K
kalt
Guest
It was just a fun story that I added–not meant to prove that I see it in public. While you posted this, I was already correcting the post, because I realized it looked like story was meant to support the earlier statement.
Your post sounded angry.
Even if my story was meant to illustrate my point, and didn’t, is it worth getting angry?
If I had posted that story because I thought it supported my statement, I hope that you would cut me a little slack and not pounce on me for a simple, not-all-all-important error.
Your post sounded angry.
Even if my story was meant to illustrate my point, and didn’t, is it worth getting angry?
If I had posted that story because I thought it supported my statement, I hope that you would cut me a little slack and not pounce on me for a simple, not-all-all-important error.
- Status