Happy Holidays Versus Merry Christmas

Re: # 38
Isn`t that a generalization? Each society dwells on consumerism in its own way. It`s the same on Eid and any other occasion in everywhere in the world. I know where you are headed with your pointer. I am sorry I am not willing to blame any society. It is an individual`s preference.

Re:# 36
I hope the new year helps you in overcoming your tendency of writing flippant remarks. You do not have to be a shia to respect muharram or any other religious occasion. No one wishes anyone happy muharram. I understand you are used to playing silly pranks, but this is not funny at all.

Happy holidays!!!!!!

These goras are stupid. Why would immigrants be offended if someone said ``Merry Christmas`` to them. I guess it is their good nature of wishing everyone daily....i.e good morning, that has landed them in this situation. So now, not to offend people they say ``happy holidays``, but honestly would non Christians be offended if someone said ``Merry Christmas`` to them? I don`t think so. I guess it is upto us ``Desi`s`` to make sure that we say ``Merry Christmas`` to them and let them know that we are not offended by it....

By the way i celebrate Christmas and they say ``Happy Holiday`s`` to me too....... it is so sad......

Reading through the ``posts`` i noticed an e-mail about ``goans`` and them saying ``compliments of the season`` and something struck me..... my family moved from Goa in the early 1900`s to Karachi and to this day call themselves goans (surprises me sometimes) Anyways my uncle used to wish us ``compliments of the seasons`` instead of Merry Christmas and i as a kid thought that he wanted to be cool by say it.
Now that i realize it the Portuguese would have used it so that not to offend the Hindu`s of Goa........ thus i say ``the goars are stupid`` in being so sensitive.

Dost-mittar:
Let me explain my views one more time; you may not agree with them but here they are. America is a secular state and very proud of it. The liberals and the non-believers object to Merry Christmas on religious grounds. The businesses and other commercial establishments are under no obligation to display banners of Merry Christmas; of course they will do so if they believe they can attract more customers.
Pakistan is a religious state; its constitution is religion based. Any thing improper from religious viewpoint is blasphemous and the perpetrators may have to pay a heavy price for that. India is secular but its secularism is of a different form. Religion is not totally banished from the government affairs. So comparing America with India and Pakistan is not a fair comparison; it`s apples and oranges.
Another thing that I had written in my article to which you made a reference but many others probably overlooked, is that it is not really a problem of the immigrants. The immigrants are by and large flexible. This is the problem of the natives.
Mohammad Gill

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I think that Christians have every reason to be upset. You correctly point out that the situation has been the creation of native Americans themselves. But I would go further and say that the situation has been created by political correctness gone haywire when some liberal Americans presumed (wrongly, as you correctly point out) that non-christian sensitivities will be affected by the use of Merry X-Mas.

But why should the silent majority of Christians be not upset by stores using Holidays instead of X-Mas? The best way to understand the other person`s feelings is to put yourself in his or her shoes. How would we feel if stores in Pakistan and India were asked to replace Id or Diwali with some neutral terms because non-muslims or non-hindus would be offended?

#37 what spirit? The spirit of consumerism? The human spirit was destroyed long ago in this society.

Freethinker:

Thank you for the sweet wishes.

Hope you have a beautiful snowfall on the Xmas eve!

Take Care and enjoy the spirit!

Regards.

Gill Sahib,
I wish this were the biggest problem facing mankind today. :) Thank you for raising something that we all find very awkward every year. Christmas is a cultural even in addition to being a religious one - as are Eid, Easter, Diwali, and Holi. I find nothing wrong with saying Merry Christmas to Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Hindus. It is a fact, you can`t ignore it, it`s a good occasion, a happy occasion and I see nothing wrong in joining others in celebrating a great person`s alleged birthday. Of course, I have a problem with Pat Robertson or Jerry Fallwell telling us to do anything - even telling us to tie our shoes. :)

So, let`s stop hiding behind the superficial, pasteurized, and nonsensical ``Happy Holidays.``
Just don`t say Happy Moharram to a Shia.

Re: # 33

Why do you finger places you shouldnt........

Dont address me again....

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Re: # 30

Yes, do read Maureen Daud. Specially her latest finding, ``Are Men Necessary?`` :)

ZahraJ:
I apologise. In fact, I wanted to wish you Merry Christmas but didn`t, thinking you might take it wrong. Never mind; better late than never. And really it`s not late it is just timely.
ZahraJee, Merry Christmas and Season`s greetings.
Mohammad Gill

Whats there not to like about O` Reily..

What a Model Christian....

Such Piety, Such compassion, such all encompassing love like Jesus

Such an unabashed look in the eyes.....

One must listen to his views on the Holy box with two knobs....

One can turn one knob on and the other one off,

or there is always the twentieth century modern invention called the REMOTE Control.


Gil Sahib, Turn the damn machine off while O Reily is spewing forth his fountain of never ending widsom


Try Reading Maureen Dowd sometimes... You will have to pay for Times Select at the NY times.... but I am sure you can get it....

by the way we have heard excuses, an honest apology should take care of all the offence we may have taken...

Freethinker,

I am fine with the drift of the article. I am a little surprised that you took it to your heart. Perhaps, you should have attended a few Xmas events (in 2005) to test the waters before expressing your concerns. Don`t get me wrong, I really like O`Rielly (hawkish, brazen, and twisted). Now, I am kind of offended that you did not wish me a ``Merry Xmas`` :) That`s a killer!

ZahraJ:
The article was not inspired by my ex-colleagues; it was inspired by the discussion on TV as I mentioned in the article. People like Oreilly are making a big deal out of it. They are the ones who are complaining that the liberals and the athiets are taking Christ out of Christmas.
I mentioned in the article that I became aware only recently that they are offended (beyond belief) if they are greeted Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Wishing you a happy new year (and Season`s greetings),
Mohammad Gill