I am sure you know the constroversy over stores not letting employees say "Merry Christmas" because it is considered religious. They are suppose to say "Happy Holiday's" instead. I am sure there are a lot of people who still say 'Merry Christmas' whether they are an employee or just a customer. I didn't go into this Christmas season with the thought that these stores had changed their policies and sort of expected it this year.
However, what I didn't expect was a conversation I overheard recently between a few people. These weren't employees of a store, just friends having a conversation. They weren't debating whether they should say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holiday's". They were stating why they choose NOT to say "Merry Christmas".
The overall consensus was that they didn't want to say "Merry Christmas" because it could be offensive to people they don't know. They said they'd rather say "Happy Holiday's" so as not to offend anyone they may come in contact with at the grocery store, the mall, the street, on the phone, etc.
How ridiculous is this? They aren't being told by anyone, like an employer, that they can't say "Merry Christmas"... they are telling themselves that the "right" thing to do is to not say it as to not offend anyone...and some of these people were Christians! Wow. I was a little annoyed at the stores making this policy, but someone actually grasping that concept for their personal and every day life? Geesh...
I doubt Jesus was worried about offending people. I doubt He would be the least bit considerate about whether you celebrated Kwanza, Hanukka, or nothing at all. I think He would be more concerned about whether or not we really knew the true meaning of Christmas.
So.... in order to incompass all those around me, I have come up with my own saying for this holiday season: Merry ChristmasKwanzaHanukka. . . (oh, and if you're atheist I apologize for the whole statement, but I don't take it back because everything is relative anyways.)
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