They say confession is good for the soul - - I ripped into a woman about

[Nikepallas]

The Merry Christmas v. Happy holiday issue.


I was talking some cards to the post office to mail them out and well dropped one of them. A lady picked up the card for me and I went to thank her. She was smiling then she saw Happy Holidays I had written on the envelops. Her smile changed to a glare very quickly.


"This is Christ's birthday! You should be writing Merry Christmas".

"I'm sorry you feel that way Ma'am, but I do have several friends who celebrate various ceremonies during this time of year".

This is Christmas they stoled it from us and now they are trying to take it away from us completely!"

"No, ma'am, that is not true either. If truth be told Christmas - - date was basically stolen from those you know as Pagans they actually were Romans who still at the time believed in The various Roman Gods. Once Constantine converted to Christianity he wanted all Romans to do so. One way the catholic church was able to do so was to find a way to replace the Romans biggest celebration in honor of the Roman God of Drink (I had forgotten the name then and for the life of me I have a block on it now) and so catholics basically said: 'Yes, guess what we have a celebration like your festivals'. "

"You're nothing but a heathen and you will burn in hell!" She ripped the card in half and threw it on the ground walking away from me.

This is when I really lost it and screamed: "If believing that bullshit you just spouted at me makes me a candidate for hell then by all means I cannot wait to go their because ANYTHING would be better than this world where people cannot show any sort of Christmas spirit by respecting other peoples beliefs and traditions. Christians were not the first to come up with a "Christmas" (used the hand quotas) celebrations and it will not be the last to re-invent the yule celebrations!"

I know it was wrong of me but I am just tired of this whole FAUX created mess! People need to realize that the best way to Show holiday or "Christmas" spirit as Jesus would have would be to respect all holidays and not make it a we vs. them attitude.

I have Jewish friends who absolutely love A Christmas Carol and It's a wonderful Life. I have a Muslim friend who absolutely adores The Bishop's Wife. Those of you who remember my friend's holiday celebration that I wrote about.

[LisaM]

1. Saturnalia?

BTW, GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

P.S. did she rip up YOUR card?

[sniffa]

2. you shouLda had her arrested

for destroying your property.

i beLieve you were aLso entitLed to knock out some of her teeth

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. Next time:

Goad the idiot into taking a poke at you, take the hit, then have her arrested. That way you get to put another thug behind bars, for verily, a thug is all she is.

[libertypirate]

4. Any religion that leaves no room for others beliefs is not...

a religion; it's a fucking cult.

[frictionlessO]

15. Hell fuckin' Yeah!! I spend a lot of time saying the same thing... nt

[Phillycat]

5. "They stoled it"?

She sounds like a real brain trust. :eyes:

[kmla]

6. Actually, didn't she break a few federal laws there?

By destroying other people's mail?

I think a few days in the pokey for committing a felony would be in line....

What an insufferable bitch!

[Deja Q]

18. I second that!! And it's all on camera too.

Go for it. Sock it to her.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

7. Good for you for standing up for yourself

and all your friends who were not there to defend themselves. However, I have a bone to pick with you: never apologize for standing up to a hateful bully, even if you feel you "lost it." You did the right thing and were severely provoked, period. If you had just played the meek liberal, then you should be ashamed. We have to fight these people with the weapons they understand, which means all of us will have to keep going through scenes like this or be thought of as weak and cowardly by our adversaries. So, give yourself a big pat on the back. You deserve it. And I hope the rest of your holidays lack this sort of BS. BTW, thank you for honoring my favorite goddess with your name. She's a harsh, demanding, but very rewarding taskmistress.
:yourock:

[Nikepallas]

8. She did ripe up the card she had picked up for me but I couldn't have

her arrested. She was elderly woman who was probably set in her ways and easily influenced. I honestly felt like I was talking to O'smelley...(o'Riley)

The card I can replace the sad part is her ideas cannot be changed. Not that I want everyone to believe as I do BUT I honestly believe that the Superior power (whatever his, her, its name may be) does not care about what people call him or if they follow this book or that book. If you look at the various religions in the world I believe the truth of this superior power is that you respect each others differences and love them for it. (No their is a difference between fundies of any sort who believe if you don't believe as I do you die and those who are devout)

[skygazer]

9. How is someone else's celebration

affecting HER enjoyment of the holiday? I've never understood this. Why does your saying "happy holidays" rather than "merry christmas" affect her in any way?

Isn't the spirit of a holiday something that comes from within, from a person's personal belief? Why is it suddenly dependent upon everyone else behaving the same way and celebrating the same way?

Does she expect people to wish her a Happy Hanukkah or a Joyous Ramadan? Why is it only Christian holidays that we're all supposed to celebrate? Does the fact that grocery checkers don't automatically say "Happy Hanukkah" make the holiday any less meaningful for Jews?

What is wrong with these people and what kind of Christian spirit is it to destoy someone else's property and call them names?

[Radical Activist]

10. Good for you

People with that attitude are bigots and they should be confronted.

[CatBoreal]

11. Good Grief....

such a Christian example. Jesus must just be beaming with pride at the likes of his modern disciples.

Good for you standing up to that old biddie.

[warrens]

12. Fuck. Her.

Stupid fundie morons.

[redqueen]

13. Good for you

I'm sick of these idiot christians thinking Christmas is theirs. They stole it ! stupid stupidheads!

:grr:

[Liberalynn]

14. This is Really Sad

It is "Christian's" like this woman who turned me against the relgion and have moved me closer to atheism as the years go by.

The thing that strikes me though is how "un-Christian" like these people are in their actions.

It's funny that all the parables, the Beatitudes, pslams etc give lesssons of peace, charity, understanding, non-judgementalness, etc but so many people who claim to be so pious do the exact opposite.

I mean that was one of the reasons why I left the Catholic Church, they'd tell us these things in one breath and then act completely opposite themselves in the next breath.

A couple of more liberal minded priests along the way have reminded me of the whole free will concept and Jesus and God, can't be blamed for the actions of humans. Maybe that's true and I do know myself that there are equally wonderful Christians who do try to practice what they preach, but in the end I just haven't been able to cope with the contracdictions and hypocrisy. It's just safer to stay a non-affiliated agnostic leaning towards atheism.

I think you did the right thing though in standing up for your own beliefs and for tolerance. She was the one who was wrong. Sorry your card got wrecked.

[arwalden]

16. I Don't Believe This Story.

Seriously.

I mean it.

I do not believe this story.

[ScreamingMeemie]

17. Where do these people come from? I've never had an altercation like

that in my life. It's too crazy to believe.

[arwalden]

19. These Sound Like Complete FICTION To Me

They are likely exaggerations of something that MIGHT have happened to the story teller. There might have been a grain of truth to the premise of the story, but the over-the-top plots and details just don't pass my smell test.

[RogueTrooper]

20. Sol Ivicitus - The Sun God

Constatine worshipped the sun God Sol Ivicitus ( A form of personality based monothiesm ). In that religion the most holy day was the 25th of December and Sunday was the traditional day of worship. This religion is also probably where the divinity of Christ came from as well.

You are right in that Christianity adapted to the climate and moved the birth of Christ from the 6th of January ( the twelve days of Christmas ) and the day of religous observance from Saturday to Sunday.

Contstine, through the Council of Nicea, was also repsonsible for the detruction of the other main strand of Christianity that went through Egypt and followed the trade routes up through Portugal, Ireland and Scotland. This form of Christianity was a monastic based religion that believed Christ to be a man rather than an incarnation of God.