[davemdsn]

The Bible says something about not trashing catalogs using the word holiday instead of Christmas?
stewart

Actually that is the entire message of the New Testament. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Turn the other cheek. The good Samaritan. Let he who is without guilt cast the first stone. Judge not lest ye be judged. The whole book is full of reasons why we should not attack people for not sharing our beliefs. Be kind to all, not just those who look/act/talk like you.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
-- Mahatma Gandhi

[stewart_photo]

Actually that is the entire message of the New Testament. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Turn the other cheek. The good Samaritan. Let he who is without guilt cast the first stone. Judge not lest ye be judged. The whole book is full of reasons why we should not attack people for not sharing our beliefs. Be kind to all, not just those who look/act/talk like you. (snip)

Perhaps I'm missing something, but it seems a really big stretch to relate all that to store catalogs. Trashing a catalog does not attack people for not sharing similar beliefs. Instead, replacing the word Christmas with the word holiday seems far more like an attack by those not sharing Christian beliefs. Christians might have to "turn the other cheek" to that, but I darn sure don't have to. I like Christmas, including it's religious connotations.

Again, Christmas is an official United States holiday, with many having a reasonable expectation for it to be called by it's own name. As a veteran and citizen of United States, I certainly would be personally offended if others stopped using the words veteran or independence, as they relate to Veterans Day or Independance Day, simply because those words offend some who care for neither (and there are apparently plenty of those). Therefore, I can very easily see why Christians might be offended by similar efforts towards the word Christmas.

stewart

[davemdsn]

Stewart, you are correct, the bible says nothing about store catalogs. It does say how people should act, which is what I was referring to. I did not find the way this particular person handled their frustration to be in keeping with a Christlike attitude. It is my opinion and I am entitled to it. You may recall from one of my earlier posts that I am a supporter of calling it Christmas, not Holiday, so we are on the same side.

[OniFactor]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but it seems a really big stretch to relate all that to store catalogs. Trashing a catalog does not attack people for not sharing similar beliefs. Instead, replacing the word Christmas with the word holiday seems far more like an attack by those not sharing Christian beliefs. Christians might have to "turn the other cheek" to that, but I darn sure don't have to. I like Christmas, including it's religious connotations.

Again, Christmas is an official United States holiday, with many having a reasonable expectation for it to be called by it's own name. As a veteran and citizen of United States, I certainly would be personally offended if others stopped using the words veteran or independence, as they relate to Veterans Day or Independance Day, simply because those words offend some who care for neither (and there are apparently plenty of those). Therefore, I can very easily see why Christians might be offended by similar efforts towards the word Christmas.

stewart

well, we better stop calling it the fourth of july, that's just damn rude, i guess.

the entire point is, is that this time of year is shared as holidays by many religions, what's wrong with, instead of saying each PC greeting, why not lump them all together?

[xandy]

Aparigraha

I do believe we could if we were given a freedom to do so, and not be told how.

Merry Christmas

andy

[daacon]

This Link otta cover it (warning music will start playing)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all

[betsypdx]

Me? I'm offended by the fact that he's trashing his catalogs rather than recycling them. To each his (or her) own.

[bdavis]

Betsy, I agree with you on the recycling bit!

I do believe we could if we were given a freedom to do so, and not be told how.

Merry Christmas

andy

Could do what, Andy?

COEXIST? Or seek to reduce our personal possessiveness and grasping? It isn't difficult, just hard to maintain willpower and persistence, if thats the case. And you aren't ever given freedom.

Happy Hanukkah.

[xandy]

Betsy, I agree with you on the recycling bit!




Could do what, Andy?

COEXIST? Or seek to reduce our personal possessiveness and grasping? It isn't difficult, just hard to maintain willpower and persistence, if thats the case. And you aren't ever given freedom.

Happy Hanukkah.

Happy Hanukkah Beth

Your comment is a great advice for our governments however we are short to remind them that they are given the power from people.

Take care

andy

[stewart_photo]

Well, I'm going to drop all this for now. As a true skeptic, I could ask if this concept of "coexistence" only applies to the North America and Europe since I don't see great efforts to throw open borders around the rest of the world to immigrants from either North America or Europe. I could also question whether anyone has actually asked immigrants if they want coexistence, especially given entire continents are already heavily dominated by the various races (Hispanics in South America, Blacks in Africa, and so on throughout Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere) now flooding into North America and Europe. Finally, I could ask those formally dominating North America and Europe where they plan to go if coexistence isn't the end result. However, all these questions are perhaps out of place in a photography forum, with any responses more likely filled with grandiose rhetoric than throughtful consideration, so I'll simply move on instead.

stewart

[bdavis]

Religion is somewhat tied to nationality, I suppose, but I wasn't referring to that or any governments with my image. Andy, (and you too, Stewart) you don't make any sense, but I guess if you didn't understand what I was referring to...

Every letter in the image I posted up above is a symbol representing a system of thought:
The crescent and star for Islam; the pentagram for Wicca; the relativity formula for science; the star of David for Judaism; the Karma Wheel dotting the i for Buddhism; the Tao symbol for Taoism; the cross for Chrisitianity. COEXIST is a peaceful concept illustrating that all of these systems of thought can and should coexist equally. The original negativity in this thread, including the posted video, was the impetuous for my post, and my post ought to be considered an admonition to some of you.

Further, Aparigraha is a Jain concept of non-grasping, and eliminating possessiveness from our lives. Everyone has the freedom to do that.
I simply added it to my original message because I didn't have enough characters with my and attachment.


And I'm not actually Jewish, but I thought it made more sense express that sentiment considering that it's actually Hanukkah right now, not Christmas. Thanks for the in-kind sentiment.

[xandy]

Religion is somewhat tied to nationality, I suppose, but I wasn't referring to that or any governments with my image. Andy, (and you too, Stewart) you don't make any sense, but I guess if you didn't understand what I was referring to...

Every letter in the image I posted up above is a symbol representing a system of thought:
The crescent and star for Islam; the pentagram for Wicca; the relativity formula for science; the star of David for Judaism; the Karma Wheel dotting the i for Buddhism; the Tao symbol for Taoism; the cross for Chrisitianity. COEXIST is a peaceful concept illustrating that all of these systems of thought can and should coexist equally. The original negativity in this thread, including the posted video, was the impetuous for my post, and my post ought to be considered an admonition to some of you.

Further, Aparigraha is a Jain concept of non-grasping, and eliminating possessiveness from our lives. Everyone has the freedom to do that.
I simply added it to my original message because I didn't have enough characters with my and attachment.


And I'm not actually Jewish, but I thought it made more sense express that sentiment considering that it's actually Hanukkah right now, not Christmas. Thanks for the in-kind sentiment.

Dear Beth, it seems to me that you assuming too much ;-)
I'm not interested in Aparigraha. In North America possession is 9/10 of the law. I already work for a half of a coin ;-) thanks to my gov. When it comes to my freedom I can celebrate Season Holidays but Christmas. I'm sorry it does not make sense to you. Sentiment is genuine.

Take care

andy

[stewart_photo]

(snip) Andy, (and you too, Stewart) you don't make any sense, but I guess if you didn't understand what I was referring to... (snip)

I'll post once more to solely clarify this one issue. I wasn't addressing you specifically, Beth. A lot of things have been mentioned since the start of this thread, including religion, store catalogs, nationality, governments, official holidays, consumerism, coexistance, personal possessiveness, freedom, and more. Further, your comment about "personal possessiveness" certainly seemed to imply more than just the holidays, and the coexistence you seek will certainly require widespread acceptance of immigration (from present appearances, evidently endless immigration). Therefore, I simply took your mention of coexistance (and that of several others) and applied it to the wider issues of immigration and nationality.

stewart

[maxamillion]

Stewert_Photo.

My sentiments exactly. By the way I also am not big on any religion. I do however believe in traditions and the spirit of the Christmas Holiday.

The following is a response I got from a major retailer rep, after I asked where the Christmas Greetings were in their stores. She states they are in their stores. (Not where I live.)

Rg.

Answer as follows.

Thank you for contacting us to share your views concerning the importance
of using the holiday greeting, Merry Christmas. Unfortunately, there is a
great deal of misinformation circulating regarding our practices in wishing
our customers "Merry Christmas." Please allow me to explain our
policy.

It is important that our stores reflect the diversity of our customers,
associates and society. This is true throughout the year, including the
December holidays. We always want every customer and associate to feel
welcomed and appreciated.

As a result, we use a variety of greetings in our stores and advertising
materials during December, including Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy
Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays. We have
not and do not intend to ban any of these greetings, including Merry
Christmas.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond. Please accept our
wishes for a happy and peaceful Christmas season.

My answer as follows.

Thanks for your response.

Only one problem. I have not seen any of these greetings in your stores.
Please advise where the CHRISTMAS ones are hidden.
I asked where they were located in the stores and was informed, "Oh you have to go over to the nursery section where the trees are"
We went over there and even the CHRISTMAS TREES are not marked as CHRISTMAS TREES !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tradition in the USA is the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY and it is MASSIVE. It far out does any other celebration at this time of the year. If it were not for the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY and you had to rely on the other celebrations for your bottom line at this time of the year, your stores and all the others would be in big trouble to say the least.

Problem is you want it both ways.

It's all a bunch of political BS created by liberals and the ACLU. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for going along with this garbage.

Most of the public are sick and tired of it, not only do we have to put up with going into most stores and not being able to find anything made in the USA, we are also made to feel like we are foreigners in our own land, unable to feel we can even have one of the two most traditional holidays in the USA.

There is no CHRISTMAS SPIRIT in any of the large stores anymore, it has been taken away by liberals and scared management.

I will no longer shop in any of your stores. In future I will go to the little stores where they don't run scared stiff and still celebrate CHRISTMAS with the zest of the past.

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS. (Not Holiday)
A VERY HAPPY HANUKKAH
A VERY HAPPY KWANZAA (A huge holiday, invented about 70 years ago !!!!)

Please remember, we don't buy Holiday gifts to go under the CHRISTMAS TREE, we buy CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Also remember, it is only the minority out there that gives a damn about diversity in your stores.

The Department Stores are upsetting the MAJORITY.

[OniFactor]

once again to flamebait..

you know that Christmas is when it is, to 'cover up' (read: to sate the masses christianic needs, whilst the empire still liked their pre-existing system) a pagan holiday.