And so it begins...again!

The yearly battle about whether to say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays". It is not even Halloween yet!

The Gap has said that they will not say "Merry Christmas" and the Religious Right already has their panties in a bunch. LOL

So why is this so important to the Religious Right? Why does it matter so much that companies want to be inclusive rather than exclusive?

Christmas did not begin as a Christian holiday. It's origins are pagan. Early American Christians actually did not observe Christmas because it was pagan and the Puritans thought it was just a show of fleshly lusts (the gifts, overeating, and other revelry).

I will acknowledge that most Christians these days accept Christmas as the celebration of Christ's birth, but will also add that much of the celebration has little to do with true Christian charity.

We must face the fact that there are many other holidays around Christmastime. Kwanzaa, Hannukkah, Winter Solstice, etc. And that America has a population that is mixed.

By making such a stink about this causes Christians to seem desperate and reactionary. Wish people "Merry Christmas" if you want, but don't be childish and get upset when a business makes a business decision (and I could go on about the ethics of a business using a religious holiday for profits). This griping sounds like my kids when one wants to play one game and the other doesn't and a fight ensues over something that DOES NOT MATTER in the grand scheme of things.

I posted about a similar topic last year.

Why do we let what the world does, or does not do, have such an impact? Why get so upset about something so trivial? How can saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" be construed as "War on Christmas"? Why would you want companies, whose sole aim is to profit from the holidays, to use Christmas, ostensibly Christ's birthday, for purely secular means? Why would you want Christ's birth associated with such frivolity?

I may add/change this later but for now, that's all I have! :D