I used to rant more on this site. Something would irk me, and I'd ramble on here sharing my two cents with the world. It felt good getting it out there and I'm not sure why I stopped ranting so much. I think things just stopped bugging me.
This, my friends, will be an opinionated rant. It's not a clean point, that is to say, it's a reaction to an overreaction. There will be some dots to connect, so don't even bother reading this until you've had your morning coffee.
When I was young, this was Christmas. It was "Merry Christmas" everywhere. Most Torontonians were Christian and celebrated Christmas, so we called Christmas trees what they were and had Christmas parties and Christmas gatherings. We celebrated the season named for the birth of Jesus Christ.
At some point, this became politically incorrect. After all, those of the Jewish faith don't celebrate Christmas, and many new Canadians aren't Christian and don't celebrate the birth of Christ. The word Christmas was weeded out of the public sphere. It became "Seasons Greetings" and "Happy Holidays". "Merry Christmas" stopped appearing in ads for fear of alienating and offending non-Christians. This is how it's been for some time now.
I'm sensing a growing voice from those who feel the pendulum has swung too far in this regard. I sensed this in comments left on this entry I wrote yesterday. Those who celebrate Christmas don't like "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays". They want "Merry Christmas", after all, it is Christmas and the majority of Canadians are Christian. As anonymous just wrote on that entry:
I am so sick of this political correctness! This time of year, the tree represents the wilderness that Mary and Joseph were in, the gifts represent the gifts from the Wisemen etc… this is all about Christmas. The direct translation is Christ’s Mass. Christ the Christian/Catholic leader and the Mass is a celebration of his life. Why do we Christians have to shut-up and give up the true meaning/name. Why do we have to transform and be made to change or be beaten down for the name of our celebration. We do not ask that of any other religious group and we sit back and take it in the name of correctness, and that is just plain wrong. No one seems to have a problem with taking the time off that companies offer in the name of Christmas, or if they work making double or triple time. So if someone wishes you a Merry Christmas that is a blessing not a slap in the face. I see no problem with the card or the message it was from their heart and their belief's and that is what matters, it's not a message that is being forced down anyone throat it's a wonderful shared gift.
I am so sick of people who are sick of political correctness. I'm not the most religious guy, but I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools all of my life. I even went to St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto. I'm also totally comfortable with the removal of "Christ" from the public sphere. I don't need to hear "Merry Christmas" in governmental communique, at public school recitals or at company parties. I'm totally fine with "Seasons Greetings" and "Happy Holidays".
If you have an issue with this new wave of political correctness craziness, learn to live with it. When you send cards to your friends, you can say "Merry Christmas". When you have a party at your home, you can call it a Christmas party. If you're surrounded by secular holiday greetings understand that it's not all about you. It's about us, and we don't all believe what you believe.
Let's keep religion where it belongs, in our homes and hearts. Outside of our homes and hearts, let's not only be cool with the absence of Christ, let's demand it.
