To the Pagans...Lighten Up a Little

[RobtheBarbarian]

I've NEVER seen a Ramadan or Hanukkah decoration in my life

That's because Ramadan and Hanukkah haven't been turned into consumerist free-for-alls and/or don't involve decorations to a big degree, not because there's a state-sanctioned squad of Christian Conservatives who shows up and assassinated people who do put up decorations.

my belief is that perhaps in tone with their religion Christians could and should enjoy their beliefs as just that without forcing it and the rest of us.

The reason people piss and moan is because whole movements are started with the goal of sterilizing Christmas because a couple of people are justifiably irritated by the acts of a few crazy zealots in a Wal-Mart checkout line. If your problem is with Christians who force their religion on the rest of us, what does Christmas have to do with it? I put up a wreath as a matter of habit, not it an effort to convert passersby. Stores sell trees and put of decorations because it makes them unholy amounts of money (good luck stopping THAT).

[Sharktopus]

This is a Hanukkah decoration. Observe how it doesn't require an extension cord, or play irritatingly tinny renditions of overplayed Christmas carols. The Jews may be on to something...

[RobtheBarbarian]

I'm offended by that. No one has put up Christmas decorations.




See how annoying it is?

Totally usurping the thread but who knew a movie as awful and corny as "Wicker Man" could inspire religious debate, thor worship and a discussion about PC behaviors at Christmastime/Christianity in America.

We are a bizarre group to jump from "burning a dude who impregnated some weird lady so the bees will make more honey" to "put Christ back in Christmas"

I'm all for putting the Thor back in Thursday...

[ScottotD]

The reason people piss and moan is because whole movements are started with the goal of sterilizing Christmas because a couple of people are justifiably irritated by the acts of a few crazy zealots in a Wal-Mart checkout line. 

Do you mean the ones who freak out when you say "happy holidays"?

[Sharktopus]

I swear I saw a nativity on someone's lawn last Christmastime that incorporated Santa. 

[RobtheBarbarian]

The reason people piss and moan is because whole movements are started with the goal of sterilizing Christmas because a couple of people are justifiably irritated by the acts of a few crazy zealots in a Wal-Mart checkout line. 

Do you mean the ones who freak out when you say "happy holidays"?

As much as I mean the ones who freak out when you say "merry Christmas".  

And we all know Santa lives up on his cloud with his army of multicultural children, watching down on us.

[Sharktopus]

And we all know Santa lives up on his cloud with his army of multicultural children, watching down on us.

And he's Mexican.

[RobtheBarbarian]

And we all know Santa lives up on his cloud with his army of multicultural children, watching down on us.

And he's Mexican.

And he's got Merlin on his side! 

[AmandaGal]

Stores here sell Hanukkah stuff too (in an effort to appease the loud minority of offended people) and Kwanzaa stuff.  Generally it can be found in a clearance bin at the end of the season (which is the beginning of Kwanzaa, so good for them that the stores are idiots).  Totally off the point but my niece bought Kwanzaa and Hanukkahs paper one year by accident (it was really cheap) and when she figured out what it was, she was highly embarrassed and refused to wrap any gifts in it.  I still have it in my wrapping paper bin.

There's a small section in the "Holiday" aisle though.  They sell menorahs, Hanukkah stickers and stuff.  I've never seen anyone buy any (which is why it's a small section, if it was the happening thing to buy they'd give them a bigger one) so it's not that the stores don't or won't sell them.  It's weird though because most of Jewish friends could care less.  Hanukkah isn't that huge a deal apparently, not like Christmas.

I saw a nativity that had santa tending the baby Jesus.  I was like "wow, that person is more confused about religion than I ever have been."

[Sharktopus]

THAT DEPICTION OF SANTA CLAUS CONTRADICTS MY STRICT THEOLOGY AND MUST BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY!

Santa really looks like this:

[RobtheBarbarian]

I've seen Peanuts characters, Frosty the snowman, Santa and the nativity crew all in one yard before, but not interacting in a meaningful way...

And that's a whole universe of controversy right there, pal. Blackaclaus!

[ScottotD]

See I've also never seen any non-christian 'freak out' or complain about Xmas stuff, we've just been conditioned to put up with it.  The only reaction I see is from people who get offended because it's Santa and not a nativity or because someone hasn't mentioned xmas specifically.

[Sharktopus]

Man, Swedish Santa knows how to party:

[ScottotD]

Man, Swedish Santa knows how to party:

Ho. Ho. Ho. Ho. Ho. Ho.

[Sharktopus]

I will single-handedly turn this thread from a serious discussion into a string of funny Santa pics. MWAHAHAHA!