Looknsee Photography wrote:
Every time I hear an uber-right pundit claim that there is a war on Christmas, I cringe.

...  As I write this, for the next 7 days, there are 12 Christmas themed
     prime time "specials" on the major networks (not counting the Christmas
     theme episodes of regular series).  The other religions have zero.

...  These Christmas specials often feature beloved children's characters,
     further indoctrinating our children on Christmas.

...  In my fairly-long life, Christmas has become more & more commercialized,
     with sellers of jewelry & cars in particular becoming more & more
     desperate.

Sorry -- I can't believe that there is a "War on Christmas" -- I have the right to live a Christian-free life, and I can stand to have less Christmas shoved down my throat.

Thoughts?

You're overthinking it. 

In the US Christians have a huge amount of consumer buying power and the networks gear their programming toward the fact that those Christians will buy a ton of Xmas gifts during the Holiday season.

Change the channel, things instantly stop being "shoved down your throat"

K E E L I N G wrote:
Maybe I'm weird, but I'm able to go through the xmas season happy and enjoying the fun and giving and cocktails and Santa and the music and... everything.... without thinking about religion one single time.

Santa doesn't preach nor carry a bible.

This. +1

Bill Bates wrote:
"Is There A "War On Christmas"?"

Only in the minds of the crazies at Fox News.

K E E L I N G wrote:
You're overthinking it. 

In the US Christians have a huge amount of consumer buying power and the networks gear their programming toward the fact that those Christians will buy a ton of Xmas gifts during the Holiday season.

Change the channel, things instantly stop being "shoved down your throat"

I don't mind the advertising.  I don't mind the specials.  I'm not a parent, so I don't even mind the propaganda directed towards children. 

What I find offensive is the uber-right people claiming that there is a "war against Christmas".  Seems to me that Christmas is not under attack at all.

Let There Be Light wrote:

Only in the minds of the crazies at Fox News.

QFT

K E E L I N G wrote:
Maybe I'm weird, but I'm able to go through the xmas season happy and enjoying the fun and giving and cocktails and Santa and the music and... everything.... without thinking about religion one single time.

Santa doesn't preach nor carry a bible.

Bingo!  Christmas is in your heart.  No one can take that from you.

Cait Chan wrote:
No. No there isn't.


People are still trampling eachother more than ever to get the latest electronics and toys. We have nothing to worry about

You are too young to know who David Steinberg is (I'm guessing) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Steinberg.  He was a comic--like a smart and witty version of Jay Leno.  He also directed many of the Kmart ads that had Rosie O'Donnel and Penny Marshal in them (they are all buds).  So I was working with Kmart's ad agency and in a meeting where part of it was a pre-production meeting with Steinberg (he was on the phone).  So they are discussing the Christmas ad--are they going to show the crowd waiting for the doors to open for Black Friday shopping.  He mentions the pending lawsuit Kmart is facing from the year before--trampled lady suing the store.  I commented that "It's just not the holidays without a lawsuit for being trampled."  And he laughed!  My feeble brush with greatness--making David Steinberg laugh! 

R A V E N D R I V E wrote:
I feel excluded from hanukkah, if thats what you mean

8(happy hanukkah!)

Looknsee Photography wrote:
Every time I hear an uber-right pundit claim that there is a war on Christmas, I cringe.

...  As I write this, for the next 7 days, there are 12 Christmas themed
     prime time "specials" on the major networks (not counting the Christmas
     theme episodes of regular series).  The other religions have zero.

...  These Christmas specials often feature beloved children's characters,
     further indoctrinating our children on Christmas.

...  In my fairly-long life, Christmas has become more & more commercialized,
     with sellers of jewelry & cars in particular becoming more & more
     desperate.

Sorry -- I can't believe that there is a "War on Christmas" -- I have the right to live a Christian-free life, and I can stand to have less Christmas shoved down my throat.

Thoughts?

I have no problem with celebrating mythology as long as everyone understands they are celebrating mythology, be it the Jesus myths or the Santa myths or whatever.

There's no "War on Christmas", except in the minds of those who want to prioritize their favorite mythology above all others.

Let There Be Light wrote:

Only in the minds of the crazies at Fox News.

Did you fall for the "War on Women" schlock?

Looknsee Photography wrote:
Every time I hear an uber-right pundit claim that there is a war on Christmas, I cringe.

Well... errr... the Christians waging a war against Yuletide for 2 millenia... , you know... the birth of the sun god at the winter solstice...

Good Egg Productions wrote:
What's wrong with this picture.



Winner gets an Internet cookie.

Wilma's boobs aren't big enough?

Orca Bay Images wrote:
Sometimes it seems that Christmas has declared war on us. Each year, D-Day comes earlier and earlier. Christmas advertising is now preceding Halloween. Pretty soon it'll come before July 4 and then what will the Fox nutjobs do?

I am thinking that stores will eventually have Christmas/Holiday departments year 'round (actually can't believe this hasn't happened already).

salvatori. wrote:
I don't seek to push my agenda on others, even though people that don't believe in God are just as venomous as believers when it comes to looking at the opposite side as wackos.

Except that the bolded part *is* your agenda, and you just pushed it onto others.

kickfight wrote:
Except that the bolded part *is* your agenda, and you just pushed it onto others.

So when you state your opinion in something, it is pushing it onto others? Wow, you must be a ball at parties.

I mean, I thought I was just replying to the OP.

Good Egg Productions wrote:
What's wrong with this picture.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HM28Z8nf3YE/T … nxmass.jpg

Winner gets an Internet cookie.

Nothing!

Pagan rites and winter solstice celebrations predate Christianity... 

Paige Morgan wrote:
I laugh whenever I hear that phrase. Why is it anti Christmas just to acknowledge the existence of other winter holidays, that are just as enjoyable/meaningful to those who celebrate them?


It's so much insecure ado about nothing.

This.

Good Egg Productions wrote:
What's wrong with this picture.



Winner gets an Internet cookie.

Fred as usual is forgetting about the Brontosaurus steaks and they will be burnt?

and what udor said.

Looknsee Photography wrote:
Every time I hear an uber-right pundit claim that there is a war on Christmas, I cringe.

...  As I write this, for the next 7 days, there are 12 Christmas themed
     prime time "specials" on the major networks (not counting the Christmas
     theme episodes of regular series).  The other religions have zero.

...  These Christmas specials often feature beloved children's characters,
     further indoctrinating our children on Christmas.

...  In my fairly-long life, Christmas has become more & more commercialized,
     with sellers of jewelry & cars in particular becoming more & more
     desperate.

Sorry -- I can't believe that there is a "War on Christmas" -- I have the right to live a Christian-free life, and I can stand to have less Christmas shoved down my throat.

Thoughts?

Jon Stewart tackles this very topic & hits the nail on the head.

Part 1:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-d … re-edition

Part 2:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-d … philosophy

kickfight wrote:
Except that the bolded part *is* your agenda, and you just pushed it onto others.

salvatori. wrote:
So when you state your opinion in something, it is pushing it onto others?

It is when you claim not to have an agenda, but then your opinion promotes an agenda.

salvatori. wrote:
Wow, you must be a ball at parties.

I am!

salvatori. wrote:
I mean, I thought I was just replying to the OP.

You were. And I was just replying to you. That's how this discussion thingy works.

kickfight wrote:

kickfight wrote:
Except that the bolded part *is* your agenda, and you just pushed it onto others.

salvatori. wrote:
So when you state your opinion in something, it is pushing it onto others?

It is when you claim not to have an agenda, but then your opinion promotes an agenda.

salvatori. wrote:
Wow, you must be a ball at parties.

I am!


You were. And I was just replying to you. That's how this discussion thingy works.

Don't insult my intelligence (please). Was the OP promoting his agenda when he posted this thread? That might be a good place to start.

A simple 'yes' or 'no' would suffice.

salvatori. wrote:
Don't insult my intelligence (please).

Then don't insult ours.

When people couch their comments with "I don't seek to push my agenda on others, even though...", that's a pretty clear indicator that everything that follows the words "even though" IS their agenda, being pushed onto others.

salvatori. wrote:
Was the OP promoting his agenda when he posted this thread? That might be a good place to start.

Irrelevant. This isn't about the OP.

salvatori. wrote:
A simple 'yes' or 'no' would suffice.

Yeah, nice try, but 'no' cigar.

kickfight wrote:

salvatori. wrote:
Don't insult my intelligence (please).

Then don't insult ours.

When people couch their comments with "I don't seek to push my agenda on others, even though...", that's a pretty clear indicator that everything that follows the words "even though" IS their agenda, being pushed onto others.


Irrelevant. This isn't about the OP.


Yeah, nice try, but 'no' cigar.

Maybe I am stupid, but I can't really understand a thing you are saying. If I ask you a question and you dismiss it as irrelevant, where's the 'discussion' you were talking about?