RE: Link

Frank, as an atheist I have one thing to say to you. "Merry Christmas"

Jews, among many other of the worlds religions do not celebrate Christmas. "Happy Holidays" will suffice. Don't be so reactionary.

You could just wish them a merry Festivus instead.

Really, what does it matter. I see this same argument every year. It's stupid. If a Jew comes to me and wishes me a Happy Hanukkah, I'm not going to be offended. Seriously folks, grow up. It seems the same ones who say Christians should be tolerant of other beliefs are the same ones who aren't tolerant when it comes to a Christian's beliefs. Merry Christmas!

Where in the Constitution does it say you have the right to not be offended? I am offended by all those that GETS offended because I decided to celebrate Christmas. I am a business owner and the stats tells me that there are about 70%-90% Christians in this nation. I would bet that is higher in this area. So who do I want to offend? The Christians or non-Christians? MY chances of having more business would be to keep the Christians from being offended. If I can only have the % of Non-Christians doing business with me I would have enough work to keep me busy for a lifetime.

I may even for a moment consider changing it to Happy Holidays(Consider, not) if all the other religions change there names as well. Why is it always the Christians that has to Give something up?

So Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.

Schnauzer1, Tell us which is your business! The fact is that businesses can decide wheather to say "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", or what ever they want. No one is telling you what to say. I have not heard of one person calling for a boycott of "Christian" businesses. I HAVE heard about "Christians" calling for boycotts of LOTS of businesses who decide to use the term "Happy Holidays". Mind your own business and come down off the cross - we need the wood.

quote:

Originally posted by meanasasnake:
Schnauzer1, Tell us which is your business! The fact is that businesses can decide wheather to say "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", or what ever they want. No one is telling you what to say. I have not heard of one person calling for a boycott of "Christian" businesses. I HAVE heard about "Christians" calling for boycotts of LOTS of businesses who decide to use the term "Happy Holidays". Mind your own business and come down off the cross - we need the wood.

I have a Service Business not a store front. I never said they are calling for a boycott, but if I do business with someone that offends me do you think I would go back? Would you?

quote:

Originally posted by Schnauzer1:

quote:

Originally posted by meanasasnake:
Schnauzer1, Tell us which is your business! The fact is that businesses can decide wheather to say "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", or what ever they want. No one is telling you what to say. I have not heard of one person calling for a boycott of "Christian" businesses. I HAVE heard about "Christians" calling for boycotts of LOTS of businesses who decide to use the term "Happy Holidays". Mind your own business and come down off the cross - we need the wood.

I have a Service Business not a store front. I never said they are calling for a boycott, but if I do business with someone that offends me do you think I would go back? Would you?

You offend me. Perhaps I would not go back to you for "service". Since many retail stores nationwide are owned and run by Jews, I would say they are certainly within their rights to say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas". GROW UP - stop being so spritually immature. It does not matter which religion is in the majority now does it? What IF Christians were in the minority here? You would be singing a different tune. There is such a thing as the "tyranny of the majority" - and its wrong. That is not what freedom means.

Who gives a s*it? It's all about money anyway.

quote:

That is not what freedom means.

What about the freedom of the workers that are told that they can't practice their beliefs and say Merry Christmas?

Don't they have freedom of speech? I don't think it is right for a employer to tell their workers what they can say. I don't have a problem with a worker saying Happy Holidays if it is their choice...but when I do go to a Business that a employee says Happy Holiday, I ask them if that is their choice or their employers'. If the Employers is forcing them to say that then I will no longer do business with that business. Walmart was one of those businesses that did that several years back and all my Christmas shopping was done elsewhere.
My Choice.

Sometimes trying NOT to offend someone offends others.

Well, I have to say as long as the employee is at work, regardless of the job, the employer is the boss. Just because the employer won't let the employee say Merry Christmas does not mean he is infringing on the freedom of that person's religion. Ultimately, it comes down to the bottom line for the employer. I believe these businesses have been driven to this by intolerance from both sides. Do I agree with the decision for people not to be able to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever? No. But I can't be picking apart every decision a business makes and letting that dictate where I get my toilet paper. Merry Christmas!

quote:

Originally posted by outspokenjerk:
Well, I have to say as long as the employee is at work, regardless of the job, the employer is the boss. Just because the employer won't let the employee say Merry Christmas does not mean he is infringing on the freedom of that person's religion. Ultimately, it comes down to the bottom line for the employer. I believe these businesses have been driven to this by intolerance from both sides. Do I agree with the decision for people not to be able to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever? No. But I can't be picking apart every decision a business makes and letting that dictate where I get my toilet paper. Merry Christmas!

So lets get this straight...I have 3 employees, 2 christians and one that practices the Jewish Faith(which we have many discussions about). So as the Employer(BOSS) I have the right to tell him he can't say Happy Hanukkah? I feel that he has the right to say what ever he feels is appropriate.

Maybe it's just easier to say Happy Holidays since the stores start their holiday displays in like October now. It would sound pretty dumb saying Merry Christmas in early November or whatever. But beyond that, freedom of speech doesn't apply absolutely when you're working for someone else. Employers can always tell the employees what to say ("would you like fries and a drink with that?") No one would say some of that stuff without being told. Same with the "Happy Holidays" stuff. While I think it's being overly paranoid and PC, if the boss says so, that's just the way it is.

As of July, 2007 the estimated population of the United States was 301,139,947. I believe the chances of someone being offended by anything is extremely high.

I agree that Christmas is a legal United States holiday and until that changes then so be it. That fact is similar to Boxing Day in the United Kingdom. It is a legal holiday.

As to work, I agree that an employer can influence what you can and cannot say. But I am not sure they can totally prevent you from saying "Merry Christmas" unless they deal with the public and can prove it would hurt their business. I am not a legal person and don't know how that would work in court. But there are cases, such as using vulgar language, where they could be hurt in court if they didn't prevent you from using vulgar language. Last I checked "merry" and "Christmas" do not fall into the vulgar list.

In that same respect people of other religions are free to wish whatever they please. I don't think it could be stopped unless it was considered vulgar in our secular law.

In my opinion Christmas has become way too commercial. Christians should celebrate Christ's birth and in that respect I feel like helping people in need is one good way to celebrate. There are many ways to celebrate Christ's birth and help people without commercialism.

If you aren't Christian, why not take the time to simply celebrate family and what you have? It won't hurt you. And in the end you can simply say "Happy Holidays." But if I come up and say, "Merry Christmas" know that I am sharing some of the love that I have been given over the years. It is simply my way of expressing my hope for humanity.