faith and self-expression

Avatar for stormflower
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2005
faith and self-expression
10
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 12:01pm

The commercialism of Christmas doesn't bother me. It's the paganism of it. Something that has become particularly noticeable this year, is all the flack people get for putting up nativity sets in their yards, or the local government who have displayed nativity sets for years starts coming under fire.

I've been getting this lately, from my dh of all people, don't put out religious cards because it offends people. Where do you start drawing the line? It offends ME not being able to express my faith by putting out religious cards, or not being able to admire the beautiful nativity sets I used to see around. I'm certainly not going to force my beliefs on other people, but it does offend me when non-believers force their beliefs on me, by not allowing me or other people to express their faith.

I remember having some friends in school of the jewish faith, and their parents welcomed getting any sort of greeting, and responded in kind with Happy Hanukkah. Just because they celebrated a different holiday, didn't mean that they didn't believe in god.

The people who trying to get that beautiful Hymn 'Silent Night' changed, and all of a sudden, Christmas vacation is now Winter Break. That's just so sad to me!

so Merry Christmas everyone! and God bless.

Sarah

Avatar for heartsandroses2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 3:09pm

This has been a heated discussion on another board I post at and I agree with your sentiment. I am no longer Christian, but I was raised Catholic and as such the nativity scene was always a part of our holiday season.

Personally, I wish everyone could put thier personal gripes about 'other' religions aside and simply recognize the beauty in which each religion expresses it's faith in God, Goddess, Higher Power, Yule, whatever. The bottom line for me is that all these lovely religions and traditions equal unity, faith, love, hope, and the belief that our common ground is life; to celebrate new life.

Everyone is so bent on making sure we're all politically correct all the time that I think something gets lost.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 4:10pm

"The paganism of it"???

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 7:17pm

Storm, this may come as surprise, but not everyone is Christian.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 12:09pm
Bravo!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-27-2005
Mon, 12-19-2005 - 7:28am

from a lurker to the world:

Avatar for stormflower
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2005
Mon, 12-19-2005 - 8:14am

I very much agree with you that the Holiday season has blended alot of different faiths and religions. I'm extremely respectful of that, and I certainly understand that not everyone is a Christian. But many people choose to keep Christmas as a holy holiday regardless of their faith. I just feel that people are getting too picky and offended by anything that relates either for or opposite of their faith, regardless of what they celebrate. I love the beauty of a Menorah as much as I love the beauty of a nativity scene.

One of my most treasured christmas memories is when I celebrated Hanukkah with the Jewish family that I worked for as a nanny. It made kind of a blah Christmas very special. I really admired their and their community's dedication to their faith.

Their community put up a Menorah on the other side of the lawn from a beautiful nativitiy scene set up outside their city hall.

I apologize if my previous post has offended anybody. Actually I don't belong to any particular church, although I am of the Mormon faith. I just like seeing all the different faith's putting up their beautiful decorations, and it's hard to see them getting flack for it because it offends some group or organization. I don't believe that's burying my head in sand as a part of church myth. It goes against the opposite actually. Which is why I don't belong to any particular self-proclaimed church. I think alot of people feel the same way as I do.

I do however love the old Christmas carols, as well as Hanukkah songs and it's sad when somebody has to object to them being used in some program somewhere, so they change to lyrics to become more generic, instead of doing the obvious and include songs from Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. I would love it if my son came home from school singing a Kwanzaa song, because I'd like him to realise that the Holidays aren't just about Santa Claus and Walmart.

Happy Holidays
Sarah

Avatar for stormflower
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2005
Mon, 12-19-2005 - 8:36am

Thanks for your post!

Actually he can be a real pain sometimes. It's not like I'm including the koran/torah/bible/book of mormon with my Christmas cards or interested or trying to convert anyone to my faith or anyone else's for that matter. He's just the opposite of what you experienced. We've received lots of cards already this year, and I don't mind the religious ones at all. I just thank the receiver and that's it, but he just gets absolutely irate.

I would never send a card out loaded with scripture verses or references, but I don't see the problem with a card that has a cute little Angel on it, saying Happy Holidays on it and Joy to the World . He does! Nor do I have a problem with getting a Hanukkah card. I'm just happy that somebody's remembered me at Holiday time. But I do count my blessings, he's a wonderful dh.

thanks again for your post! I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season.

Sarah

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 12-19-2005 - 12:21pm
I apologize as well, for being grumpy.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Mon, 12-19-2005 - 2:18pm

Thank you for the clarification, Sarah.


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-23-2003
Tue, 12-20-2005 - 7:42am
Although I would probably end a prayer with "in Jesus's name", many will say words of their faith, not to insult, but out of habit.