Best not go spouting that holiday definition stuff around British atheists; "holiday" means vacation to them, and I knew the origin of "X" in "Xmas".....
That's why I said what I did about the part you have trouble understanding: "not all of us go off on the deep end when "holiday" or "Xmas" is used" ;
did you not understand that? Or is it you just strive on being offensive?
I didn't say you "went off the deep end." I asked why "holiday" and "xmas" offends you. It obviously does or you wouldn't have said you dislike them due to their meanings. So why do two words related to your religion offend you?
Ombudsman wrote: "I asked why "holiday" and "xmas" offends you. It obviously does or you wouldn't have said you dislike them due to their meanings. So why do two words related to your religion offend you?"
I bet you've never been accused of being hard-headed.
Dude.....I said I DIDN'T LIKE THEM, as in using them in my speech. I didn't say I was offended by them. doh!
Okay so why do you "dislike" the words holiday and xmas "due to their meanings"? What is it about their meanings that you dislike so much that you choose not to use them?
Mr.B wrote: "There's many of us who dislike the use of the word "holiday" in lieu of Christmas, due to the meaning of the word....."
That went over your head, didn't it? I meant due to the meaning of "Christmas"....
"Christmas (Old English meaning "Christ's Mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ"
One more time then I'll give up and assume you just didn't know the meaning of the words and are now backpedaling, rather poorly. Why do you dislike the words "holiday" and "xmas"?
Ombudsman wrote:One more time then I'll give up and assume you just didn't know the meaning of the words and are now backpedaling, rather poorly. Why do you dislike the words "holiday" and "xmas"?
Let me guess. For Mr.B, the most important day during the holiday season is Christmas, and to him it is a religious holiday. The origin of the "X" is what it is, but it is unlikely that many using it know that, thus just creating an abbreviation that, intentionally or not, "takes Christ out of Christmas. Im guessing that Mr.B doesnt go around yelling at people for their holiday greetings, but prefers what is important to him.
On the other hand, those who really do see a "war on Christmas" should find lumps of coal in their stockings.
Ombudsman wrote: "One more time then I'll give up and assume you just didn't know the meaning of the words and are now backpedaling, rather poorly. Why do you dislike the words "holiday" and "xmas"? "
OK Oms...you win. I don't know the meaning of the words. BTW....
"Let me guess. For Mr.B, the most important day during the holiday season is Christmas, and to him it is a religious holiday. The origin of the "X" is what it is, but it is unlikely that many using it know that, thus just creating an abbreviation that, intentionally or not, "takes Christ out of Christmas. Im guessing that Mr.B doesnt go around yelling at people for their holiday greetings, but prefers what is important to him."
Good guess...thank you. It just needed a lawyer to pick that one apart.
I prefer using "Christmas" instead of "Xmas", although Oms is correct in the origin of "Xmas"; to some, it's the "holiday" season; to me it's the
"Christmas season". Non-Christians generally use the terms "Xmas" and "holiday" (as in "holiday tree") to rankle the die-hard fundamentalists who tend
to go off about leaving Christ out of Christmas.
As long as I keep Christ in my Christmas, I don't worry about what others say.
Oh, and btw....my son always knew there was no "Santa Claus", but he didn't go spouting off about it at school to ruin Christmas for other kids.
Mr.B wrote: "There's many of us who dislike the use of the word "holiday" in lieu of Christmas, due to the meaning of the word....."
That went over your head, didn't it? I meant due to the meaning of "Christmas"....
"Christmas (Old English meaning "Christ's Mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ"
So.....?
Take Christ and Christianity out of the picture entirely, and you have a December 25th day of feasting and celebration which emphasized peace and goodwill to all (Saturnalia). Also celebrated - thanks to pre-Christian traditions - with Christmas trees, Santa Claus, reindeer-drawn sleds, stockings hung over the fireplace, mistletoe and gift-giving.
For non-Christians it's only the currently popular NAME of the celebration that we get from Christianity. And yet somehow it's the name that volatile Christians get upset about when we don't use it.
Mr.B wrote:Non-Christians generally use the terms "Xmas" and "holiday" (as in "holiday tree") to rankle the die-hard fundamentalists who tend
to go off about leaving Christ out of Christmas.
Only a moron would be offended enough to be rankled by either one. I don't think it's those using the terms who are doing the rankling.
Ombudsman wrote: "Only a moron would be offended enough to be rankled by either one. I don't think it's those using the terms who are doing the rankling."
I guess you're right. But then, only a moron would keep harping on the matter. I don't blame you though; I can see you're just having fun.
