So, once again we have the War on Christmas, sponsored by Fox News. So, howlers, is there a war on Christmas? Have you felt protective of it? Do you feel under assault every year when the Big Day rolls around?
Somehow I think that Fox News is just stirring up the folks again.
Where’s John McCain on this? He needs to set up a committee!!
and Kim Kardashian too !
@middleman,
Only if he has someone to blame!
I usually do not watch these entire clips, but this one was pretty funny.
Nevertheless, Jon Stewart is confusing the religious and the secular, economic aspects of Christmas. The secular, economic aspects are indeed expanding, such as the “takeover” of Thanksgiving that he so colorfully described. The religious aspects are increasingly being suppressed as cities/states deny more requests for Nativity scenes and other religious displays that have historically been allowed on the public square.
Why can’t the religious displays be on church property? I don’t think the state/town/jurisdiction should be promoting religion unless they are the vatican.
On the other hand, I don’t go nuts over Christmas trees or carols. Mangers can just stay on church property.
Do you have some examples? I guess I think there are jerks on both sides. I just get tired of Fox News’s incessant whining about this issue.
I think most christians (I mean generic, not people who exclusively think they are christians and no one else is) are so infused with Christmas icons that it is hard to sort out what is religious and what isn.t.
Obviously candy canes, wreaths and reindeer are secular. Mangers, stars, and Baby Jesus are religious. What about camels and sheep? The gifts of the magi? The Magi? Shepherds? Angels? Some of these icons fall in a gray area.
I don’t give a rat’s ass if someone says Merry Christmas to me or not. If they do, they do. If they don’t, they don’t. Seasons Greetings doesn’t offend me at all.
In order for Fox News to stop confusing John Stewart, maybe they should characterize their war as one waged on Christian rites or festivals rather than Christmas. The Christmas holiday has been more and more about Santa Claus, elves, sales, fruitcake and Christmas trees since the 1950’s.
Christian rites and festival? You mean….like CHRISTmas? 😉
Fruitcake!!!! LOVE IT! No, no, not to eat but your comment.
@BSinVA
@Cargosquid
Whence come the words “Yule” and the French “Noel”,
German “Weinachten”, Norse “Jul”
What I don’t get is why people have such a problem with this issue. Fox news aside, the concept is simple: we have Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Mormons, Hindus, Agnostics, Buddhists, and many more in America, and our country was founded on welcoming them all. They don’t all celebrate Christmas as I do, so having Christmas decorations in government buildings create a feeling that Christianity is the official religion of the U.S. government, and this worries those not of that religion. If you remember, one of the major reasons that our forefathers (aka “the framers”) fled Europe was that England, Italy, etc. had a state religion that controlled the government, and if you weren’t part of that religion, you were persecuted. We have freedom of religion AND freedom FROM religion in America. That’s what freedom is all about.
I think children can enjoy the secular side of Christmas in school without it infringing upon rights. sing a few Rudolphs, have a few cupcakes, etc.
@middleman
AMEN!
War on Christmas, charity, and an example of Constitutional ignorance.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/20262865/lawsuit-threat-cancels-christmas-concert
All it takes is one complaint. The courts would be the deciders.
Here is no war on Christman, despite what Fox News says.