Suffer!!
When people who did not celebrate Christmas or who did not identify themselves as Christian filled out surveys about their moods while in the same room as a small Christmas tree, they reported less self-assurance and fewer positive feelings than if they hadn’t been reminded of the holiday, according to a new study.
The university students didn’t know the study was about Christmas, said study researcher Michael Schmitt, a social psychologist at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. Nonetheless, he said, the presence of the tree caused non-celebrators and non-Christians to feel subtly excluded.
Who says there is no war on Christmas? Apparently there is a war on decorations and symbols. Displaying one might not make someone feel included. Tell the NFL to stop selling jerseys too. This is ridiculous.
For those that do not like Christmas, I say just pick out an empty spot and stare at it.It is a good excuse for me to make some lasagna.
I like Christmas. You can run it as Saturnilia if you want or just an excuse to have some fun like New Years eve or you can do the Christian religious bit and attend church. Last and not least you are free to pretty much ignore it.
If you can’t deal with that you need to go live in a cave or maybe get a job as light house tender if they still need those. That way you won’t have to deal with people with other points of view very often.
There is a war being waged by your government on America’s middle class. Christmas is just more collateral damage.
You know, even a eunuch will feel sexier if while taking a survey there is a nude woman or a goat in the room.
deowll said,
“If you can’t deal with that you need to go live in a cave or maybe get a job as light house tender if they still need those.”
A job and shelter would be nice this time of year!
Gee, I never hear Christians complaining about Muslim holidays or Jewish holidays. My thought is if you do not like it. Leave the country.
Maybe they’d be more confortable with a Hanukkah bush?
“Who says there is no war on Christmas? Apparently there is a war on decorations and symbols.”
Or maybe, just maybe, people are getting tired of religious bullshit. It’s not a “war” on Christmas decorations, it’s a cultural shift away from nonsensical religious traditions in general.
This was a trend that began a long time ago. It’s the reason why the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus have taken precedence over the guy nailed to the wall. People may not want to admit it, but they’re uncomfortable with the religious underpinnings of these holidays.
I feel there is a bit of a paradox here. Chistmas trees, as well as most of the other traditions borrowed by the Roman Christians for this holiday, really have nothing to do with the celebration of Christ. It has everything to do with the ‘pagan’ traditions that came before it.
Maybe Christians should be the ones uncomfortable with Christmas trees eh? Moreover the rampant commercialism of this holiday goes against Jesus’ message of non-materialism.
Anyway, there is a trend to remove what might be considered religious aspects from advertising and shopping venues. There is a good commercial reason for doing so and it’s up to the owners of these businesses and the heads of the communities to do as such.
So far no one has been told by the government that they can’t celebrate their religion on their own private property. Nor have I heard of cops going after Christmas carollers. Most of what I have heard about this supposed war on Christmas has been from far-right republicans who want to make a big deal about nothing.
Employees forced to adhere to certain standards by saying ‘happy holiday’ is not a war on Christmas. Most employees are prohibited from being rude to customers as well – this is along the same lines of company policy.
It is a logical business decision in a multi-cultural environment such as America. The same holds true for businesses choosing to remove overtly Christian decorations. The point is to create a culturally neutral environment that all shoppers can enjoy.
Most of the time what has happened is a customer complains, the manager(GM/DM/CM/etc) takes action and changes store policy, and then Republicans feel like that businesses freedom was shat upon… because they listened to their customers.
BTW I am an atheist who celebrates and loves xmas.
I’m a strident atheist, and think that most people who believe in the giant invisible Sky Daddy are freaking idiots, however the silly season doesn’t upset me in the slightest; at least no more than naming most of the days of the week after pagan gods and stuff like that.
Wednesday was named in honor of the Norse god Odin, and this seems to bother nobody, even christians whom you’d think would hate the whole day-naming thing as there isn’t a Jehovaday.
People just need to settle the hell down and worry about things that actually matter.
nilum–of course you are an atheist. No devout person would blaspheme the way you have.
Freedom of Religion to an atheist means as you have written.
Freedom of Religion to a true believer means everyone who doesn’t observe the tradition the same way they do is in fact “attacking” their religion.
You see this all the time, the war on Christmas a good example. Don’t allow schools to force prayer on the kiddies: an attack on religion. Thats how it goes.
Freedom? Why would anyone who worships a tyrant think “that” was a good thing? Its apostasy by definition. Freedom? Hah.
Thus verily have I spoken for the ages.
The Christmas tree has nothing to do with celebrating the birth of your deity’s son…who wasn’t born on Dec 25th anyway, you realized that was changed centuries after his death to help induct Pagans who had big end of year celebrations on that date and dates around it. Same with the virgin birth. No one in the year 210 knew about that one…that was added later too. Much of the myths you think about modern Christianity were “add-ons” later as the myths had to be expanded as it entered new areas. That you can know this, know that committees of men sat around rooms arguing what the myths should be and what should or shouldn’t be included in the final “text” of the Bible…you still “believe” it?
It’s like people (and there are some) who REALLY believe in Scientology. A religion about space aliens, started by a science fiction writer who joked about starting a religion. Knowing that you think they couldn’t believe, but they do. I don’t know how people have on such blinders, but whatever.
Say Bush or Hand or by what shortened moniker do you prefer:
YOU KNOW, we are all the same and different at the same time? When you appreciate that people believe things for which there is no evidence and on which common sense would nay say, then you realize that is something people tend to do. Then you realize/admit that you/we are people too?
So the interesting question is: “What do YOU Bush the Hand believe for which there is no evidence and/or which common sense would nay say? Or, assuming you have done some thinking about it, how “close” do you get to such positions?
Fun to think about, Christmas Time or any time of the year.
Did they do this study with just Xmas trees? what about a menorah, or star of david, or any other religious symbol/icon? Did they also conduct a control study with NO religious decorations, or do it at the time of year where there’s no major holiday going on?
That said it’s like blaming guns for murder rather than the person who pulled the trigger. If they are implying blame on Christmass trees for people’s depression.
I live in a very jewish area. I have to look at cars drive by with the silly candle thing on top… (yes i actually know what it’s called) and all that reminds me of that big wall the Jews have in Palestine surrounding the largest concentration camp on the planet.
Dead trees have always made me feel sad.
I’m an agnostic.
I love xmas and xmas trees. Not because of chrisendom, but because they are just pretty, its a nice holiday for families and friends.
If its got light on it or in it, I would dig it.
Cursor_
im against the senseless slaughter of trees as 1 month decorations. but whatever.
The Yule Tree is a key part of pre-Christian Germanic traditions. For those of us who are Asatru, it is a holy religious symbol distinct and separate from Christianity.
Good Yule!!!
The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshipped evergreens. When the winter solstice arrive, they brought green date palm leaves into their homes to symbolize life’s triumph over death.
The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a fest called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. They gave coins for prosperity, pastries for happiness, and lamps to light one’s journey through life.
Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and place evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits.
Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early traditions celebrating the Winter Solstice.
I guess we should ban seasons altogether since they make people sad. :’-(
Good points #3,4,9…