OT As Christmas Approaches...

[Zap]

Gift giving is inspired by the gifts brought to Jesus by the three kings. Gift giving is motivated by love. Each individual is responsible for their spiritual well-being regarding making gift-giving an act of love as opposed to it being an act of pure materialism. Parents have the job to nurture their children's spiritual growth.
@aaatoysandmore sorry your parents reversed priorities about the meaning of Christmas.

I,d just like to say to those who have mentioned the loneliness they are experiencing. I offer you my warm wishes for these holidays. At least, a long distance wish can warm the heart a little.

[aaatoysandmore]

One can be a Christian, and believe that Christmas is a time of celebration for the birth of Christ and still take part in buying presents, and all the "commercial stuff" that some people here seem to be getting so worked up about.

Perhaps you missed the part about selling goods in or near the you know what. I could certainly see Him getting more upset by making His birthday something for ceasar to enjoy. Some things are taken overboard. I'm not so sure He would probably like a birthday celebration but that is a human thing humans made up and I'm reasonably sure He's more concerned about "other" things in our lives than a celebration of His birthday. To me and it's my belief you can believe what you want. It's all about the commercialism and people use it as an excuse in the name of (just like they did during the Crusade period). But of course like has been all down through history they will adjust things to their ways and not His way of thinking. It always makes me think of the parable where He says "Not all that cry out My name or believe in Me shall enter." Many like to overlook that part.

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: Qwixt

I celebrate Christmas for the time off from work, as it's an official holiday. Thank you Christians for believing in a ridiculous myth (whoops...no, your religion is the one true religion, all the rest are funny myths) and the given self-importance from being in the vast majority that everyone should celebrate your religion. [:D]

I won't say no to a day off.

You are not forced to celebrate Christmas by Christians, right! By your own words you like the day off. But I guess you just like to hurl a couple of hand grenades. With your misconceptions a little mockery is ok. It appears your belief is that all religions are ridiculous myths, Why try and disguise what you really believe? By trying to shame Christians with something untrue. Your one true religion is atheism

[Gilmer]

All's I know is I don't go to the British and schit on their holidays that we don't celebrate, and I don't go to the French and schit on their holidays that we don't celebrate, or Sweden, or Norway, or Germany. And all of them are outnumbered by the rest as well.

I don't see the need to schit on our holiday just because most people in the world don't celebrate it.

But, I guess I'm weird that way.

[Aurelian]

Just for the.......... you know who....

He knows when you are sleeping.

He knows when you're on the can.

He'll hunt you down and blast your ass from here to Pakistan.

You better not breath.

You better not move.

You're better off dead I'm telling you dude.

Santa Claus is gunning you down.

The Futureama episode Xmas story.

[JWW]

ORIGINAL: Qwixt

I celebrate Christmas for the time off from work, as it's an official holiday. Thank you Christians for believing in a ridiculous myth (whoops...no, your religion is the one true religion, all the rest are funny myths) and the given self-importance from being in the vast majority that everyone should celebrate your religion. [:D]

I won't say no to a day off.

Oh, now you've done it. [:-] Merry Christmas anyway. [;)] And happy time off. [:)]

[berto]

There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,’ returned the nephew. ‘Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that- as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!

-- Ebenezer Scrooge's nephew, from Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol"

Wherever you are, whatever you believe or don't believe:

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[Twotribes]

I wonder why all these people that support Christmas are not wishing her a merry Christmas and instead attacking her?

[Qwixt]

ORIGINAL: JW

ORIGINAL: Qwixt

I celebrate Christmas for the time off from work, as it's an official holiday. Thank you Christians for believing in a ridiculous myth (whoops...no, your religion is the one true religion, all the rest are funny myths) and the given self-importance from being in the vast majority that everyone should celebrate your religion. [:D]

I won't say no to a day off.

Oh, now you've done it. [:-] Merry Christmas anyway. [;)] And happy time off. [:)]

Merry Christmas!!

[Aurelian]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

I wonder why all these people that support Christmas are not wishing her a merry Christmas and instead attacking her?

Here's your first clue:

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

I don't really like the blasted holiday to be honest.

A. it's not his real birthday, thus making it a scam event.
B. it's commercialized to death.
C. more of this planet is NOT Christian than Christian and as such, it's again, a pointless event.

[JWW]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

I wonder why all these people that support Christmas are not wishing her a merry Christmas and instead attacking her?

Basically her insulting, condescending tone, i.e., "Sometimes I seriously wonder how some of you can even manage to accomplish any real measure of potential for challenge as an opponent with such lack luster capacity to reason out a comment." And all this in indirect response to the original post, which was a very simple personal comment. She threw a grenade into the thread. She was just rude for no apparent reason. It even got me involved, and I very rarely get involved in these type threads.

[Twotribes]

So as a christian one is not taught to love the sinner, not the sin? Does Jesus teach to hate or love? Does her opinion somehow stop you from believing in the Christmas spirit? What is worse, an unbeliever not believing or a believer resorting to hate and disdain?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

So as a christian one is not taught to love the sinner, not the sin? Does Jesus teach to hate or love? Does her opinion somehow stop you from believing in the Christmas spirit? What is worse, an unbeliever not believing or a believer resorting to hate and disdain?

Warspite1

Firstly I see no hatred toward her.

Secondly, while she is fully entitled to air her opinion, she must expect a suitable reaction when that opinion is to rubbish someone's faith. No, whichever way you slice it, however few Christians there may be on the planet, Christmas is NOT a pointless, scam event to them.

[aaatoysandmore]

One other thing that comes to mind. How many of you put on your christmas presents to your children or others. Merry Christmas from Christ? How many of you put Merry Christmas from Santa Claus? How many of you put Merry Christmas from yourself? Just a thought. [:'(]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

One other thing that comes to mind. How many of you put on your christmas presents to your children or others. Merry Christmas from Christ? How many of you put Merry Christmas from Santa Claus? How many of you put Merry Christmas from yourself? Just a thought. [:'(]

warspite1

From Christ? Why would anyone do that? The presents are brought by Santa to those children that have been good - the gift tags say from mum and dad or sister or nan or whatever. My little Warspite's never questioned the anomaly - by the time they were able to work out the difference they had stopped believing in Father Christmas anyway.

[JWW]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

So as a christian one is not taught to love the sinner, not the sin? Does Jesus teach to hate or love? Does her opinion somehow stop you from believing in the Christmas spirit? What is worse, an unbeliever not believing or a believer resorting to hate and disdain?

With respect, confronting rude behavior has nothing to do with hate. And my problem with her comments is that they were just mean-spirited, rude, and inappropriate. She can believe what she wants to believe.

Edit: I could add a couple of good things from Proverbs here, not directed at you:

Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

[Twotribes]

And I stand by the statement that while she may have been rude the proper response was to politely disagree and wish her a merry Christmas.Or perhaps a happy Holidays since she doesn't believe.

I do not like Christmas time I do not like the winter season at all. Doesn't mean one should forget the Christmas season's purpose.

[aaatoysandmore]

I dare say one of the 7 deadly sins is revisited every year at Christmas. Gluttony is alive an well that day. [:D]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

And I stand by the statement that while she may have been rude the proper response was to politely disagree and wish her a merry Christmas.Or perhaps a happy Holidays since she doesn't believe.

I do not like Christmas time I do not like the winter season at all. Doesn't mean one should forget the Christmas season's purpose.

Warspite1

I don't think the responses have been impolite. Its been an adult, strong debate.

Choosing not to believe? No problem. Rubbishing an entire faith? You going to expect to get picked up on.

Anyway I do wish all General Discussion forumites a Merry Christmas (whatever that may mean to them personally) and a happy New Year.

[Zap]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

So as a christian one is not taught to love the sinner, not the sin? Does Jesus teach to hate or love? Does her opinion somehow stop you from believing in the Christmas spirit? What is worse, an unbeliever not believing or a believer resorting to hate and disdain?

Her misconceptions were spouted out as facts and meant to offend. simply, pointing out those misconceptions how do you conceive that as hate? The concept that loving your neighbor means a Christian can't call out someone being mean-spirited. Or spewing out misconceptions in an obvious attempt to offend, is simply, well misinformed.