(December 13, 2012 at 1:41 pm)Rayaan Wrote: The Christmas bit in the OP reminded me of some Muslims who devise fatwas on why Muslims shouldn't say "Merry Christmas" to anyone. But to me, it's almost the same as saying "Happy Birthday," "Happy Mother's Day," "Happy New Year" and so on.It WAS a rip off of prior celestial pagan religions. BUT if you think, especially being a Muslim that you have the same rights(not according to the Constitution) but according to the collective mindset of even liberal Christians, you don't.
The important thing to understand is that people have different reasons for celebrating Christmas and the same applies to saying "Merry Christmas" (depending on whatever their beliefs are). Some atheists, for example, I think celebrate Christmas only as a cultural/social part of their lives, i.e. as a chance to meet each other, have parties, drink, dance, go outside, etc. That's why they are not against saying the phrase "Merry Christmas" either.
Today, Christmas is not exclusively a religious holiday although I do believe that it was originally a religious (and possibly a pagan) holiday as opposed to a cultural one.
Christians blasted Muslim Keith Ellison for swearing in on a Koran and not a bible despite "no Religious test" in the oath of office. They'll throw a fit if anything but a baby Jesus or Ten Commandments are displayed on public property and falsely cry oppression if the government says "you either let it all in or you agree to keep it neutral".
You are talking about non government expressions which I am not arguing. But you are a fool if you think you can use government as a billboard to the same degree Christians userpt the Constitution constantly. Do you really believe that "God" in the pledge or on the money is inclusive? Hell no, it was strictly done by Christians to promote Christianity, which is supposed to be banned by the First Amendment.
There certainly is a difference of motives and certainly people can celebrate Christmas without religious motives. Again, not our argument. If you think outside the words of the Constitution, that you can do equally to the same level of display on government property as Christians get away with far too much, try setting up a Ramadan display of equal size on a government lawn and watch the hypoctrites bitch about it.
