“Merry Christmas” sounds just right

Joyeux Noel. Feliz Navidad. Zalig Kerstfeast. IL-Milied It-tajjeb. Merry Christmas. There I said it, and in five different languages no less. I suppose I should be looking over my shoulder know as the PC (Politically Correct) Police will probably come guns ablazin' at my insensitivity.

In the last 10 years the words Merry Christmas have become about as taboo as taboo gets. What I find offensive however is changing the phrase to Happy Holidays. Just take a look at the many “seasonal” greeting cards and their wording to get the picture. Season's Greetings just rings hollow. What season is that, winter?

We see respectful regard for faiths like Judaism and Islam, while Christianity is treated with contempt. I don't want Judaism or Islam treated with less respect. I want Christianity to be treated with as much respect. And that means respecting Christianity and its traditions.

We continue to secularize and marginalize Christian holidays, not at the behest of Jews or Muslims, but a general population that views religion as evil, and in general Christianity. I know Jews and Muslims that have wished me a genuine Merry Christmas and they don't fear those words as evil. But there is a segment of our population that is deeming this traditional greeting as unacceptable and offensive. Why?

The continued secularization of society is a disturbing trend, not because everyone should be religious, but that it has become a trend to bash those who are religious and how they express their faiths. There is nothing wrong with churchgoers, as there is nothing wrong with people who choose to never set foot in one, but there is something wrong with not being able to say Merry Christmas without someone being offended by it.

Those of us who celebrate Christmas and are feeling pinched into conforming to the PC masters of the universe should pause for thought and reflect upon what we are celebrating. We should never be afraid to wish friends and strangers alike a Merry Christmas, and if you're feeling really gregarious throw in a Happy New Year as well. Anything else would be uncivilized.

John Said can be reached at johntsaid@yahoo.ca

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