Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays

[Benjamin]

So, when did Christmas trees suddenly become holiday trees? I was born in the 70's and NEVER heard of a holiday tree until a few years ago. Same thing with Christmas gifts, Christmas decorations, and Christmas break at school. Somewhere along the line, recently, these have been changed to holiday trees, holiday gifts, holiday decorations, and winter break. Why?

You already answered your own question as to the "how about the when":

...it is our job to stand up for what we believe in instead of wimping out and letting the liberals walk all over us!

But to further address the “why?” to which we have been instructed and warned:

2Tim 4:2-5:

What: (V2) Preach the word… (Jesus Christ coming into the world and why, the thought, the topic, the reasoning and motive, give the account)

How: be instant… (stand upon “it, [the what]” literally- “friendly or otherwise as in an assault, to be at hand and present it”)

When: in season… (“opportunely-when convenient”; during Christmas celebration is a great example of “in season”)

When: out of season… (inopportunely, out of season too)

How: reprove… (to confute, admonish; convict, convince, tell a fault)

How: rebuke… (censure and admonish anything otherwise, forbid it and lay the charge, tax it) …see anything here about being politically correct???

How: exhort… (to call “it” near, invite “it” in, invoke “this it”, desire “this it”) …desire being politically correct? NO, desire to give an account by openly admonishing anything otherwise at ALL times.

How: with all longsuffering… (ALL forms of forbearance and fortitude) …and doctrine. (including as you have just been instructed and taught)

(V3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;…(HMM) but after their own lusts… (the lust of being accepted by others who hate the Truth) shall heap to themselves teachers,… (those of a liberal attitude who stress political correctness in the world regardless of what we have just been told in V2, Romans 12:2) having itching ears,… (an audience willing to back away from V2)

(V4) Who: and they shall turn away their ears from the truth… (those who desire more to be politically correct) and be turned unto fables. (for the purpose to spread an idea of pacifism in order to be politically correct as that is their first desire, to follow the teachings of the world.)

(V5) But watch thou in all things… (a warning about all this to the faithful in the Word) do the work of the evangelist… (we were just told how to do this but some strive turn these instructions into fables and will teach otherwise) make full proof of thy ministry. (I will; meaning to reprove, rebuke, exhort, in season and out, I will preach the word whether opportunely or not as I have been instructed, because THAT is my foremost desire, Amen.)

 

[abcgrad94]

I thought it was a rhetorical question on your on your part, since you've already decided the answer.

I just wanted to see if you had a different answer, because if not, it would seem to prove there is a deliberate attack on Christmas.

 

[abcgrad94]

What: (V2) Preach the word… (Jesus Christ coming into the world and why, the thought, the topic, the reasoning and motive, give the account)

How: rebuke… (censure and admonish anything otherwise, forbid it and lay the charge, tax it) …see anything here about being politically correct???

How: exhort… (to call “it” near, invite “it” in, invoke “this it”, desire “this it”) …desire being politically correct? NO, desire to give an account by openly admonishing anything otherwise at ALL times.

(V3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;…(HMM) but after their own lusts… (the lust of being accepted by others who hate the Truth) shall heap to themselves teachers,… (those of a liberal attitude who stress political correctness in the world regardless of what we have just been told in V2, Romans 12:2) having itching ears,… (an audience willing to back away from V2)

(V4) Who: and they shall turn away their ears from the truth… (those who desire more to be politically correct) and be turned unto fables. (for the purpose to spread an idea of pacifism in order to be politically correct as that is their first desire, to follow the teachings of the world.)
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AMEN, brother!

 

[Thinkingstuff]

I say in the loudest yelling voice I can muster. "Holidays?!!!!!? You got to be out of your mind Pagan!!!!!! Call it what it is!!!!! Say it!!!! Say it!!!!! Say it!!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!! Don't make me come over and lay the smack down on you!!!!! Don't think the inquisitions are over and we'll start with your little pagan self!!!!! Say it!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!!!"

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I say in the loudest yelling voice I can muster. "Holidays?!!!!!? You got to be out of your mind Pagan!!!!!! Call it what it is!!!!! Say it!!!! Say it!!!!! Say it!!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!! Don't make me come over and lay the smack down on you!!!!! Don't think the inquisitions are over and we'll start with your little pagan self!!!!! Say it!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!!!"

I agree. I amnow convinced that we should fully expect the world to conform to our rituals.

 

[Benjamin]

I say in the loudest yelling voice I can muster. "Holidays?!!!!!? You got to be out of your mind Pagan!!!!!! Call it what it is!!!!! Say it!!!! Say it!!!!! Say it!!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!! Don't make me come over and lay the smack down on you!!!!! Don't think the inquisitions are over and we'll start with your little pagan self!!!!! Say it!!!! CHRISTMAS!!!!!"

Not to exclude 2Tim 4:

Colossians 4:5-6
(5) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
(6) Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

James 3:13-15
(13) Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
(14) But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
(15) This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

 

[Jim1999]

Christmas you say! I say it is Friday, and this year it is a holiday everywhere. So, have a happy holiday! Oh, and Saturday is Boxing Day! Remember to reward your servants as is the custom on Boxing Day!

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Baptist4life]

All of you that can't see that society is trying to take Christ completely out of the picture, with this latest PC "holiday tree, holiday school break, holiday celebration" are just blind.
Go ahead and let them take Christ totally out of your lives, slowly, one little thing at a time, and stand there in a few years, scratching your heads and wondering what happened.

 

[Johnv]

Christ has never been in Christmas, at least not the Americanized season that runs from November through January.

Christ has been out of the picture of Christmas ever since Christmas has been a secular season. If we want to put Christ back in Christmas, we need to take it out of the shopping malls. We can't have it both ways. We most certainly can't claim that Christ is being removed when he was never there. Frankly, when we make this complaint, we look like buffoons.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

All of you that can't see that society is trying to take Christ completely out of the picture, with this latest PC "holiday tree, holiday school break, holiday celebration" are just blind.
Go ahead and let them take Christ totally out of your lives, slowly, one little thing at a time, and stand there in a few years, scratching your heads and wondering what happened.

They won't take Christ out of my life - I don't depend on them for my relationship with Him.

 

[Jim1999]

Christmas[2] or Christmas Day[3][4] is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.[5][6] The date of commemoration is not known to be Jesus' actual birthday, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either a historical Roman festival[7] or the winter solstice.[8] Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.[9]

Just a reminder at how modern Christmas is, and the fact it is a manufactured holiday.

Maybe if we remove Coca-Cola from the shelves we could eliminate Santa Claus!

Cheers,

Jim.oh, and Happy Christmas to one and all and to all a good night!

 

[Benjamin]

For those of you who are trying to deny the Christmas holiday as “in season” as addressed in 2Tim 4:2, I find that just disturbing, but not surprising as per the rest of the passage (verses 3-5).

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

For those of you who are trying to deny the Christmas holiday as “in season” as addressed in 2Tim 4:2, I find that just disturbing, but not surprising as per the rest of the passage (verses 3-5).

Where is your Bible basis for the 'Christmas season' being a doctrine that needs defended?

 

[Baptist4life]

Just watched the local news. They had two stories about this very topic. One was a school in Oregon. They were forced to remove a Christmas tree from a classroom, because it was a Christian symbol, and might offend someone.

The other was a school in Connecticut, whose principal forbade anyone from using, displaying, or even mentioning anything that had to do with Christmas! "You may say "Happy Winter" was his "ruling"!


Sad that you're all content with it, apparently.

 

[Johnv]

Interesting, especially given the fact that Early Christians in the US views the celebrating of the Christmas season as we understand it to be unscriptural. Now someone's implying it's scripturally mandated?

 

[Johnv]

Sad that you're all content with it, apparently.

Link please...

Still, it's apples and oranges. The OP topic is how one response to "Happly Holidays". The subtopic was the claim that word "Christmas" is being purposefully changed or omittedby businesses. The subtopic still hasn't been shown to be founded, especially given the fact that greetings "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings" go back to the mid 1800's. That was long before the secular commercialization of the Christmas shopping season, and even before the popularization of Santa Claus.

If you want to blame anyone in the last century, blame Irving Berlin for the song "Happy Holidays" With a name like "Berlin" perhaps it was the German people's fault.

 

[Baptist4life]

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/78646237.html

http://www.thefoxnation.com/culture/2009/12/03/ct-school-bans-santa?page=5


Next time do your own search please.

 

[abcgrad94]

Christ has never been in Christmas, at least not the Americanized season that runs from November through January.

Christ has been out of the picture of Christmas ever since Christmas has been a secular season. If we want to put Christ back in Christmas, we need to take it out of the shopping malls.

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning here. Christ is still in Christmas, even in the shopping malls. Every time I pass a Salvation Army bell ringer, I am reminded of that fact. Every time I see a nativity scene, it's a reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season. When I am standing at a cash register paying for gifts and see a donation jar for our local homeless shelter (run by a very godly man, I might add.) I still see ways to find Christ in Christmas even if the retailers use it as an excuse to make money.

 

[Johnv]

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/78646237.html

http://www.thefoxnation.com/culture/2009/12/03/ct-school-bans-santa?page=5

The Ashland principle should be shot for stupidity. The Waterbury school is removing secular symbols such as Santa Claus, so to cite them in this thread is irrelevant.

Still, it's apples and oranges regarding the practice in the private business environment.

Next time do your own search please.

You made the claim, it's your job to provide support.

 

[Johnv]

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning here. Christ is still in Christmas, even in the shopping malls. Every time I pass a Salvation Army bell ringer, I am reminded of that fact. Every time I see a nativity scene, it's a reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season. When I am standing at a cash register paying for gifts and see a donation jar for our local homeless shelter (run by a very godly man, I might add.) I still see ways to find Christ in Christmas even if the retailers use it as an excuse to make money.

All well and good. Those have nothing to do with whether one uses the phrase "Happy Holidays", "Merry Christmas", or "Season's Greetings".