GTP, Christmas, and symbolic icons turned novelty

[s0nny80y]

I'm a practicing Catholic who celebrates the birth of Christ, but does anyone besides me think the Christmas theme GTP has adopted is a little imposing or nieve? Not to be rude, but I'm pretty sure there is a considerable amount of users on GTP who don't celebrate Christmas. One could argue that it's all in the holiday spirit but then that's just saying that Christmas is Christmas and not a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. I wouldn't want to impose a celebration of that nature upon other users of different faiths. That kind of toleration stems from the fact that I believe tolerance and respect of all kinds of religions leads to less confrontations of ideology, confrontation of ideologies where nobody wins.

One could also argue that people not of the Christian faith should tolerate the Christmas theme to the point that it's only imposed on them sort of as a novelty and not an act of converting. But I don't believe Christmas is a novelty so I wouldn't want users to accept the Christmas theme as mere novelty. And GTP wasn't made to convert users to Christianity (something that should be done out of genuine desire might I add). I'd merely suggest that the theme should be changed to a "Happy Holidays" theme.

Also, does anyone get the feeling that it's more novelty than genuine desire when someone proudly waves their origin's flag in your face? I'm not xenophobic, I'm Philippino myself but living in South Florida, it gets kinda ridiculous how many people have a sticker of their nationality on their bumper as a way to remind themselves where they came from even if they themselves live in a community that's 90% of their nationality.

 

[amp88]

GTP is Jordan's and if Jordan wants to stick "Merry Christmas" on his own site I'm all for it. If this site were not privately owned you could argue you had a strong case....but it's not...

 

[Sage]

^--- Bingo. If Jordan wants to replace the GTP logo with a picture of the Bible, he has every right to. Of course, he knows well enough not to do that, but it’d be totally within his rights.

Granted, I would appreciate “Happy Holidays” a little more, but 1) it’s such a trivial issue and 2) I’m not paying the (massive) bills to run this site. If a store greeter wishes me “Merry Christmas”, I’m not going to be so offended that I don’t come back to the store; likewise, Merry Christmas at the top of this site isn’t going to send me packing. Jordan lets you and me put atheist or Catholic or Flying Spaghetti Monster or whatever stuff in our avatars and sigs, so he has every right to put Christmas decorations up.

 

[Plague.Ghost]

Besides that, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday, not a christian one.

 

['85fierogt]

I think the hats on the smileys are awesome, especially the dunce smiley!! That one had me cracking up.

 

[colton19911]

My, how time flies.

 

[Joey D]

Ummm, Chirstmas is a United State's federal holiday, so there for there shouldn't be a problem with it.

I'm Agnostic and I could careless if someone wishes me a Merry Chirstmas, if someone does I will glady return the nice gesture. People who get worked up over things like this just need to forget about it, it's like God in the pledge of allegence or "In God we Trust" on our money.

But I hate people thinking every thing must be politically correct, it's just rediculous. I tell people Happy Chirstmas, even though I don't fully believe in the birth of Chirst on that day. It's more of a nice gesture then anything I think.

Also the only other holiday is Chanukah. Kwanza is questionable since I've never in my whole life have ever met a black person (and I know a lot) that can tell me what Kwanza is and what it represents. Until more people can tell me that, it's in question. At least with Chanukah there is a religious background to it, as well as Christmas.

 

[Zardoz]

GTP is Jordan's and if Jordan wants to stick "Merry Christmas" on his own site I'm all for it. If this site were not privately owned you could argue you had a strong case....but it's not...

Beat me to it. I concur completely.

 

[Solid Fro]

.

 

[Emohawk]

Besides that, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday, not a christian one.

The birth of the Invincible Sun God Mithras? That's so much cooler, I should start wishing people a happy that thing instead.

 

[niky]

No big deal... I don't really celebrate Christmas myself, despite being Christian, but I don't mind being given the day off from work for the end of Ramadan.

 

[Jordan]

Don't worry, our decorations are not mere novelty! I'm a Christian and I'm celebrating the birth of Jesus. In regards to your concerns of "tolerance": if it involves hiding or covering up one's own beliefs, I want no part of it.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Don't worry, our decorations are not mere novelty! I'm a Christian and I'm celebrating the birth of Jesus. In regards to your concerns of "tolerance": if it involves hiding or covering up one's own beliefs, I want no part of it.

Santa hats rule.

👍

Merry Jesus Day, to those.

Merry Christmas to the rest of us.

 

[Kent]

I'd merely suggest that the theme should be changed to a "Happy Holidays" theme.

I'm the opposite...
I would rather say bah-humbug than happy holidays for the sake of not saying merry christmas.

In any case, just remember this when you are thinking about why the GTP is openly doing "the christmas thing"...

This is a privately owned site and Jordan is that private owner.

He makes the decisions and I am proud that he doesn't take the weak-willed, politically correct, "happy holidays" approach.

Merry christmas everyone!
(with all due respect to our Jewish friends as well)

 

[s0nny80y]

.

Thank you. And Merry Christmas to all of you too .

Well, freedom of religion I guess. Plus, he owns the site too.

Touche

 

[Swift]

Besides that, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday, not a christian one.

Most incorrect. The DATE of Christmas is celebrated during a time when the pagans were so involved in their rituals that it left the christians with enough peace to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Everyone knows he was born sometime in the spring or early summer.

So, please don't put the stamp of "pagan" on Christmas. The only thing it has to do with it is the relationship to one of their rituals that left the church alone long enough to have it's celebration.

 

[Zardoz]

...the Christmas theme GTP has adopted is a little imposing or nieve? Not to be rude, but I'm pretty sure there is a considerable amount of users on GTP who don't celebrate Christmas. One could argue that it's all in the holiday spirit but then that's just saying that Christmas is Christmas and not a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. I wouldn't want to impose a celebration of that nature upon other users of different faiths...

How about Google's holiday themes? They'll do something with their logo for Christmas. Do you object to that?

Technically, Google isn't "private" anymore, like GTP, since it's a publicly-traded corporation. Will Google's recognition of Christmas bother you?

 

[s0nny80y]

How about Google's holiday themes? They'll do something with their logo for Christmas. Do you object to that?

Technically, Google isn't "private" anymore, like GTP, since it's a publicly-traded corporation. Will Google's recognition of Christmas bother you?

Actually, Google only puts the Christmas theme during the respective day, along with the Hanukah theme too on it's respective holiday, along with the Thanksgiving theme too on it's repective holiday, and so on...

 

[DuckRacer]

It's Jordan's site, not ours. I think it's nice to actually see "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays", considering "Happy Holidays" is plastered everywhere. If Jordan wants to stick Jesus' face on the world logo, and rename the site "Jesus-Is-Lord-planet", then you guys should deal with it.

 

[Famine]

I'd like to take a Minigun to any premises displaying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".


Though anyone displaying a "Spanking Saturnalia" sign would get my business, regardless of what they were selling.


Surprisingly, as a non-religionist, I don't get even slightly offended by someone wishing me a Merry Christmas. Similarly I'm unflustered by wishes of Happy Chanukah, Diwali, Pesach, Easter, Ramadan (though not usually a particularly happy holiday), Chinese New Year, New Year (based on a Christocentric calendar system), Eid, or any given holiday from any other belief system. I'll even return the sentiment.

It's Christmas. Deal with it.

 

[Duke]

Most incorrect. The DATE of Christmas is celebrated during a time when the pagans were so involved in their rituals that it left the christians with enough peace to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Everyone knows he was born sometime in the spring or early summer.

So, please don't put the stamp of "pagan" on Christmas. The only thing it has to do with it is the relationship to one of their rituals that left the church alone long enough to have it's celebration.

Much as I respect your religious beliefs, Swift, I also have to disagree with your disagreement. Considering how thoroughly the Church subjugated the pagans, I'd say that you have the cart put well before the horse when you say that "the pagans were so involved in their rituals that it left the christians with enough peace to celebrate the birth of Jesus".

 

[F1GTR]

Magandang pasko s0nnyboy!

Even though I don't celebrate Christmas (Iglesia).

 

[s0nny80y]

Magandang pasko s0nnyboy!

Even though I don't celebrate Christmas (Iglesia).

salamat po!

 

[Dave A]

Most incorrect. The DATE of Christmas is celebrated during a time when the pagans were so involved in their rituals that it left the christians with enough peace to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Everyone knows he was born sometime in the spring or early summer.

So, please don't put the stamp of "pagan" on Christmas. The only thing it has to do with it is the relationship to one of their rituals that left the church alone long enough to have it's celebration.

Mmmm, I dissagree, we know the date of Jesus death, and Jesus was killed at 33 1/2 years old, that date of his death was Nisan 14, late April on our current calender, if you count back 6 months from April your around 3 whole months away from December 25th. The fact his birthday wasn't recorded in the any documents found or in the Bible suggests to me that it's not meant to be a celebration anyway. I do fully respect your opinion though, but as a Christian man myself, I do doubt the Christams celebration as accurate.

 

[Swift]

Mmmm, I dissagree, we know the date of Jesus death, and Jesus was killed at 33 1/2 years old, that date of his death was Nisan 14, late April on our current calender, if you count back 6 months from April your around 3 whole months away from December 25th. The fact his birthday wasn't recorded in the any documents found or in the Bible suggests to me that it's not meant to be a celebration anyway. I do fully respect your opinion though, but as a Christian man myself, I do doubt the Christams celebration as accurate.

So do I, as far as dates go. So, I think we actually agree.

But I just found this:

The date of December 25th comes from Rome and was a celebration of the Italic god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god.

So either one of two things happened here. 1) the christians were left alone long enough or 2) Constantine was in power and they just switch the type of celebration. Either way, it has jack to do with the actual birthday of Jesus.