Elder Oaks - encouraging holiday insensitivity?

[Not Buying It]

Some of you may be all about "putting the Christ in Christmas". Personally, given the multi-cultural world we live in where many different religions celebrate many different holidays, I can't for the life of me figure out why you wouldn't want to wish people a "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" that will make your Jewish and Muslim friends feel included instead of a "Merry Christmas" that reminds them it's a holiday they aren't really part of. I've had Jewish friends who appreciated it when I pointed this out on Facebook.

Just saw that a friend posted this on Facebook, and I am not at all surprised at who's said it:

"As we prepare for His Second Coming, and as we stand in holy places, we persist in observing Christmas not just as a season of ‘Greetings’ or ‘Happy Holidays,’ but as a celebration of the birth of the Son of God and a time to remember His teachings and the eternal significance of His Atonement." ~Dallin H. Oaks

I agree with that Christians should remember that Christmas is a celebration of Christ, but doesn't this quote kind of endorse a "I'll shove my Christmas down your Jewish throat" kind of unintentional holiday arrogance? Isn't he kind of putting down people like me who wish others "Happy Holidays"?

[Just This Guy]

I wonder if he (at least unconsciously) does not acknowledge the existence of any religions outside of Christianity. You either believe in Christ or a godless heathen out to destroy you.

[document]

As I says, "For Jesus' sake, just say happy holidays."

I also say, "For the love of all that is FREAKIN' holy, stop being an idiot and realize that the season includes more than one holiday. Even if you are freaked out about it being only Christian, it could mean Blessed Advent, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, a solemm Epiphany, and a Holy Innocents day. After all, the Christmas carols we sing all include those holidays anyway."

Although, if I were to address Elder Oakes, I would say, "Stop worrying about the word Christmas, go instead and serve your fellowman and #LightTheWorld".

[Hagoth]

I was surprised by the special emphasis he put on "happy holidays," as if he was sending a conspiracy theory signal about the war on Christmas.

How thin is our skin when we are offended when someone wishes us happy holidays, or when we believe we are religiously persecuted because Starbucks doesn't decorate their cup with wreaths and holly?

This was the most heavy-handed "Christmas" devotional ever. It kind of felt like a mini-conference with Christmas trees. Oaks slipped in a lot of stuff about fulfilling callings, attending the temple and raising your kids in church approved ways.

[TheRunningmom]

Some of you may be all about "putting the Christ in Christmas". Personally, given the multi-cultural world we live in where many different religions celebrate many different holidays, I can't for the life of me figure out why you wouldn't want to wish people a "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" that will make your Jewish and Muslim friends feel included instead of a "Merry Christmas" that reminds them it's a holiday they aren't really part of. I've had Jewish friends who appreciated it when I pointed this out on Facebook.

Just saw that a friend posted this on Facebook, and I am not at all surprised at who's said it:

"As we prepare for His Second Coming, and as we stand in holy places, we persist in observing Christmas not just as a season of ‘Greetings’ or ‘Happy Holidays,’ but as a celebration of the birth of the Son of God and a time to remember His teachings and the eternal significance of His Atonement." ~Dallin H. Oaks

I agree with that Christians should remember that Christmas is a celebration of Christ, but doesn't this quote kind of endorse a "I'll shove my Christmas down your Jewish throat" kind of unintentional holiday arrogance? Isn't he kind of putting down people like me who wish others "Happy Holidays"?

Well, last year he talked about focusing on private Christmas observances (his lovely dividing the cards he received into three groups: Christ mentioned or pictured on the card, the words Merry Christmas used, no mention of Christ or Christmas at all) so it makes sense he would want to hammer home the public observances.

I totally agree with you. He is completely ignoring the fact that there are many other religious/cultural holidays around the same time. It's just kind to include all of them under Happy Holidays.

[document]

More rant.

I'm still a little perturbed about it when Mormons freak out about the word "Christmas". They seem to forget that it is derived from "Christ's Mass".

Umm....why are Mormons embracing the apostasy?

[alas]

The thin skinned Christians are not even historically correct. Christians wished each other "Happy Holidays"back when Christmas was not one day, but a series of Holidays, starting with the first day of advent, 2nd, 3rd, 4th days of advent, then December 6, as the day St Nick and krampus come around, then Christmas Day, then the feast of St Steven, then the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, through to New Years Eve, New Year's Day, and on through the eight, ninth, tenth days of Christmas, to 12th night and Epiphany. Each day of advent, and each day of Christmas had a different meaning and there were a lot of celebrations and feasts we no longer bother with. So, Happy Holidays. Enjoy advent as we count down to Christmas and enjoy the 12 days of Christmas, and don't forget to give your leftovers to the poor for the feast of St Steven.

Oh, by the way, one of my pet peeves is people who think the 12 days of Christmas come before Dec25.

[document]

Oh, by the way, one of my pet peeves is people who think the 12 days of Christmas come before Dec25.

Yup. Once I started studying liturgical music, and then later found myself in a church that strictly follows the liturgical calendar, it started becoming my pet peeve as well.

My mother comments every year about me leaving the Christmas tree up past new years.

[Enoch Witty]

I've heard that Elder Oaks is a registered Democrat. I don't know if that's true, but if he represents the left wing of the church, there's a reason I never felt comfortable there. #pinko

[alas]

Oh, by the way, one of my pet peeves is people who think the 12 days of Christmas come before Dec25.

Yup. Once I started studying liturgical music, and then later found myself in a church that strictly follows the liturgical calendar, it started becoming my pet peeve as well.

My mother comments every year about me leaving the Christmas tree up past new years.

I have to argue with my husband every year about the tree stays up for all of Christmas. He is of the opinion that the tree comes down for Boxing Day.

[Enoch Witty]

More than once, we've taken our tree down on or around Valentine's Day. Not out of commitment to the tree or anything, just laziness.

[wtfluff]

Happy Winter Solstice Celebration.

#hijackedbychristians

[MoPag]

Happy Winter Solstice Celebration.

#hijackedbychristians

Thank you wtfluff!!

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yuletra ... -Roots.htm

Pretty much everything we associate with Christmas is Pagan in origin.

[Linked]

More rant.

I'm still a little perturbed about it when Mormons freak out about the word "Christmas". They seem to forget that it is derived from "Christ's Mass".

Umm....why are Mormons embracing the apostasy?

Here's a fix:





(I know I posted this last year, but it is always applicable...)

[Korihor]

More than once, we've taken our tree down on or around Valentine's Day. Not out of commitment to the tree or anything, just laziness.

If it was up to me, I'd pull that shiz down Dec 26.
Mrs Korihor likes it so it stay a few extra days.

[achilles]

Mormon Christmas and Easter are so sterile... they make me sad.

[MerrieMiss]

Oh, by the way, one of my pet peeves is people who think the 12 days of Christmas come before Dec25.

Just another person here who thanks you for that. My in-law wanted us to do some 12 days of Christmas thing with them and when my husband asked me about it, I just gave him the look.

"I know, I know," he said. "The 12 days of Christmas comes after Christmas."

"And ends with Sherlock Holmes's birthday!" I added. I'm such a nerd.

[moksha]

Mormon Christmas and Easter are so sterile... they make me sad.

It's like they forgot to add the "12 Stations of the Garden". Back in 2005 thru 2007, they got pretty worked up with blending the Smithmas and Christmas celebration in Sacrament meeting.

There is a flip side to any Jewish objections to Christmas. I suspect that if I expressed displeasure at Yom Kippur, someone of that faith would readily brand me as an antisemite.

I want to watch the movie A Christmas Carol (the one with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge) this year. Dickens had such a good grasp on the message of Jesus.

[shadow]

Mormon Christmas and Easter are so sterile... they make me sad.

And we're so lucky to have Christmas on a Sunday this year. What better reason to cut our worship services shorter than normal.

[2bizE]

What does Elder Oaks mean when he says as we stand in holy places?