The Culture War

Ah the "Culture War" you have to love Bill O'Rielly. I myself am a conservative, such a "traditionalist" as you should probably know that congress sat in session on Christmas until the second decade of the 1800's. Personally I don't care where you say Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, or Happy Kwanza, but there is a reason that the season is called "the Holiday Season." This seasonal name is due to the fact that there are a number of holidays so close together, i.e. Christmas and New Years (7 days apart).

What atheist views? The ACLU has one goal and that is to protect the American people from losing civil rights by protecting the Constitution.

As a traditionalist you should also be aware that the masses were seen as "morons" by many political philosophers; see Machiavelli's "Discourses," the simple fact that there is an electoral college in the US. The E.C. was established by the founding fathers who were certainly Machiavellians. TO go even farhter back the Romans saw the "plebs" - rabble, masses, hoi-polloi, madding crowd - as ignorant.

This war is only being fought by one side - "the traditionalists." That can hardly be a war.

Well let's hear some examples.

I think this "Culture War" is a way for "traditionalists" to deflect the attention of the masses to something that really isn't going on. Example: Bill O'Reilly saying that a there is a war on Christmas as his lead story when there are bigger issues that require the country's attention, like the economy or the war in Iraq. The "Culture War" is the new "Opiate of the Masses."

I am so sick of this supposed "War on Christmas." By saying "Happy Holidays" you are saying "Merry Christmas." The only people who get angry at the phrase are acting like babies. If a store does not want to say Merry Christmas to you, then you just have to deal with it. Also, what is so bad about secularism anyways? Sure, some people take it a bit too far (trying to take down funeral crosses on public property, which even I agree is absurd, or calling a Christmas Tree a "Holiday" Tree), but the main point of secularism (separation of Church from State) are what a majority of Americans agree with. It seems like Bill O'Reilly wants to separate America into two factions, not just into "traditionalist" and "secularist", but it seems that he also wants to separate America into "Religious" and "Non-Religious." In this way, he clearly gets a majority, and his argument gets much more backing.

"But cannot win over the American people with their atheist views."

Ponce, since when were atheist and secularist synonyms? I can tell you that there are many, many Christians that are secularists. I do not even see your point in wanting to fight against secularism. What do you, the "traditionalists", want? I mean, come on, you have an 80% majority, and you are fighting a war trying to force people to exclusively say "Merry Christmas." What happened to the First Amendment? Or what about boycotting stores who will not exclusively say Merry Christmas? If that is not immature and childish, then I do not know what is. Are you traditionalists really that bored? Fighting over mere words? Fighting over what Wal-Mart tells its customers? I believe that if Christ could come back now and see you Christians fighting over mere words, and trying to domineer your way into forcing stores to say Merry Christmas, even he himself would be ashamed in your actions. And do not even get me started about the Christians whom feel "persecuted" by the government. If anyone is a tiny bit persecuted due to their religous beliefs, it would be the non-religious minority, (50% of Americans would not even vote for an atheist or agnostic president based soley on their religion), definitely not the religious majority. Also, whom may I ask is running the executive branch of government? Not the "atheist secularists" but the "Christian traditionalists." There are more important issues currently in politics then fighting over mere words and idiotic issues that have already been decided years and years ago. If maybe Bill O'Reilly and others like him would realize that, then maybe this country would be in better shape than it is right now.

sorry Happy New Year first off, got back from cleaning a friends house that was absolutely grimy after the party. First off, I am just exploring one of the great minds that helped pushed the secular movements really really fast. That be Karl Marx then I will read on this california professor who is really really a utopian kind of guy.

Anyway Barb you are absolutely right about the absurdity of the way people are calling it the "Holiday Tree" and not "Christmas Tree". But saying "Happy Holidays" instead of Christmas, "Winter Break" instead of "Christmas Break." Even some good old christmas songs have been taken out of context like silent night. (more on that later.)

The theory behind all of this is blamed on the ACLU. If you read O'Reilly's book he gives you notes and letters of the founder of the organization and how they still follow it today. (more on that later)

Legal lawsuits, bribery, black-mail, all kinds of sneaky playing is going on that destroys values and promotes the ACLU and the far left-wingers agenda. All of it started in 2000 and kept on going. And the people who support the ACLU and smear blog-websites are rich people like George Soros. People that "You should never turn your back on." Because they keep the ACLU and other smear organizations going. Without George Soros, the far-left would be less hurtful to the American public.

How is the far-left hurtful to the American public? Legal lawsuits are initiated by far-right groups at a similar rate as those of the ACLU. Does this mean that the far-right is hurting the American public? I would like to know specific instances of bribery, blackmail, and other kinds of sneaky playing that the ACLU has taken part in. Last time I heard of bribery or other forms of misconduct it was not "the far-left ACLU" but rather conservatives, see the Abrahmov (sp?) lobbyist scandal. This hurts the American Public much more than people wanting representation of their holiday during the holiday season. What is the problem with the terms winter break or holiday break. Are we not getting off because of multiple holidays in close proximity to eachother (only 7 days seperate Christmas from New Years and throw in Chanukah and Kwanza [ here in the US])? Yes we are. Does the break take place during the winter? Yes it does. Since these two are both true why then should the break only be called Christmas Break? When we get off for summer by your logic that break should not be called summer break or summer vacation but rather it should be called Independence Day Break.

you're reading those two marx books which were written in Germany 150 years ago

England

Originally posted by Barbarossa I believe that if Christ could come back now and see you Christians fighting over mere words, and trying to domineer your way into forcing stores to say Merry Christmas, even he himself would be ashamed in your actions.

(Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Enter not, therefore, into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers. Quran [18:22]

One of the main reasons many shops use 'happy holidays' instead of 'merry christmas' is because they don't want to scare away non-Christians customers. Although it may be counterproductive because some of the whiny right boycotts those shops, their motives have nothing to do with 'atheism', the ACLU or 'secularism', but with maximizing their profits (capitalism), something the right used to champion.

Originally posted by Mixcoatl One of the main reasons many shops use 'happy holidays' instead of 'merry christmas' is because they don't want to scare away non-Christians customers. Although it may be counterproductive because some of the whiny right boycotts those shops, their motives have nothing to do with 'atheism', the ACLU or 'secularism', but with maximizing their profits (capitalism), something the right used to champion.

True, but people like Bill O'Reilly try to connect these shops with secularism, the ACLU, and atheism in order to increase their popularity with people whom are against all three.

Actually Germany, in German first published in English was in 1850.

Weren't they written in the German language but in London