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Subscribe to RSS“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” the song says. And that seems to be true, for most of you out there celebrating Christmas. But what about for the rest of us?
Contrary to what it may seem like this time of year, there are a lot of people out there who don’t "do" Christmas. As a Jewish parent, I have nothing but respect for Christmas, but it’s not my holiday (more on what I believe at the Jewish parenting website Kveller) and I don’t celebrate it. Neither do Muslims, atheists, Hindus, pagans… the list goes on. Even some Christians celebrate the holiday differently from the mainstream’s version of Santa on the roof.
Stan Honda / AFP - Getty Images
Nice tree, but I'll stick with my hanukkiah, thanks. Jordana Horn is teaching her kids to appreciate other cultures, while coming home to their roots.
So maybe your kids feel left out of the Christmas to-do? It’s understandable. Maybe Santa’s lap looks pretty appealing at the mall (what kid wouldn’t like the idea of an adult whose sole job is to bring you presents?). Maybe an endless stream of cookies and candy canes sparks sugar envy.
Certainly, American culture places Christmas in a position of cultural prominence. You’re hard pressed to turn on a radio in December without hearing Jingle Bells, or to drive a few miles without seeing brightly colored lights or a pine tree tied to the top of a car. So one could see where kids in particular might feel like there’s a big party going on – a party to which they, the non-Christmas-observers, aren’t invited.
You guys do make it look like a heck of a lot of fun.
But I’d argue that you can "ooh" and "ahh" at the Rockefeller Center tree without feeling jealous and without forsaking your own ideals. Part of what is so amazing about living in America is living alongside of traditions and cultures other than our own.
As a parent, I try to make this time of year a living laboratory where I can teach my kids a lesson they will need throughout life. Throughout their lives, they will need, as the proverb has it, roots and wings. They will need to stretch their wings and soar, yet never forget where they came from.
In our house, we tell the story of Judah Maccabee, sometimes reenacting it with blocks and Legos. We play fierce competitive dreidel. We sing songs as we light the hanukkiah (the accurate term for what is commonly called a menorah) each night, and talk in simple terms about what they mean in Hebrew and English. The house smells like greasy potato pancakes for days – a traditional Hanukkah food that is basically French fries on steroids. We eat doughnuts (another Hanukkah tradition). We not only observe Hanukkah, but celebrate it – celebrate being who we are. We're not "competing" with Christmas – Christmas is, as we celebrate our own holiday, irrelevant. If you celebrate effectively, there’s no time or inclination to be jealous of what anyone else is doing.
We can also take advantage of the fact that we are not celebrating Christmas by giving back to our communities. We can help out local soup kitchens, hospitals, and other places that depend on volunteers that are understaffed because of the holiday. In doing so, we teach our children that we are part of a larger community and although we don’t celebrate Christmas, we can help others celebrate a holiday that has deep meaning for them. In my community, there are plenty of programs that "match" would-be Christmas Day volunteers so they can do just that.
We should also not get so riled up by the omnipresence of Christmas in America’s December. By driving by all the brightly-lit trees and then coming home to who we are, I believe, we have the chance to teach our children an important lesson: We can appreciate what others do, but always remember and take pride in who we are, too.
That sounds pretty wonderful to me.
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Well said. Thank you.
Aww poor baby. What a silly article.
why is it silly?
all that from the article huh. I didn't get that
Because public funds should not be spent on religion in a secular country.
Too easy.
Nobody who is inclined to do so would be convinced by seeing the commandments. Having the government promoting one religion over another, such as by prominently displaying religious text and ceremonial decorations, is not what the founding fathers intended. To claim otherwise is to not know the founding fathers.
It is just a waste of taxpayer money, and fiscally irresponsible.
On the behalf of all of us goyim, let me be the first to apologize for inconveniencing the Chosen People by celebrating a very important holiday to us.
But Muslims, atheists, Hindus, pagans ... and the list goes on don't seem to have a problem with Christmas; only the Jewish people do. You don't want to hear Christmas carols unless there are accompanied by Hanuka carols. You don't want to see Christmas trees in public places unless there are accompanied by menorahs. It even bothers some Rabbis that Tim Tebow prays to Jesus on the sidelines. And the list goes on and on.
Let me ask you, how many Jews set sail with Columbus in 1492? How many Jews were among the first settlers of this country? Why don't you practice your religion like the Muslims, atheists, Hindus, pagans, etc., and stop trying to erode Christianity? You are a troublesome people who will always find yourselves in trouble.
Ralph.. what are you being deprived of? Christmas, the Christian religion, etc. are all still practiced. What you're actually wailing about is that any other belief structure be recognized. That any one else gets face time other than those who think like you. How horrible. How dare we recognize that other belief systems exist. All that should count is the majority. All we should care about is what the majority believes. All we should learn about is the culture of the majority. You're so right. Thanks for setting us all straight.
TomTom -- who is eroding anything? I'm looking around and all I see is Christmas and Christian religion. Where are all these attacks coming from? And if Christmas and the Christian tradition are being eroded, why am I slapped in the face by them everywhere I go? See my response above to Ralph. You're both acting like overprivileged children who finds it offensive that any other child gets anything.
Here's where you are wrong. Non-Jews get offended on behalf of Jews about this.
Jews, by and large, don't care about this and certainly don't have a problem.
It's your Christian pseudo-liberals who get offended on other people's behalf that make you believe that someone is actually offended. Jews are not offended.
Heck some Jews even get their kids a tree.
Well said, indeed. Your example to your children is far more "Christian" than a LOT of self-professed Christians are practicing. As a person brought up Southern Baptist/Protestant with a son who has visited Israel and wishes to go back for whatever reason, I applaud your efforts to show your kids a more well-rounded version of life and giving at a time that stresses helping those less fortunate. Thank you.
@tomtom, short order and ralph ...Anyway you want to spin it, without Jews there'd be no Christmas. First, The God of the Jews is the father of Christ(if you believe any of this crap). Second, Jesus was a Jew. Third, people like to blame Jews for killing Christ(though it was the Romans), but for argument's sake let say it was the Jews. If they hadn't killed him, your sins would not be forgiven and you would not celebrate Christmas or Easter. So put a sock in it already. Oh, and by the way, America is not a Christian country. It is a secular country, with a seperation of church and state, so NO religous decorations should adorn any public buildings...period!
Who said Christmas is so bad for Jewish Mothers?
It seems the Media is more upset than the Jewish Families. This is a "minor" Holiday for all Jews---not important--they try to make it fun for the Jewish kids, while other Religions celebrate their own way of Observance. It's all ok.
Gifts? Is that the most important reason for Christmas--people have lost sight of the real meaning of this day.
Thanksgiving is gone--a few hours for that--then the Christmas rush is one after dessert--The Stores should tone down the opening, so at least one can digest their Thanksgiving meal.
Don't feel sorry for others who do not Celebrate Christian Holidays--it is their choice--and others choice to "choose".
Tom Tom:
There is a historical question whether Columbus had a Jewish Heritage. Too bad you had to make remarks like that---very offensive. Check out your History--it was during the Spanish Inquistion. 1492.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I like the idea that the two holidays coincide this year. But what's the same about them? They both celebrate the power of miracles and the spirit of giving. It might be for different reasons, but why should that matter? In celebrating diversity, I believe we should celebrate our similarities. So let's celebrate these two holidays and remember that we celebrate in joy and love and give to each other.
With all due respect to this Jewish mother, we should be telling each other how we're similar, not how we're so different and stand apart.
Hey TomTom.... a little footnote on 'how many Jews set sail with Columbus..." go read Columbus by Rafael Sabatini...the Church in Spain 'confiscated' all the Jews property to pay for the trip. It was during the time of the Inquisition and rather than put them to the question they simply confiscated all their property and then forced them to leave the country (which is what financed the Columbus expedition)
That said I don't see a problem with the article or Christmas or anything for that matter and the only time anyone has any problem with Christmas is when ignorant people with no knowledge of United States law are trying to use taxpayer dollars to pay for it. I enjoy all the cultures of the United States including Christianity.
This is such a lovely article.
Why did some of you have to attempt to spoil it with some of these nasty comments??? You haters didn't ruin the article, BTW. You just prove your own ignorance sticks out like a bad case of measles.
Happy Hanukkah to everyone else.
So you own the New World. I heard you helped built the Pyramids of Egypt also; now, go claim Egypt.
...and lovely, calm, and peaceful holidays to all.
Chag Sameach
Merry Christmas my fellow christian
dennisoy, what a joke, your fellow christian.....just a hop and a skip down the line of posts, I couldve swore you were spewing hate and filth all over His people and what they do. Ya know, those "jews" You are partly why ppl look at christianity or simple beliefe in Messiah as such hypocrisy. Sad day.
April's right, you know dennisoy. Do the rest of us a favor, will you; don't tell anybody you purport to be a Christian.....because all you are is an embarassment to us.
Santa, or at least the idea of a bearded dude in a red costume with a slay and reindeer is not exclusive to Christmas. I was born in Russia, and our version of Santa was "Grandpa Frost", who served the same purpose, albeit with no religious undertones. Point is - the author shouldn't feel compelled to exclude Santa from the holidays just because of the association with Christmas - the Santa figure is for everyone to believe in and later face huge disappointment over.
I never faced a huge disappointment over realizing Santa wasn't "real". I was ready to learn the truth when I did, and I was okay. If I thought about it even more, it was nice to realize that these nice gestures and the festiveness came from regular people and not some magical being.
I realized that, as Johnny Mathis sings, Christmas is a feeling in your heart. The love, generosity, and giving that often come with this time of year, were and still are what is most important to me.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza.. or whatever. I'd like to think they all involve people with their heart in the right place.
In England where I was born. We have Father Christmas, no Santa. He's just as good as Santa, which I do celebrate since I was raised in the US. All our traditions, no matter what are faith are to be celebrated! That's why this country was founded, so we can all have our traditions and faith of our choosing!
The one thing all should remember is that Hanukkah is NOT the Jewish holiday of gift-giving. It's only because of Christmas that we give gifts on Hanukkah. Our holiday for gift-giving is Purim, which occurs sometime between mid-February and mid-March.
That said, Chag Chanukas Sameach to all who, like me, will "light one candle" tonight. "Don't let the light go out!"
hear hear; I am always happy that I am a Jew but especially around Christmas! What good luck!
I thought it came out of the tradition of Gelt?
I am a Christian and damm proud of it. Yes I belive Jesus was born from a virgin, he was murdered and on the third day he rose from the dead and yes he did assenf to heaven and he sits at the right hand of GOD. He will return and all will see who is the King of Kings.
Now having said that. I don't see the purpose in this article. Ok, Jews don't celebrate Christmas, But I do. I don't celebrate Hanukkah but neither do Muslims, atheists, Hindus, pagans… the list goes on......
Wendy: you don't see the "purpose" of an article about those who aren't like you? About what it's like NOT to celebrate Christmas when the majority around you do? Well, not that it's really so terribly complicated, but then just move along and let us enjoy this well written, light tribute to the rest. Not so hard now was it? (and no one even had to be lectured in the doing now did they?)
Wendy sounds like bible belt material. lol!!!!!
Michael, the light will NEVER go out.
While I am Christian, I do recognize that others have different faiths or non-faith and respect them for what they believe. I just ask that they respect others whom believe in what they don't. I try not to tell someone that they are wrong in what they believe though there are times when some state they are Christian yet act against the word of Christ that makes it hard to not judge even though I am not to judge others.
Wendy,
I too am a christian born of a Jewish mother. So I get to have both holidays. But the purpose for this article is that maybe we Christians should have some respect and not only be happy people of other faiths can celebrate their spiritual holidays, but to give them space and sometimes even in a step of acceptance join in their celebrations too. It is sad that people that claim to be Christians can use their faith as a excuse to hide behind racism or prejudice. So instead of questioning what this article is about you might want to rejoice that you live in a land that all (no matter of what faith) can celebrate their holidays too. And sometime as a peace offering for Christians being bigoted and ignorant for so many years we could give back by loving these people and rejoice and celebrate with them. And truly let them know that we feel they are as deserving of humane treatment and looked at as equal Americans and not lesser Americans because they believe differently then you.
If your mother was jewish, doesn't that make you jewish? And friend, Jews, Muslims, and Athesist hide behind THEIR beliefs and have racist views as well. It's called HUMAN nature. And like my sainted mother used to say "If you don't like somethind said or done to you, don't you do it to anyone else. It's called The Golden Rule, and it applies to EVERYONE of ANY faith or skin color:
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE DONE TO YOU.
I should have stated that my mother is Jewish in beliefs but Hebrew by birth. So yes, if I wished to practice Judaism I would be considered a Jew, but blood does not bestow religion upon anyone, it is always accepted or rejected by choice.
But I think the Golden rule you stated should be taught to all, and if everyone would truly follow it then this world would be a much better place!
Clearly you never learned about Judaism.
boom...you are correct. If a person's mother is Jewish then they are Jewish. If they reject the religion of their Jewish mother it makes no difference. They are still Jewish.
Same goes for Islam. If the father is Muslim, then so are the kids.
If you think we celebrate Christmas because of Santa Claus or Father Christmas or Grandpa Frost, then you have the true meaning of Christmas all wrong. We would not have Christmas if the Lord Jesus Christ was not born, and whosoever believe in him shall not perish, but have ever lasting life.
Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus. Look it up
Christmas is a combination of the words the Christ mass... It Christ = Jesus. Christmas has everything to do with Jesus.
It has nothing to do with Jesus, as Special Sister said. Ill repeat for her. Look it up. Watch, Jim Staley, "Truth or Tradition" You'll see. Its sad, Im not gonna lie. But rather to be happy in truth, then comfortable in a lie.
Christmas has nothing for do with Christ. Christ was NOT born in December.
Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman. The ancient Greek writer poet and historian Lucian (in his dialogue entitledSaturnalia) describes the festival’s observance in his time. In addition to human sacrifice, he mentions these customs: widespread intoxication; going from house to house while singing naked; rape and other sexual license; and consuming human-shaped biscuits (still produced in some English and most German bakeries during the Christmas season). In the 4th century CE, Christianity imported the Saturnalia festival hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. Christian leaders succeeded in converting to Christianity large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians. The problem was that there was nothing intrinsically Christian about Saturnalia. To remedy this, these Christian leaders named Saturnalia’s concluding day, December 25th, to be Jesus’ birthday.
This is just ridicule. We believe this holiday is about Christ and we do celebrate it as a day he was born. If you have problem with it do not get involve. If I live in Israel, the Israeli government will not celebrate Christmas just for me. The majority in this country is Christian and they will celebrate Christmas. End of story. I wasn't born here and our holiday does not exactly match to this Christmas but I respect the tradition where I live because I have chosen to live here in the USA. No one forced me!
Whether or not Christ was born in December is irrelevant - Christmas, as the holiday stands is the observance of Christ's birth by Christians. The event matters more than the exact date.
Bravo Taveras, it was just like that, but anyway Lets celebrate Christmas!
...Be not of this world...
For all we know Jesus was born on the fourth of July. The way Christmas is celebrated today rises out of both the story of Jesus's birth and out of pagan traditions. It is a beautiful holiday with beautiful tradtions that has been marred by commercialism. I'm in college, and I didn't have extra money to buy Christmas presents, so I bought a few basic art supplies and made presents. Do I feel awful about not buying presents? No. I'll have plenty of opportunity when I'm done with college and done paying off my student loans to buy nice things for my family and friends. To be honest, I miss the days of being a little kid where they let you make those cute little crafts in art class to give as presents to your parents for Christmas or Hannukah or even their birthday if it fell in December. Christmas looks so much better as seen through my six year old eyes than it does through my "grown up" eyes. As a little kid, Christmas taught me how to receive graciously and give selflessly, how to appreciate what I had and accept the disappointment that I wouldn't always get everything I wanted. I wish we could all go back to those little kid days where we believed. I'm not talking just belief in Santa, I'm talking about back when we'd bring in a can of soup to our school's food drive and really believe that it was helping someone, back when we believed we were making a difference in someone's life. Maybe it sounds naive, but maybe we need to get back some of that childhood innocence. As we get older, we fall into the trap of "I'm just one person, what can I do?" when really we should be working together. This year, take a second to look at Christmas through the eyes of a child again, eyes full of wonder and awe and hope. You'll be much happier for it.
Sounds like early Christians took something very evil and turned it into something wonderful. We aren't celebrating a pagan holiday any longer, so who cares what they did 1600 years ago.
I agree. This article is trivial. This is primarily a Christian country. The Jews or other faiths are free to practice though since we are a free nation.
Gees folks, what's all the anger about? December 25, was a random date, chosen for no particular reason. The various rituals that we hold so dear were borrowed (stolen) from prechristian faiths. You want to think that its Christ's birthday, think that. Just quit acting like you own the date, or the season, and other people are doing it wrong.
If you are wishing folks joy and peace, more power to you. No matter what phrase you use to do it. You want to to give gifts, or enjoy hearth and home, do it. Most folks are happy to celebrate the joy, in their own way. They don't feel the need to put others down, for doing it wrong.
Most peoples have and had celebrations around this time of year as a type of mid-winter (mid-summer for the southern hemisphere) time when they were making a break from the long winter or a break between planting and harvest as they do to celebrate the end of winter and the end of harvest. It is not hard to understand that for this time of year to be chosen for people to return to their towns of birth for tax purposes which is why Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem and that the inns were full.
"Being a Jewish Mom at Christmas Isn't so Bad"....well, I guess it wouldn't be, since you are Jewish and celebrate Hanukkah. Not sure what the point of the story is other than a Mom saying she's happy to celebrate Hanukkah....
Wow...seriously? this concept is too complex for you? The fact your children would be among the minority NOT sharing in Christmas is too tough an idea to comprehend? My, my, I had no idea the subject was this deep...
....and what's wrong with that??? Many Christians think Jews and other non-Christians are unhappy or feel that they are missing out on something because they don't celebrate Christmas, have Christmas trees and get visited by Santa Claus....but nothing could be further from the truth!! The point of the article is simply this....Jews enjoy their own Jewish holidays as much as Christians enjoy their holidays.....and there are no feelings of jealousy...and the freedom to do so is what this country is all about. Besides, who needs all of that craziness, shopping frenzy, expense and worry about whether or not you got the right gift for Uncle Ralph!! Personally I think Christmas should be celebrated solely for what it is...the birth of Christ....and the other stuff, ie. the gift giving, etc., be done at another time. The Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas in early December with gift-giving only for the children and then on Christmas Day they celebrate the true meaning of the holiday.
AP - get a grip. My point is - I see no reason for this article. She's happy with her spiritual life- being Jewish - GREAT! That is truly wonderful. I would never begrudge someone their happiness. I have Jewish friends that have kids and they never really give Christmas a thought, they're usually too busy enjoying their Jewish holidays! Hence, my wondering why this article was posted.
bullymama - I certainly don't walk around thinking that all people who do not celebrate Christmas are miserable. I guess that's why I questioned this article.
Happy Chanukah, Jordana.
I am always happy about the fact that I am Jewish but especially on Christmas time. What good luck I say
I know this article doesn't mention it, but the main MSN.com website does and I thought I'd clear it up. Jesus' conception is not considered "the" immaculate conception. That title is reserved for Mary, not Jesus. It is believed that Mary was immaculately conceived aka conceived the natural way, however, without the stain of original sin. Jesus was not conceived immaculately since Jesus was the Son of God and would never have sinned, according to christian beliefs.
Other than that, Chag Chanuka Sameach!
Thank you Cat-12490, that is actually what I wanted to point out. You explained it beautifully. I always cringe when I see people refer to Jesus conception as an "Immaculate Conception."
Nice article otherwise.
Clarification: CATHOLICS believe in the immaculate conception of Mary. That is not a widely held belief in most mainstream Protestant churches.
Rebecca H - ROMAN CATHOLICS believe that. There are a lot of Catholics who are not ROMAN CATHOLIC. Please get it right. I'm Catholic - a part of the "one holy, catholic and apostolic Church."
And of course there are always a few Nazi anti-semitic bastards around to make fun like Dennisoy or is it DennisaSS?? ha ha
Your intro to this story has got the Immaculate Conception wrong, as most people do. The Immaculate Conception is the fact that Mary was born without original sin. It does NOT mean that Christ was conceived without the act of sexual intercourse.
Thank you for trying to set these folks right. You are absolutely correct! They are confusing the The Feast of the Annunciation, March 25 with the Immaculate Conception. These folks sure don't know their Christian faith!
Nobody was born without the act of sex, for christ's sake!
In America, we should tolerate everything except intolerance. Happy holidays to all, whichever holiday you celebrate.
same to you .
Since when do atheists not celebrate Christmas? Santa and reindeer have nothing to do with Christianity.
No really? I didn't know Santa had nothing to do with Christianity?!?!
face/palm....
I don't see the value in this story...I have nothing against Jews..my friends are Jews..but..who cares??? I think I'll send in a heartwarming story about being Catholic during Hunnaka(SP)? and see if it gets published..NOT!
Well, that's what I was wondering. If they're Jewish - they're busy celebrating Hanukkah - so what would they be left out of???
Oh my gosh...seriously?? You two cannot grasp the concept of what it's like to have children who are minorities within a majority culture? A 10 paragraph little essay on what NOT to feel sorry about in not sharing that majority holiday is really too difficult to grasp? Wow....can't wait for cinco de mayo complaints ...
No, AP, they can't grasp that. People who have spent their entire lives being a part of the majority have trouble comprehending what it means to be in the minority. That's why you see majority groups wailing about how minority groups are taking away everything. Because they have spent all their lives having their culture and their beliefs privileged above everyone else. And when people try to take away that privileged status to make things more tolerant and accepting of others, they scream bloody murder. Because they are little more than a spoiled child. A spoiled child, who on being given a brand new doll, screams that her little sister gets ANY doll (even if its only hand-me-downs). In their world, there is no room for anyone but those who believe the same. However, I'd like to believe that the intolerant and ignorant are a dying breed.
Excuse me, you are assuming a lot of things concerning myself, that you have no idea about.
It's not about intolerance, however, when people are truly happy with their lives and spiritual relationships, I never thought that they would compare themselves to another religion and then act like they've got the consolation prize. I have a lot of Jewish friends who are happy to be Jewish and they really don't concern themselves with the Christmas holiday and they certainly don't look around and say, "well, being Jewish isn't so bad".....hence, what are they left out of? Nothing. Because they don't celebrate the Christmas holiday to begin with.
Merry Christmas.
As an orthodox Christian I very much appreciate hanukkah. Hanukkah is about a band of men dedicating their lives and willing to risk them for God and God fallowing through and delivering a miracle. This Holiday season, whether you are Jewish or Christian is about redemption and waiting for the redeemer. I feel that's something we're all looking for.
Yeah, I'm not mexican but I celebrate cinco de mayo with a few Corona's! Merry Christmas! And, I agree (like other comments) that Santa has nothing to do with Christmas and all to do about merchant's making a buck!!! Hey, I'll celebrate Hanukkah right along with Jews, this is America................like it or leave it!!! Just pay your friggin taxes when the door hits you on the way out!
I'm a Christian but I have no illusions about Christmas: it's fun and instructive, but there's nothing Biblical about December 25. The word 'Christmas' does not occur in Scripture, nor are Christians instructed to celebrate it. It's good to celebrate the fact of the incarnation for purposes of reminding the world of God's love to us. Outside of that one thing, there isn't much to celebrate: food wouldn't taste as well, family gatherings would also lose their flavor, gift-giving would be empty. Thank you Jewish friends for being glad with us/for us!
I thought it was a good story.
just to clarify--
the immaculate conception does not dominate december!! we do celebrate it as a solemnity in december, but if you're referring to the birth of Christ, then you mean the INCARNATION. immaculate conception refers to the conception of Mary (the good old fashioned method of conception) that kept her from the stain of original sin so she would be pure enough to be the new Ark of the Covenant. Incarnation is Jesus, Immaculate Conception is Jesus.
Judging from the rest of your comment, I assume that you meant for the last word to be Mary, not Jesus, right?
ha! yes sorry I made a stupid mistake there. Thanks for correcting me! (and I hope I'm not the stupid person you're fed up with :)
Actually, lots of Atheists celebrate Christmas, but not the religious aspects. They put up a tree but no manger scene. They tell their kids about Santa Claus, but not about Jesus. Educate yourself.
In all honesty , the culure of this country , is Christian .
While I don't understand Christmas , I certain get the feeling of it - because I am surrounded by it .
When I say I don't understand Christian practice , I am glad you all believe in G-d , even if you call Him , The Father . The Understand questions as a Jew when G-d appeared to Abraham in what appeared to him and Sarah as men at first glance but were 2 angels accompaning G-d at second glance what were these three supposed to represent in Christian analysis . "The Trinity is this it /
When G-d appears in a cloud of wind by day and a whirling fire by night what is this called by ChristianS to to YOUR 3 ideas of G-d ? The fact is that in Jewish practice G-d may be known by various names when in fact He is the same name OR SAME G-D . The name serves as a Spiritual Fuction , but does not change G-d . Happy Chanakah to all my fellow Jews and to all other CHRISTIANS joy in your practice toward my G-d , even if I don't understand what you are doing from the prespective of my understanding of what you call the Old Testament and I call The Bible .
HAPPY HOLIDAY
god sent a savior for me and you that is the best gift the world has ever recieved choose to accept the gift thats your choice
Is
Western Society Christian?
ROBERT E. L. STRIDER, president of Colby College in Maine, faced this probing question in his address to the college’s graduating class last June. His conclusion, that “ours is not a Christian society,” can be appreciated when one considers the unchristian conduct of those who make up the Western world. Firm faith in God is rare, and few follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
Danish clergyman Per Dolmer acknowledged that the vast majority of persons in his country belonged to the state church, but that this did not mean they were Christians. He said: “It must for the sake of the truth still be added that if 97% belong to the State Church, then the very greatest part live far away from faith in God, are entirely and absolutely indifferent toward Him, never think of Him, live contrary to the revealed will of God, and as for a great number of them they also die in this indifference and unbelief.
Along the same line a conversation that newspaper columnist Sydney J. Harris reports that he had with a Hindu is of interest. In his column in the Detroit Free Press of September 21, 1961, Harris reports that the discussion went like this: “‘Since traveling in the Christian world of the West,’ he said at dinner, ‘I have been puzzled by my readings in the New Testament. How do you people interpret the words of Jesus?’
“‘What do you mean?’ I asked, afraid of what was coming.
“‘I mean,’ he said politely, ‘how do you reconcile His plain doctrine of nonresistance with your guns and your planes and your wars every few decades? Which Christian nation has ever turned the other cheek? Who among you is willing to return good for evil? How can people who share in the good news of His message continually kill one another, while both sides are praying to Him?’
“‘Well,’ I stammered, ‘after all, that’s a doctrine of perfection that Jesus preached. Ordinary mortal men can’t always live up to it.’
“‘That I understand,’ he nodded, ‘but it should be your goal—and I can only see that you go in the opposite direction. . . . ’
“‘Surely the mass of Indian people are no better, morally and spiritually, than Westerners are.’
“‘Perhaps not,’ he said. ‘All the same, we do not claim to have a special revelation from the Son of God. We do not insist that we follow the Prince of Peace, and then follow the Prince of War.’
“‘Not everybody agrees that Jesus was a pacifist,’ I objected. ‘Some people point to his scourging the money-changers out of the temple.’
“‘Ah, but there is a difference between scourging—as you might a disobedient child out of love for him—and wantonly killing millions of innocent men and women and children, all in the name of God. You are commanded to love your neighbors—and today, in this shrunken world, everybody is a neighbor.’
“I had one defense left: my Sunday punch, if you’ll pardon the expression. ‘Don’t we have a right, an obligation to fight against injustice and wickedness and tyranny?’ I demanded.
“‘Yes,’ he said, ‘you must fight against it—but in your own minds and souls, for that is where it begins, not in some foreign land. When you have purified yourselves, the example of your goodness will be the most effective weapon in the world—if not for now, then in the future.’”
Harris concluded with the confession: “Maybe you can answer the Hindu. I could not, in all honesty.” Regardless of how one may view the various arguments of the Hindu, it is evident that the Western nations are, in fact, defenseless against the charge that they have failed to follow the example set by Christ. In the true sense of the word, they are not Christian!
In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely. When he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return. When he was suffering, he did not go threatening, but kept on committing himself to the one who judges righteously.—1 Pet. 2:21, 23.
I just love plagiarism. Don't you?
Clearly you do, since you plagiarized.
I don't understand the point of why "Being a Jewish Mom at Christmas Isn't so Bad" your Jewish and don't celebrate it. Why would it even be a factor to you?
If Christmas is so "irrelevant" to you. it certainly seems you spend a fair amount of time focusing thoughts on Christmas, and on the the fact that you don't celebrate and why it doesn't bother you and how it has advantages in not celebrating it.
I don't celebrate Hanukkah and I don't dwell on it , I don't to talk to my kids about it, or write articles about why it's not so bad to be Christian during Hanukkah.
Sounds to me, your obsessed with not celebrating Christmas.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks. ...
Silly, think for one minute about what a non-Christian sees every day from the end of October through December. You can't avoid being innundated by Christmas symbols and songs across the tv, radio, billboards, etc. You have to choose a position of how you are going to ingest all of this Christmas around you. It's not an obsession. All non-Christians just have to have some way to understand it. She's trying to explain it to Christians to help those that are interested understand how she explains the holiday to her children. Get it?
my thoughts exactly: WHY was this article worth publishing to begin with? As a Christian I could give a care less what the Jews or Muslims or Witches or anyone else is doing during the month of December- that is their business and their call. We love celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and we also have fun with Santa and all that entails; but my children have been taught the difference in the two and what the celebration is really all about. I don't teach my children how sad we are that we don't have menorahs or eat "french fries on steroids" on a special day- that has nothing to do with our lives or our celebrations but we sure are glad that your family enjoys your Jewishness and wish you happy holidays.
Well of course you don't dwell on the holidays you don't celebrate because you're not surrounded by reminders of those holidays...My people are certainly touchy about non-Christians aren't they...
Remember one small point: it is expected that non-Christians are expected to know about Christian holidays and not say anything when they are celebrated in school, etc. Christian children are not expected to know about non-Christian holidays or holy days. That's a case of privilege, not persecution. Unless you're the non-Christian.
Who gives a rats behind what Jews think anyway. They should be happy as hell raking in all the billions from stupid Christians who blow their money on a mythical holiday that should never have been created
"Who gives a rats behind what Jews think anyway. They should be happy as hell raking in all the billions from stupid Christians who blow their money on a mythical holiday"
WELL said...and stop busting my chops..they do their holidays..I do mine..STUPID ARTICLE.