ENOUGH with the "War on Christmas" nonsense- Page 2

[Plum]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:01pm

And Dollypop, I also love gawking at people's over-the-top Christmas displays. My family used to drive over to a nearby super-rich town every December and look at a certain street where the mansions really went crazy trying to outdo each other.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:07pm

Not all Christians try to stuff Christmas down others' throats. Some who try to be sensitive still get their heads bitten off when their choice of in-store music is NOT carols but a generic baroque CD that includes one instrumental selection from Handel's Messiah - yes, I got a lecture from someone who knew the song and was offended that I was trying to "stuff Christmas down peoples' throats."

(BTW - I can't win when it comes to in-store music. I had a woman who was highly offended when my playlist included "Seasons of Love" from RENT, so I guess my only conclusion is that anything will offend someone and that I should not play anything at all?)

[Plum]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:19pm

I don't get offended; I get annoyed. :P

jrb, I'm not sure what you're trying to say with that. In 8th grade we had a massive effort to learn about the world's major religions from a historical and literary point of view- very brave of my district, in hindsight- and I learned a lot about Islam, especially, that way. But no one was pretending that the story of the Good Samaritan was just a nice story, or that the life of Muhammed was just history. Maybe it's possible to untie Christmas from its religious moorings, but as far as I'm concerned it hasn't been done yet. And if I were Christian I'd be pretty mad if it was.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:28pm

Well, Plum, maybe it's only an American thing. But, I doubt that.

If my mom hadn't put up a nativity scene in our living room, I would have grown up not knowing anything about Jesus's bday aside from the Christmas carols and that I was taken to Sunday school once in a blue moon.

Think about atheists who celebrate Christmas or Easter.

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:43pm

Ah, but as others have said, Christmas is really a pagan celebration that had its religious moorings tied to it. So, to me, unhitching them is not that big of a deal.

Christmas was secularized a long time ago whether Christians like it or not. Now they can't control the monster they created and are complaining. But that's nothing new.

Christianity has always been about adapting itself into the culture rather than distinguishing its own culture, per se. Did you know most of the old hymns are actually to the tune of old bar songs? It's the equivalent of modern Christian rock and rap -- they adapt into the popular modes at the time. But the side effect will be that there will always be people more interested in the medium than the message.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:47pm

Random fact: The Star-Spangled Banner tune came from a bar song too.

[Plum]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:50pm

Like I said, though, if you think Christmas is as secular as Thanksgiving, you might as well say that everyone should say, "Merry Christmas" and put up a tree in December. The fact that plenty of people don't feel comfortable doing that, but do feel comfortable with a November turkey, should say something.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 1:56pm

That's right, Plum, if you can comprehend something--it must be wrong.

Sorry if that's snarky, but I don't feel any give with you, babe.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:04pm

Listening to Christmas Shoes just once would be enough punishment for most people.

A-freaking-men. Every time I hear that song I actually got hot with anger. It's such a pandering piece of crap.

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:08pm

If his mom's really so sick that she's going to die that night, she's probably in bed -- and who wears shoes in bed, anyway? I hope the mom's last words to her son were to tell him what a stupid present he'd gotten her.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:10pm

Kringas's Annotated "Christmas Shoes"

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:14pm

From what I've learned so far about this song, I can thankfully say I do not know, nor do I believe I have ever heard, "Christmas Shoes."

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:15pm

Consider yourself luck, Jose'. It's a horrible, wretched song.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:16pm

The only way I can stomach it is to tell myself the kid is scamming the guy, and is going to sell the shoes for drugs.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:22pm

It's badly written, badly sung, and yet so many people (at least in my neck of the woods) buy it hook, line and sinker. I almost started a thread about how much I hate it, but was afraid I might be attacked. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks it's a steaming pile of dog crap.

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:25pm

That was beautiful, Kringas.

Now do that Dan Fogelberg song where he runs into an old girlfriend at a grocery store on New Years' Eve!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:26pm

I like that song...

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:27pm

Aw, thanks, Calvin. I'm not familiar with the Dan Fogelberg song. I have been told I need to hear the song about the kid whose mother gets beat(?), but I'm not sure of the specifics of it.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:29pm

How about Dance With My Father? Not a holiday song, but horribly-written tripe all the same...

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:36pm

I don't know the song about the child getting beaten -- unless it's Luca, but I liked that one.

I remember there was also this country song that something like "Johnny and Jesus had a lot in common" that was just as bad. Almost any country song that tries to tell a touching story is good for a laugh and a vomit.

Except Fancy. Updated On: 11/27/05 at 02:36 PM

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:38pm

I always fancied Syliva's "Nobody."

Updated On: 11/27/05 at 02:38 PM

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:40pm

Despite the stupidity of Christmas Shoes (Thank you, kringas, for that wonderful deconstruction, by the way), nothing, and I do mean nothing, will ever be as horrible to my ears as "Butterfly Kisses."
Sweet Jesus, it makes me want to become a serial killer, as if my brain thinks the world needs some absolute evil to balance out the saccharine sentiment in that song.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:42pm

Butterfly Kisses is truly stomach-churning, but it does not beat Christmas Shoes.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:43pm

Oh, the song I was talking about earlier is apparently called "Dear Mr. Jesus." It's not about a mother getting beaten, it's about child abuse. I've found a link with lyric and stream of the song. The horror.

Calvin, it's no "Luca."
Dear Mr. Jesus

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/27/05 at 2:58pm

Wait. This kid had to write a letter to Jesus? He's not allowed to pray? Is he on God's "Do Not Call" list?

And I'd completely blocked Butterfly Kisses out of my memory, but the horror came flooding back as soon as I saw the name.