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s I was leaving 7-11, a
prolific convenience store chain in the United States this
evening, (December 23, 2003) with my Mrs. Field's craving
buster in hand, the girl behind the counter said, "Merry
Christmas!" and I looked at her and said, "Thank you!
Thank you for saying Merry Christmas. I've been feeling
neutered in favor of Happy Holiday's political correctness.
It's rather refreshing. Thank you."
Behind me the eight people in line laughed. It
seems I am not the only person on this planet sick of "Happy
Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", "Happy
Chanukah" or "May Peace be with you through Ramadan and
the New Year." After watching 60-minutes, a prestigious
news magazine in the United States produced by CBS News, it
seems their commentator, Andy Rooney also has issues with
"Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas".
Saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy
Chanukah" wasn't always an issue, at least prior to the
1980's. Of course through my primary school years in the
mid-1970's we were largely Protestant or Catholic with a few
Jewish and Mormon students in each class. For myself, I don't
think I knew anyone from faiths other than these until
college. In elementary school, we loved having Jewish
students in our classes because they always brought their
culture in at the holidays. The upside being we got to play
with the dreidel and eat some of the food that goes with the holiday for show
and tell. Personally, I always thought my Jewish friends had
it right…presents for eight days instead of just one? A kid
had to come up with that idea!
At the time we said "Merry Christmas"
unless you knew the person was Jewish, in which you said, "Happy
Chanukah". When we went to the kosher deli down the
street, they said "Happy Chanukah" to us and we
returned the greeting. Why people get offended I don't
understand and the statement, whether Christmas or Chanukah,
the statement is never meant to offend.
Faith holidays have always celebrated the
spirit and purpose of each religion by marking an event; yet
there is something we can all take away from each faith based
holiday, even if it isn't our faith. To me, Chanukah
represents faith; the faith that God will provide what each of
us needs to get the job done as long as we trust in him as he
did by allowing the lamps to burn many days longer than the
oil reasonably allowed. Why shouldn't I be happy to
acknowledge that idea, that God will provide what is needed to
get the job done? Just because I'm not Jewish? Please! And
Christmas, even if you don't believe Jesus is the Messiah or
consider yourself an atheist, the celebration encompasses
selflessness, peace and caring for your fellow man without
prejudice or second thoughts. It's about looking for the good
in mankind. As humanity we spend far too much time looking
for how we are different rather than celebrating how we are
the same. Who on this planet doesn't think selflessness,
charity and hope are not good ideas, desirable character
traits or reasons to celebrate? Anyone?
And why cannot we acknowledge and share joy in
the celebration of another faith? A Muslim friend sent me a
wonderful little reminder of that today, as her way of saying,
Merry Christmas I'd like to share:
During this
Holiday Season, ESPECIALLY now, when the world is in turmoil,
I would like to share my father's message with
everyone. He had described to me the HUMAN
qualities as such:
·
H =
Helpful
·
U =
Unassuming
·
M =
Magnanimous
·
A =
Amiable
·
N =
Noble
Let us
all compare ourselves to these qualities and see how human are
we. Good luck.
Peace & Season's
Greetings
Now if one wants to
talk about devotion, Islam, would be the definition: praying
five times a day and major sacrifice from fashion to food. In
Christianity we have Lent, where we give up something for 40
days and we consider this excruciating. In Judaism there is
one day of atonement for your sins called Yom Kippur. In
Islam, they go an entire moon cycle, twenty-eight full days of
no food during daylight hours, (even children as young as six)
and spend nearly every non-essential hour not devoted to work
or school praying and at the mosque. The idea is to cleanse
the soul of earthly wants and needs and focus on the message
of God. This holiday is called Ramadan. Even if you're not
Muslim, the sacrifice, devotion and self-control needed to
sustain this penance for twenty-eight days is admirable and
deserves recognition. Even non-Muslims can appreciate the
dedication. Most people cannot even stick to a diet for two
weeks!
As Americans,
Canadians, Europeans, Central and South Americans, we are
lucky. We live in multi-theistic cultures that allow us
each to practice our faith in freedom and learn from each
other. The result of this sharing and learning bestows a
cornucopia of blessings. In many parts of the world this is a
crime and people are persecuted, killed and dehumanized for
doing what we take for granted.
Some countries are
communist, like China where religion must be hidden or
carefully practiced outside the eyes of the state. Most of us
are aware of countries in the Middle East where religion makes
you a second class or non-citizen. You are hated for who you
are if you are not the state religion. For example, in Israel
if you are a gentile (anyone not Jewish) living within the
state or the Occupied Territories and not bringing tourist
money, you're prevented from entering most holy sites, even on
Christmas or Easter and forced to live under inhumane
conditions, denied work and housing simply because you are
Christian, Muslim or another faith. In Iran where its
state sanctioned religion persecutes and isolates those of
Christian, Jewish or any other faith, and at times secular
Muslims simply because these Muslims are not Muslim enough.
It's hard to believe
in today's world and economy that such oppression and faith
based racism exists, but it does and its implications endanger
the entire world. The irony is these monotheistic
societies and theocratic governments give up so much by not
welcoming other faiths; they believe these faiths will
contaminate their culture. In reality each faith grants
gifts, lessons and treasures upon society. Consider
these, just some of the non-religious gifts of many faiths:
Buddhism brings the
gift of introspection and teaches us all to slow down and
concentrate on the miracles of life and our own inner
thoughts. The Hindu faith illustrates a reverence for
all living creatures. It also introduced us to sensuality and
the delights of making love outside of the confines of the
missionary position. The Mormon faith reminds us to
focus on the first gift we receive, that of our family, and to
keep it close and always at the center of our world.
Judaism celebrates history and tradition and reminds us of the
sacrifices we must all endure from time to time to defend and
adhere to our beliefs. Islam defines devotion, ritual
and hospitality, a faith that teaches self-sacrifice and
selflessness as a show of faith and respect to God. The
Amish remind us of how fleeting materialism is and the joys
that can be had from a simple life. Even native cultures like
the spirituality of the American Indians teach us.
Through their beliefs a respect for nature and a drive toward
conservationism guides society in caring for its precious
natural resources. And finally Christianity in all its
manifestations, its gift to all people are the ideas of
forgiveness, tolerance and charity coupled with hope that the
future will always be just what we need.
During
this time of celebration and birth for my faith, Christianity,
I also pause and thank God, not only for the birth of Jesus
Christ but also for the fact that I do live in a country where
faith and its practice are left to the individual. I am
eternally grateful that I can learn from and appreciate the
faiths of my friends, associates and acquaintances for the
positive and enriching ideas they bring into my life and our
human culture, while at the same time this freedom allows me
to stay true to my own faith and worship as I deem fit.
So,
Merry Christmas…and if you're not Christian, consider
this my way of saying, "May your life be blessed with hope,
tolerance, love and forgiveness in the coming year."
Because to me, this is also what Christmas represents making
this my wish for you and yours, regardless of faith,
throughout the upcoming New Year.
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