Christmas vs. New Year's
Why is it ok to say "Happy New Year" but not "Merry Christmas?" Well, of course, because not everyone celebrates Christmas, and we have to be sensitive to those who don't right? We wouldn't want to impose our Judeo-Christian beliefs on anyone else.
Our Jewish friends, however, celebrate Hanukkah. But according to this site, January 1, 2007 is the 11th day of Tevet, in the year 5767. So saying "Happy New Year" on January 1st isn't really accurate to someone observing the Hebrew calendar.
I would imagine that most Muslims don't celebrate Christmas, either. They, too, have their own calendar. According to this site, January 1, 2007 is "Monday 11 Thw al-Hijjah 1427 A.H." in the Islamic, or "Hijri," calendar. Again, January 1st isn't the new year on that calendar.
A little research turned up the claim that the People's Republic of China officially adopted the "solar calendar," but that traditional holidays are still celebrated on the Chinese lunar calendar. I'm not going to pretend to understand all the intricacies, but what I did find over at Wikipedia is that the Chinese New Year is coming up - on February 18, 2007.
Ok, so what about all the atheists, agnostics, pagans, wiccans etc. out there - or anyone else that doesn't identify with Christendom and doesn't want to have it imposed upon them? Let's not forget that "our" calendar was adopted by a Pope. It's based on the life of Jesus Christ. How is this any less "offensive" than wishing someone a happy commemoration of His birth?
I've got a great idea. How about we let everybody choose their own calendar? The calendar is whatever YOU want it to be! I like it. I should come up with my own calendar - one where April 15th doesn't roll around again for another 150 years!
Why is it ok to say "Happy New Year" but not "Merry Christmas?" Well, of course, because not everyone celebrates Christmas, and we have to be sensitive to those who don't right? We wouldn't want to impose our Judeo-Christian beliefs on anyone else.
Our Jewish friends, however, celebrate Hanukkah. But according to this site, January 1, 2007 is the 11th day of Tevet, in the year 5767. So saying "Happy New Year" on January 1st isn't really accurate to someone observing the Hebrew calendar.
I would imagine that most Muslims don't celebrate Christmas, either. They, too, have their own calendar. According to this site, January 1, 2007 is "Monday 11 Thw al-Hijjah 1427 A.H." in the Islamic, or "Hijri," calendar. Again, January 1st isn't the new year on that calendar.
A little research turned up the claim that the People's Republic of China officially adopted the "solar calendar," but that traditional holidays are still celebrated on the Chinese lunar calendar. I'm not going to pretend to understand all the intricacies, but what I did find over at Wikipedia is that the Chinese New Year is coming up - on February 18, 2007.
Ok, so what about all the atheists, agnostics, pagans, wiccans etc. out there - or anyone else that doesn't identify with Christendom and doesn't want to have it imposed upon them? Let's not forget that "our" calendar was adopted by a Pope. It's based on the life of Jesus Christ. How is this any less "offensive" than wishing someone a happy commemoration of His birth?
I've got a great idea. How about we let everybody choose their own calendar? The calendar is whatever YOU want it to be! I like it. I should come up with my own calendar - one where April 15th doesn't roll around again for another 150 years!
posted by Olivier Kozlowski | 1:28 PM
1 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
<< Home