Horrified Laughter

I am sitting here listening to Christmas music. There, I said it. I have Pandora open and I am listening to a Christmas channel. It is not like me to be taken over by the Christmas spirit, but for some reason I have been. Hopefully it won't last long. I know Jesus wouldn't approve. Especially from a heathen like me.

Speaking of Christmas, I was directed to the website StandforChristmas.com yesterday. Yup, another gem from Focus on the Family. This little website allows the good (har!) Christians of the world to both rate and comment on big box stores that "remember the reason for the season." So, for example, The Gap is the devil incarnate because they say "Happy Holidays" and not "Merry Christmas". Bass Pro Shops are considered "friendly" because they greet people with the old MC.

Dana from Texas writes:

Totally disgusted with Best Buy. Got my weekly ad in the paper wishing everyone a Happy Eid al-Adha. Never saw anything from BB wishing customers a Happy Thanksgiving or Merry Christmas. Didn't realize BB only had Muslim customers. I have spent 10+ thousand at BB over the past two years. Won't spend another penny there. BB hope you have a Happy Eid al-Adha. I'll be having a very Merry Christmas spending my $$$'s at another electronic store that realizes they are in America.

Gee Dana, let us consider that the muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha fell on November 27th this year. The same day as Black Friday. Should Best Buy ignore an entire demographic because it offends you? What about the fact that this holiday is about charity and making sure that no one goes without a meal? Because a big, scary muslim practices charity this must mean it's wrong. I guess this also interferes with your need to get a good deal and spend money on Christmas - the real "reason for the season" right? And doesn't spending $10K+ on electronics over 2 years full under the category of gluttony? Or is it greed?

Another concerned Christian writes:

Just bought an ipod from Best Buy, but then learned of their anti-Christmas/pro -Eid al Adha actions. I so regret having purchased from them. Best Buy, give glory to the one who has allowed and attributed to your success...Jesus Christ, not Mohammed!

If you're so offended, then why didn't you RETURN the iPod and buy it somewhere more Jesus-friendly? Best Buy can't be all that bad if you're willing to keep the good deal you got.

When reviewing The Gap comments I found this gem:

I just watched the commercial for GAP, I was truly repulsed when they mentioned that we should liberate and how they put Christmas next to solstice. Pretty much what they said was we need to break free and do what we feel is right which goes against everything for this Christmas season.

I guess this Christian forgot that all of their religious holidays were formed out of pagan beliefs (solstice). I guess doing what you feel is right is also against Christian beliefs.

Then we have this:

Very offended by the recent advertisement. How dare they suggest we celebrate what we want? This is a Christian nation.

Yes! How DARE they suggest you celebrate anything that you aren't directly told to celebrate by your priest! No birthdays! No promotions! No retirements! And since when is this a Christian nation? I thought we were the land of the free and all that jazz? Last I checked we didn't have a Taliban-like group restricting our beliefs to Christianity. But maybe I missed something. Y'know, like the First Amendment and that whole separation of church and state thing.

And lastly these two (or else I will spend all day talking about this):

What in the world is up with their latest ad?? What a slap in the face to the TRUE meaning of Christmas. I was shocked and offended when I heard the mention of the other religions in a Christmas commercial! Shame on you Gap, I will never frequent your stores.

I was SHOCKED at the TV ad! Such a blatant choice to exclude the Christian community. Now we must blatantly choose to exclude the Gap from our shopping experience!

A) Isn't it a little presumptuous to assume this is a CHRISTMAS commercial? What about all of the other religious holidays that occur between now and the new year?

Which goes hand in hand with....

B) Don't you think that the Jews and Muslims and all the other religious groups feel excluded when everything is tagged as Christmas??

To quote something I saw on Facebook (of all places!) "I think that religious wars are just a fight over who has the best imaginary friend."