What do holidays and Christmas mean...

Every year I stop and think what is all the fuss for? Myself being Catholic it's all about Jesus. The birth of the Saviour of mankind (well if you subscribe to that line of religion anyway). See being Catholic I am pretty ignorant of the ways of the other religions. I know Judaism has Hanukkah and I understand the menorah and it's significance but I don't get how hanging out in a desert translates into a festival. Then there is Diwali which I understand to be a festival of lights but again I don't really know why. I know even less of Kwanza. So when you look at all the different religions out there isn't interesting that they all have some sort of celebration right around the end of the year? Now surely they didn't have super accurate record keeping 2000 years ago so is it possible that all these celebrations are about the same event either directly or indirectly? Sure the Bible, the Koran and all the other religious gospels were written by man. What if they are just different interpretations on what really happened. Surely you have always heard two sides to every story and some where in between lies the truth. What if the actual gospels of the various religions were... news, so to speak. We know that todays newscasters are all about spreading panic through misrepresentation of stories, blowing things all out of proportion all in the effort to up ratings and readership. What if we all worship the same God and all the fighting in the name of religious zealotry is really just over someones interpretation of a news story 2000 years, or more, ago. Makes you wonder if we are just really irritating God with our own stupidity and basically driving a wedge between Him and us. I know the Bible says I am supposed to go out and preach the Gospel to those in need of it. In all honesty I really don't think God needs my help other than for me to try to be a good person. If I am a good person, I am setting a good example for my kids to be good people, and continuing the cycle for my children to raise good children them selves. I think if God wants someone to do His bidding He will get in touch with them, just I would expect Him to contact me if He wants me to do the door to door thing preaching my religion.

So in our day and age of political correctness we are inundated with "seasons greetings" what the hell is that supposed to mean? Are we greeting the seasons? Is that really more PC than Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah? Could it not be construed that we are in fact following some sort of Wiccan or Druidism type greeting, as both of those religions tend to worship the earth and nature? I don't know I am happy to hear different greetings I think that you should wear your religion on your sleeve greet people with your particular religious greeting. Be proud of your faith what ever it may be and in turn let others be proud of theirs. It is only through understanding and acceptance that perhaps your viewpoint may not be the only one that is right that the world can and will be a better place. Embrace the diversity in the world, stop worrying that your beliefs will offend someone else, they are your beliefs and as a human being on this hunk of dirt you have a right (whether you believe it is God given or just a sentient right) to believe in what you want to believe. I feel bad for the people in the retail world where they are not allowed to greet people with Merry Christmas or what ever greeting they would choose to use. I always wish them a Merry Christmas, you should see their faces brighten when they hear it and they manage to squeak out a "Merry Christmas" back to me the whole time looking to see if their supervisor is in earshot. Should they be persecuted because of how they want to greet people? Should stores dictate how the customer is greeted? If I wish someone whom is of the Jewish faith a Merry Christmas I want them to smile back at me and wish me a Happy Hanukkah. That in my opinion would be a great exchange of beliefs in just two short greetings.

Of course this is really just my wish for peace on earth, so that instead of having all the military might in the world and all the money that is spent on those devices of destruction could be spent on helping people instead of killing them. I think it is a nice thought, but I am at a loss as to how to put it in to action.

On that note I will bid you all a very Merry Christmas!