Miserable, or welcome?

[JEBofChristTheLord]

Recently, a national radio preacher personality gave his listeners some rather distinctive advice. When they are checking out at retail stores, he advised, they should say "Merry Christmas" to the clerks; and if the clerks respond with "Happy Holidays", he advised them to protest, and abandon their purchases.

Now I know from long experience that this personality, like many others in the U.S.A., has been saying these things for many many years. Before God brought me into Christ, I was a Jew, of entirely Jewish ancestry, and I hated behavior such as this preacher (and others I have heard in person!) recommended.

But today I am in Christ -- and I am certain He hates the things we do that makes our neighbors miserable. I am also certain He loves the things we do that make our neighbors welcome.

What do you think?

 

[wanderingone]

I agree with you.. we should not seek out disputes.. obviously we shouldn't make compromise to our values and beliefs in order to make someone happy but somehow being greeted with Happy Holidays doesn't strike me as something worth making someone do extra work about.

Leaving my purchases at the register means someone has to return it to the shelves, holds up the people waiting behind me as the cashier clears her register and the counter... and generally creates ill will.

I see no reason to make already busy cashiers suffer through childish exploits in the name of Christianity.

 

[Phylogeny]

Recently, a national radio preacher personality gave his listeners some rather distinctive advice. When they are checking out at retail stores, he advised, they should say "Merry Christmas" to the clerks; and if the clerks respond with "Happy Holidays", he advised them to protest, and abandon their purchases.

Now I know from long experience that this personality, like many others in the U.S.A., has been saying these things for many many years. Before God brought me into Christ, I was a Jew, of entirely Jewish ancestry, and I hated behavior such as this preacher (and others I have heard in person!) recommended.

But today I am in Christ -- and I am certain He hates the things we do that makes our neighbors miserable. I am also certain He loves the things we do that make our neighbors welcome.

What do you think?

I think the preacher needs to be reminded that a good Christian isn't one that makes everyone say 'Merry Christmas' but one that helps his fellow man. Hello? I do believe there's that global poverty, world peace thing that still needs looking at....perhaps the preacher needs to reprioritize.

 

[ChristianCenturion]

Recently, a national radio preacher personality gave his listeners some rather distinctive advice. When they are checking out at retail stores, he advised, they should say "Merry Christmas" to the clerks; and if the clerks respond with "Happy Holidays", he advised them to protest, and abandon their purchases.

Now I know from long experience that this personality, like many others in the U.S.A., has been saying these things for many many years. Before God brought me into Christ, I was a Jew, of entirely Jewish ancestry, and I hated behavior such as this preacher (and others I have heard in person!) recommended.

But today I am in Christ -- and I am certain He hates the things we do that makes our neighbors miserable. I am also certain He loves the things we do that make our neighbors welcome.

What do you think?

I don't know what preacher suggested it, but it really doesn't matter.
I disagree with the notion.

 

[Joykins]

I agree with the OP.

They shall know we are Christians by our love, not by the little snot-fits we throw at poor overwhelmed cashiers who are just doing what they're trained to do.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

I agree that the preacher is speaking nonsense. If we want to bring the light of Christ to the unsaved, we do it by our works, not just words. We do it with love, compassion and occasionally, a little conviction of the conscious in order to bring them to the Lord.


Whining about someone not saying Merry Christmas is sure gonna win over allot of people

 

[whitestar]

As much as I totally hate what is happening...I also agree that ranting and raving about a STORE (which means its not a church), shouldn't be forced to do this. All this started about three years ago and honestly I by doing such things we are not following Jesus command to love thy neighbor. I don't want other religions forced on me and certainly wouldn't if I was a business...an employee isn't given a choice in the matter and them being left to deal with an 'outraged Christian' that will ONLY embarass and humilate them, certainly isn't going to solve the problem or make us look like Jesus followers....

My family wanted me to boycott Target by the way cause of their failure to adversite Christmas and not allow Salvation Army bell ringers out front....while I thought it was pretty rude of them not allowing the bell ringers, I won't boycott them ...I think that is wrong and certainly not something Jesus would do. He never forced Himself on anyone...

It grieves my heart though that this is happening in the first place.


God bless
WhiteStar

 

[Lynden1000]

Recently, a national radio preacher personality gave his listeners some rather distinctive advice. When they are checking out at retail stores, he advised, they should say "Merry Christmas" to the clerks; and if the clerks respond with "Happy Holidays", he advised them to protest, and abandon their purchases.

Now I know from long experience that this personality, like many others in the U.S.A., has been saying these things for many many years. Before God brought me into Christ, I was a Jew, of entirely Jewish ancestry, and I hated behavior such as this preacher (and others I have heard in person!) recommended.

But today I am in Christ -- and I am certain He hates the things we do that makes our neighbors miserable. I am also certain He loves the things we do that make our neighbors welcome.

What do you think?

I think this radio preacher is an ignoramus.

 

[loriersea]

Glad to see that nobody agrees with this preacher.

Honestly, I can't imagine anyone is taking his advice, anyway. After you spend an afternoon shopping, and then waiting on the monstrously long holiday lines, you are not going to abandon your purchases because the person behind the counter doesn't say the words you want them to say.

Does he want people to do this no matter what religion the cashier is? If the cashier is wearing a veil, do you still have to protest her wording? If he is wearing a yarmulke, do you have to? If she has on a pentagram?

If someone wishes the cashier a "Blessed Yule," and the cashier responds with "Happy Holidays," should the Pagan customer leave their purchases and storm out? If someone wishes the cashier a "Happy Hannukah" and the cashier responds with "Happy Holidays," should the Jewish customer leave their purchases and storm out?

What a silly, silly thing to get so angry about. I hope that everybody leaves the presents they were going to buy this preacher at the register.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

And I bet if the OP gave us the preacher's name, we'd probably all run and go listen to his show, to see what kind of other fun things he'd say.

Therefore, his goal has been achieved.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

And I bet if the OP gave us the preacher's name, we'd probably all run and go listen to his show, to see what kind of other fun things he'd say.

Therefore, his goal has been achieved.

The preacher's, not the poster's.

Bleh, it's late.

 

[JEBofChristTheLord]

Therefore, his goal has been achieved.

Oh, no; his goal, like many preachers, is to reconstruct this nation into a theocracy, in which only people who do his favorite things are permitted much sociopolitical power. I am happy to be observing that God is increasingly denying to such preachers their goals, all over the world.

 

[Skydancing]

But today I am in Christ -- and I am certain He hates the things we do that makes our neighbors miserable. I am also certain He loves the things we do that make our neighbors welcome.

What do you think?


If he was working for the BBC they would probably sack him.

 

[Thirst_For_Knowledge]

Oh, no; his goal, like many preachers, is to reconstruct this nation into a theocracy, in which only people who do his favorite things are permitted much sociopolitical power. I am happy to be observing that God is increasingly denying to such preachers their goals, all over the world.

His goal is to get listeners.

That is how he gets his money.

The same things can be seen with people like Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Bill O'Reilly, and the entire 700 club team.

 

[Glenda]

We need to show the love of Christ..

And who we are in Him..

And doing what this preacher suggests does not do that..

 

[Joykins]

I've been thinking about this...

After all, what BETTER witness for Christ can we be, than to inconvenience other shoppers and humiliate and embarrass an overworked clerk who is just doing what her employer has told her to do? Because we are CHRISTIANS and everyone should just KNOW that if they don't wish us holiday cheer in EXACTLY the way we THINK they should, why then, they should SUFFER! We'll have made a worthwhile stand, and both the clerk and the other shoppers will have no doubt that WE stand for CHRIST!