To say Merry Christmas, or not to say Merry Christmas? Many of the “politically correct” have opted for the latter, given our country’s religious diversity. Of course, political correctness, per se, is neither good nor bad. It has its positive expressions, which I think are better described as simply being socially considerate. For instance, why utter a term that one knows is offensive to a certain group of people (particularly when there are inoffensive alternatives)? Yet there are manifestations of political correctness that are downright unreasonable, and the modern tendency to question the propriety of wishing someone a Merry Christmas is a case in point.
My sense is that the Christian and the non-Christian have mutual obligations towards one another. Speaking personally as a Christian, I think its best to avoid wishing a merry Christmas to those who, I believe, aren’t Christian. Yet I think it’s appropriate to practice a form of “innocuous discrimination” by wishing a merry Christmas to those who apparently belong to a predominantly Christian ethnic group, or who otherwise make clear their Christian affiliation (e.g., by wearing a Cross). As for the non-Christian, if his ethnic identity is mistaken, or else is exceptionally non-Christian, he should not be offended since this is, after all, a predominantly Christian country. It is thus unreasonable to expect Christians to refrain from making such public expressions of their faith. Similarly, if I were living in a predominantly Jewish community, I should not take offense if one wished me a happy Hanukkah (especially given the fact that I, as one of Iranian descent, could easily be mistaken for a Jew).
My sense is that the Christian and the non-Christian have mutual obligations towards one another. Speaking personally as a Christian, I think its best to avoid wishing a merry Christmas to those who, I believe, aren’t Christian. Yet I think it’s appropriate to practice a form of “innocuous discrimination” by wishing a merry Christmas to those who apparently belong to a predominantly Christian ethnic group, or who otherwise make clear their Christian affiliation (e.g., by wearing a Cross). As for the non-Christian, if his ethnic identity is mistaken, or else is exceptionally non-Christian, he should not be offended since this is, after all, a predominantly Christian country. It is thus unreasonable to expect Christians to refrain from making such public expressions of their faith. Similarly, if I were living in a predominantly Jewish community, I should not take offense if one wished me a happy Hanukkah (especially given the fact that I, as one of Iranian descent, could easily be mistaken for a Jew).
