merry christmas (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Austin Cline posted a question he received on his forums asking why some atheists seemed to be offended by someone saying "merry Christmas." At least for me, "offended" seems a bit strong. I'd prefer to use the term "annoyed" to describe how I feel upon hearing it. I only feel that way some of the time, depending on the circumstances. I do not take offense at hearing those words, and I haven't encountered an atheist who does.
What could be annoying about hearing someone wish me a merry Christmas? I sometimes find it annoying because it seems insensitive. The person making the statement is incorrectly assuming that I am Christian (a reflection of Christian privilege) or celebrate Christmas. I'm not, and I don't. They have not bothered to consider the potential impact of their words on persons with different beliefs. But since I encounter this sort of thing regularly here in Mississippi, I can't say I'm offended or surprised by it.