A gentle reminder for "the season"

[<null]

To all Americans who brightly wish everyone they see a "Merry Christmas", *please* remember that the majority of the world is not Christian.

People seem to take great delight in saying things like "don't be a Scrooge - it's Christmas!!!". Well, that might be important in your universe, but not everyone's. For me, this year, Christmas is just another Thursday.

If you are celebrating, Happy Holidays.

[Ksu93dlv]

Uh oh, this one has the potential to get ugly. Think I'll just killfile it now and save myself the trouble

[George]

Another burst of mental flatulence.

How about you let others say what they want and display the grace to acknowledge good wishes.

[Dave Balderstone]

So what?

Merry Christmas.

djb (not an American)

[stoutman]

To all Americans who brightly wish everyone they see a "Merry

WRONG!! Check out some statistics null. Christianity leads with the highest percentage of followers in the world.

Taken from:

Religious Population of the World, 1999 (in thousands) Statistics of the world's religions are only very rough approximations. Aside from Christianity, few religions, if any, attempt to keep statistical records; and even Protestants and Catholics employ different methods of counting members. All persons of whatever age who have received baptism in the Catholic Church are counted as members, while in most Protestant Churches only those who "join" the church are numbered. The compiling of statistics is further complicated by the fact that in China one may be at the same time a Confucian, a Taoist, and a Buddhist. In Japan, one may be both a Buddhist and a Shintoist.

Religion Total Percent distri- bution Africa Asia Latin America North America Europe1 Oceania Total population 5,929,839 100.0% 778,484 3,588,877 499,534

304,078 729,406 29,460 Christians 1,943,038 32.8% 356,277 283,734 462,965 256,882 558,729 24,451 Affiliated Christians 1,835,352 31.0% 323,782 275,836 456,919 222,678 536,092 20,045 Roman Catholics 1,026,501 17.3% 114,316 106,399 442,808 69,536 286,124 7,318 Protestants 316,445 5.3% 74,436 43,998 45,295 69,437 76,776 6,503 Orthodox 213,743 3.6% 33,660 15,232 549 4,852 158,775 675 Anglicans 63,748 1.1% 27,957 856 853 3,260 25,632 5,190 Other Christians 373,832 6.3% 74,853 143,080 44,331 83,519 25,551 2,498 Unaffiliated Christians 107,686 1.8% 32,495 7,898 6,046 34,204 22,637 4,406 Atheists 149,913 2.5% 420 121,451 2,673 1,569 23,444 356 Baha'is 6,764 0.1% 1,695 3,260 825 753 126 105 Buddhists 353,794 6.0% 138 348,806 622 2,445 1,517 266 Chinese folk religionists2 379,162 6.4% 33 377,795 184 839 250 61 Confucians 6,241 0.1% - 6,207 - - 11 23 Ethnic Religionists 248,565 4.2% 97,200 148,189 1,231 424 1,262 259 Hindus 761,689 12.8% 2,411 755,500 785 1,266 1,382 345 Jains 3,922 0.1% 65 3,850 - 7 - - Jews 14,111 0.2% 230 4,139 1,121 5,996 2,530 95 Mandeans 38 - - 38 - - - - Muslims 1,164,622 19.6% 315,000 812,000 1,624 4,349 31,401 248 New Religionists3 100,144 1.7% 27 98,548 604 759 155 51 Nonreligious4 759,655 12.8% 4,863 600,822 15,300 27,500 108,000 3,170 Other religionists 1,001 0.0% 68 11 95 585 233 9 Shintoists 2,789 0.0% - 2,727 7 55 - - Sikhs 22,332 0.4% 53 21,531 - 498 236 14 Spiritists 11,785 0.2% 3 - 11,498 148 129 7 Zoroastrians 274 - 1 269 - 3 1 -

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[stoutman]

[Dan Parrell]

[Doug Miller]

Which gives it a plurality. Not a majority.

"Approximately 33% of the world's population is Christian."

And thus approximately 67% is not. Like the man said, the majority of the world is not Christian.

Merry Christmas to you and null anyway. :-)

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

[Dan Parrell]

Stolen from another post: It is funny that political correctness seems to be

If you want to wish your friends a happy Hanukah, then do so ,

[Mike in Mystic]

So, am I supposed to get upset if I hear someone say "Happy Kwanza" or "Happy Chanuka"? If someone wishes you a "Merry Christmas" and you take this personally, you need to really examine the way YOU view yourself in the context of everyone else, not the other way around.

Last time I looked freedom of speech wasn't a "majority rules" type of thing.

[stoutman]

Christians 1,943,038 32.8% 356,277 283,734 462,965 256,882 558,729

24,451 Affiliated Christians 1,835,352 31.0% 323,782 275,836 456,919 222,678 536,092 20,045 Roman Catholics 1,026,501 17.3% 114,316 106,399 442,808

What is 32.8% + 31.0% + 17.3 %. ? MAJORITY

Yes, Roman Catholics are Christians.

[Doug Winterburn]

Since the vast majority of my American, Canadian and Mexican friends are Christians, Merry Christmas from your agnostic friend.

BTW, this agnostics isn't offended by anyone else's beliefs, so good wishes during your special time(s) of year.

-Doug (who has a Christmas tree just in case, and so SWMBO won't leave him out)

[WORSS]

Hallelujia! Oh...can I say that?

Bill

[stoutman]

this is a topic better left alone on this NG.

:)

[stoutman]

I think null is gonna get coal in his stocking. :)

[Dave Balderstone]

There's nothing an agnostic can't accomplish if he really isn't sure whether or not he believes in anything.

;-)

Merry Christmas, Doug.

djb

[Unisaw A100]

Shouldn't the subject line read, "A Gentile Reminder For "The Season""?

Merry Christmas.

UA100

[Doug Winterburn]

Oh, I have strong beliefs about many things - gravity for instance. I celebrate its existance every day I am here on earth.

Merry Christmas and praise be to gravity.

-Doug

[<null]

Ha! Except I'm not Jewish. Good humor, tho'.

[RKON]

You should have said "the majority of MY world"

Does that mean you have to work just like every other Thursday? If not, be glad that you have the time off.

How about Health, Happiness, and Prosperity in the New Year to you.