Maybe you should listen to the experiences of the people who have heard white maga men say it to them.
And what you wrote suggests you have no clue where the people who are upset by it are coming from, or what they are experiencing.
I’m going to continue to not be upset, because so far, no one has said it to me in a way that’s upsetting. But I’m not going to dismiss people who love on different places and have different experiences.
On the beach? In an elevator, or even on a plane? (sorry, I couldn’t resist)
I considered replying to this, because it’s pretty f***ing clear that you are targeting me, specifically, with that comment, which utterly distorts my posts on the subject. But, nope. I’m out. You’ve won an argument on the internet. Enjoy.
But would not a DEI approach be to accept everyone’s greetings, even if it were from a Christian, as long as the intent of the greeting was sincere. And the sincereness of the greeting is what matters, not the cultural influence of that greeting. If we do want to have the best DEI greetings, does that not get to intent, not religion, or exclusion? And are you perhaps assuming an intent, in a very un-DEI way, while stating DEI?
Perhaps. At the same time your assertion very quickly enters into the same territory as the Paradox of tolerance - Wikipedia.
If I got you correct, I think your concern isn’t about individual intent, but about cumulative impact. In a society where Christianity has historically been the default, religious language in public or shared spaces can unintentionally signal who belongs and who does not. From that perspective, challenging such language isn’t intolerance, but an attempt to prevent marginalization before it hardens.
If that is correct I understand that logic, and I think that’s a valid concern.
As such I suspect this is less about greetings themselves and more about different answers to a deeper question: whether inclusion is best achieved by minimizing dominant culture expressions, or by cultivating enough pluralism that people can encounter difference without it being read as threat. That’s probably where our frameworks diverge.
That first one is a bit much, but the second one seems on point to me.
But again, the wish is not limited to white Maga hat wearing evangelicals. Other Christian groups and even Pagans wish blessings upon people.
Yeah, I mean, this is the 21st century- if you cant ignore “do you want fries with that”, “Thanks for shopping Kroger!” or “Have a great Day”, maybe you better find that cave.
One D4 is always nice.
The two are nothing whatsoever alike.
Right. The Black Protestant churches are where it originated. From those and a couple of my pagan friends is the only place I have heard it.
I think that’s a decent summation. But I’d reword a bit of it slightly:
or by cultivating enough pluralism that people can encounter difference without it
being read asactually being a threat.
The problem in the USA today is that fundamentalist Christianity absolutely is a threat to anyone who’s not one of their chosen flavor. I don’t have any concerns that the e.g. American Episcopals or Jews or Muslims want to run my life and demand my allegiance. I do have that fear about the fundy evangelicals and their con artist leaders.
Millions of Americans agree with me that that fear is not crazy talk. It’s well-founded.
I second this. 100% of the time, when I hear “have a blessed day”, it’s from a fellow African-American. And I hear it often. It has absolutely no negative MAGA/Fundy connotations for me (and others in this thread). It is definitely a YMMMV term.
Did you mean YMMV?
I did.
Thank you for your post.
I totally agree. I am more apt to accept it from a person of color as a true and kind salutation.
I don’t think it should be allowed in any place of business.
Any owner, manager should impress on his employees not to use religious based words with customers. Ever.
It’s too charged.
You need to practice your religion on your own time.
(I’m speaking of clerks and cashiers, not boxed in office/manufacturing employees)
When i do hear it it, it’s more often than not in a place of business, (store, restaurant), or public place (random conversation). It has no more religious connotation than someone saying that so-and-so is blessed with good looks, attentive parents, or a high-paying job. It definitely has roots in the Black Church, but these days the person saying it as likely to not actually be religious than are. It’s basically the equivalent to wishing someone good tidings or luck.
If I’ve offended you, I apologize for that. A number of people in this thread have (are) suggesting that they know this is usually intended in a proselytizing manner. I don’t believe that’s knowable, and I believe people are starkly overestimating their ability to know the thoughts of someone they see as a hostile other. So I wasn’t referring to you individually.
There’s no non-offensive way to suggest people are seeing things in a distorted manner, and I’m not changing my mind that this is how I see the situation. But I haven’t meant to attack or degrade anyone, and if so I’m sorry for that.
You know, i just got a nice Hanukkah card from a religious (Christian) friend. It’s blue and gold, says “happy festival of lights” and has Hanukkiahs and dreidels on it.
When secular people use religious language, it may just be their idiom. When religious people use religious language, they know what they are saying, and what it means.
I’ll just point out that Oregon is an historically hostile state to Blacks, to its everlasting shame. Idaho, the influence of which is strong in Oregon especially in the east and rural areas of the west as I’ve previously pointed out, is even worse.
I’ve met very few Blacks here. It is white, white, white, except perhaps a bit better in the more populated urban areas like Portland. The people who are saying this where I live are white and overtly evangelical Christian (prominently worn crucifix, e.g.). @susan’s experience here:
Surprises me not at all.
I have lived in the Bay Area where @Roderick_Femm lives. I don’t think I would ever encounter pointed meaning with the phrase there. It’s different here.
You have made many excellent observations in this thread. This is one of the best ones. Thank you for understanding and explaining so well.
Good points
Utter nonsense.
Blessed by?