# Evangelical Christmas Cards.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [December 22, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172 "2004-12-22T16:24:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/41 "2004-12-22T19:08:54Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#):
>
> No, he didn’t, that’s what the OP is about, NOT that it’s a Christmas card, and he specifically SAYS (paraphrased) "I wouldn’t mind a “Reason for the Season or some such”.
>
> He’s talking about the “shove it down your throatness” of the 900 bible verses etc contained in this PARTICULAR card.
>
> Read the OP.
I read the OP. And I understand it’s the message he’s pissed off at. I just fail to see that Christmas is the time to fight this battle. If they were trying to prosyletize during, oh, say any other time of year I can see how he would be pissed off.
I’m going to step out of this now and let you all continue your self-righteous indignation. Just thought I might point out that for those of us who celebrate christmas, a religous card is not an insult and we don’t give them out to offend.
---
### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/42 "2004-12-22T19:10:19Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#):
>
> I read the OP. And I understand it’s the message he’s pissed off at. I just fail to see that Christmas is the time to fight this battle. If they were trying to prosyletize during, oh, say any other time of year I can see how he would be pissed off.
>
> I’m going to step out of this now and let you all continue your self-righteous indignation. Just thought I might point out that for those of us who celebrate christmas, a religous card is not an insult and we don’t give them out to offend.
YOU’RE NOT LISTENING. They \*do \* prosyletize the whole rest of the year! And go voer the fucking top at Christmas!
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### Author:  [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/43 "2004-12-22T19:15:09Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#):
>
> I read the OP. And I understand it’s the message he’s pissed off at. I just fail to see that Christmas is the time to fight this battle. If they were trying to prosyletize during, oh, say any other time of year I can see how he would be pissed off.
Now, that’s what I said in my first post, and if you had left it at that, we wouldn’t nowe be having this conversation.
> [@](#):
>
> I’m going to step out of this now and let you all continue your self-righteous indignation.
We will leave it to the reader to decide just who is posting with “self-righteous indignation.” Have you been taking unintentional irony lessons from **Lib**?
> [@](#):
>
> Just thought I might point out that for those of us who celebrate christmas, a religous card is not an insult and we don’t give them out to offend.
[/quote]
But this wasn’t just a religious card. Read \*\*Homebrew’s post #4
> [@](#):
>
> Hell, I’d not been bugged if it was simply a “Jesus is the reason for the season” type or a quote of Luke 2:11. But this thing is chock full of preachin’
He clearly states that a religious card would not bug him, but this one did because it wasn’t merely religious, but aggressively preachy. There is a difference between the two, but I think you’ve amply demonstrated that literacy isn’t your strong suit.
---
### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/44 "2004-12-22T19:18:16Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#):
>
> And I like how you completely skipped over the title of this entire thread ‘EVANGELICAL CHRISTMAS CARDS’
>
> The thrust of the OP was aimed at the card, and why his family couldn’t just send him a **religion-free card**. Apparently he has other issues re: religion and his family, and it seems that he’s incredibly threatened and touchy about the subject as a whole. But he was pitting the fact that they sent him a religious christmas card. In celebration of a religious holiday.
Are you simple? Do you not understand the difference between a “religious” message and an Evangelical one?
In the religious card, it merely expresses a person’s blessings through their particular belief, for example “God Bless and keep you etc”. In the second, AS WAS WRITTEN in the OP, it’s preaching AT someone, and with a LOT of back up, the verses he quoted etc.
> [@](#):
>
> All his other issues aside, he’s making a big fuss over nothing.
Actually, as someone else pointed out, he’s really not, he had his vent, and was a lot calmer about it than a lot of people, YOU seem to be the one deciding FOR him what he meant, and what kind of person his Aunt is.
You know something? I’m a christian, I used to be a baptist. My family still says “God Bless you” and little phrases like that. They KNOW of my sister’s and my aversion to our former church, and why. But even though we were once “in the fold” they respect our wishes, and aren’t constantly hounding us to come back to “THE” church.
Were they to, we’d be just as annoyed at their meddling. This is really no different than someone constantly harping on “when are you two kids going to stop living ‘in sin’ and get married”, or "you really should invest in the stock market, it’s the smart “adult’ thing to do”.
Like that. the OP clearly knows his family and their motives better than you do, I’m confident that he has the ability to be correct in his assessment of why they sent THIS particular card.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/45 "2004-12-22T19:18:27Z")
Never mind. She is so convinced that anytime anyone gives you anything, it’s out of the goodness of their heart and should be received with obsequious\* bowing and gratitude.
Not that the giver may have ulterior motives. I remember that from my reading of the Bible, “Make sure you convert people by constantly bugging them. Oh, and the anniversary of my birth? Doubly annoy them. Especially if they’re family, and they have a right to expect respect from you.”
I don’t like to use this in a mean way, but: :rolleyes:
I’m sure I spelled this wrong. Oh well. Can’t remember the right way this minute.
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### Author:  [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/46 "2004-12-22T19:18:40Z")
> [@Eve](#):
>
> IMy mother once got a Christmas card from a coworker, who wrote inside that she hoped my mother saw the light and came to Jesus before she died, or her soul would go to hell. Now, _that_ was a bit de trop.
My aunt does stuff like that. My brother is actually _very_ religious, but of the wrong brand according to auntie - he’s LDS. He’s a fantastic person who’s married to a wonderful woman and they’ve raised four polite, smart, beautiful kids. Every year, my aunt sticks a little tract in their Christmas card telling them they’re all burning in hell because they’re Mormon. Merry Christmas!
I’ve got to agree with **XJETGIRLX**. She wasn’t shoving anything down your throat. It’s Christmas (to her), she sent a Christmas card (highlighting the most important thing of the season to her). At least she wasn’t gleefully condemning you to eternal damnation. Throw it away if you don’t like it.
(I’m an atheist, too, and I get a lot of lovely cards with all sorts of Jesus-y stuff…they’re sent out of love, so I appreciate them.)
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/47 "2004-12-22T19:24:40Z")
> [@betenoir](#):
>
> They’re not trying to be nice. If they were trying to be nice they’d think "hey, Homebrew is not religious. Why don’t we send him a card he’d actually _like_ . Ya know, something that would actually make his Christmas _merry_ . "
>
> That’s what being nice is.
>
> They weren’t.
Maybe it’s just that I’m coming from the perspective of a person who’s family doesn’t think enough of me to send me cards during the holidays. Maybe I’m a little jealous.
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### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/48 "2004-12-22T19:26:42Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#):
>
> I read the OP. And I understand it’s the message he’s pissed off at.
No you don’t. Because if you did, you wouldn’t be arguing it.
> [@](#):
>
> Just thought I might point out that for those of us who celebrate christmas, a religous card is not an insult and we don’t give them out to offend.
It. is. NOT a “religious” card. It is NOT a card “celebrating Christmas”. Sheesh, you ARE simple.
The whole POINT of the thread, and he SAID this, is that it’s not just religious, it’s EVANGELICAL, there his a difference, a VERY big one. I give up. You’re making catsix look like the most agreeable reasonable doper here.
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/49 "2004-12-22T19:30:18Z")
They have every right to send you prolestyzing Christmas cards. May be tacky IMO, but it’s their right.
Of course, you also have a right to send back winter holiday cards featuring mistletoe and berries, whereupon inside you wish them a happy Winter Solstice and a Joyful Yule. 😃
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### Author:  [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/50 "2004-12-22T19:34:58Z")
> [@rjung](#):
>
> They have every right to send you prolestyzing Christmas cards. May be tacky IMO, but it’s their right.
>
> Of course, you also have a right to send back winter holiday cards featuring mistletoe and berries, whereupon inside you wish them a happy Winter Solstice and a Joyful Yule. 😃
Or he could send them a card with an adorable li’l squirrel squeaking, [sub]“Hail, Satan!”[/sub], wishing them a Woodland Critter Christmas to celebrate the birth of the Antichrist, Devourer of Worlds.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/51 "2004-12-22T19:46:54Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#):
>
> I read the OP. And I understand it’s the message he’s pissed off at.
That’s step one. Step two is _understanding_ the OP. This you have consumatly failed to do.
> [@](#):
>
> I just fail to see that Christmas is the time to fight this battle.
Newsflash, braniac: _he’s not fighting that battle_. He’s not calling up his aunt and yelling at her for sending this card. He’s not trying to turn other members of his family against her. He’s not sending her cards celebrating holidays for religions she doesn’t believe in to piss her off. He’s smiling nicely at the card, and coming here to vent so his aunt will never know that her theoretically well-intentioned gesture wasn’t not appreciated.
> [@](#):
>
> If they were trying to prosyletize during, oh, say any other time of year I can see how he would be pissed off.
This is just stupid. Agressive evangelism is unacceptable behavior any other day of the year? Christmas is now “free pass to proselytize day”? Is there a holiday where blinkered idiocy is acceptable? 'Cause that must be your favorite time of the year.
> [@](#):
>
> I’m going to step out of this now and let you all continue your self-righteous indignation.
You are a coward and a hypocrite.
> [@](#):
>
> Just thought I might point out that for those of us who celebrate christmas, a religous card is not an insult and we don’t give them out to offend.
Right, because you’re the only one posting to this thread who celebrates Christmas.
Ass.
---
### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/52 "2004-12-22T20:02:47Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#):
>
> But he’s not bitching about a _Holiday_ card. He’s bitching about a _Christmas_ card, sent by an admittedly very-religious family member.
>
> It’s one thing to say, “I don’t celebrate the religious aspect of the season and would appreciate a more neutral greeting”. He specifically derided the use of religion in a _Christmas_ card.
Except that he didn’t. In a later post, he made quite clear that he expected to see a religiously themed card from them. This one, however, was over the top – and here’s the logic:
Christmas is the season when Christians celebrate the Incarnation – the idea that the Second Person of the God who Created and Preserves the World took on human form, in order that He might live and die among us as one of us. That’s a pretty big deal in and of itself.
These yahoos, however (with no offense to Dean Swift’s humanoids nor to the Internet-based multi-service company), are not content to celebrate the Birth of Christ – they need to do a sermonette on the prophesies of His first and second comings, presumably so that **Homebrew** will give up his perverse sexuality and repent of his sinful nature, and become a _Good Godfearing Christian_ like them.
That sounds pretty distasteful to me. The odd little quotes about the births of Hezekiah and Emanu-el that are traditionally seen as prophetic of Christ would be a bit strained when sent to a supposed nonbeleiver, to start with – throw in the “Christ is Coming Again to Judge You” material as well, and it’s a bit much. (Though they did send the cards during Advent, **'Brew** – give them credit for at least keeping calendric focus! ;))
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### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/53 "2004-12-22T20:12:45Z")
> [@Eve](#):
>
> I get actual religious Christmas cards from a few acquaintances, and I think, “oh, how cute,” and put them up with the rest of my cards.
>
> My mother once got a Christmas card from a coworker, who wrote inside that she hoped my mother saw the light and came to Jesus before she died, or her soul would go to hell. Now, _that_ was a bit de trop.
Or even a bit over de trop! 🙂
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### Author:  [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/54 "2004-12-22T21:52:19Z")
> [@gobear](#):
>
> Or he could send them a card with an adorable li’l squirrel squeaking, [sub]“Hail, Satan!”[/sub], wishing them a Woodland Critter Christmas to celebrate the birth of the Antichrist, Devourer of Worlds.
Link to vendor, please!
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### Author:  [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/55 "2004-12-22T22:01:34Z")
> [@5que](#):
>
> Link to vendor, please!
Well, the South Park folks haven’t got that one up yet, but how about a [Santa Cthulhu](http://www.needcoffee.com/html/toys/scthulhu.htm)?
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/56 "2004-12-22T22:02:59Z")
> [@Eve](#):
>
> I get actual religious Christmas cards from a few acquaintances, and I think, “oh, how cute,” and put them up with the rest of my cards.
>
> My mother once got a Christmas card from a coworker, who wrote inside that she hoped my mother saw the light and came to Jesus before she died, or her soul would go to hell. Now, _that_ was a bit de trop.
Your mom could send a note off to this so-called friend saying, " I could see the light if someone could pay my electric bill."
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### Author:  [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/57 "2004-12-22T22:26:29Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> Why can’t you send a basic “wishing you a merry Christmas” card. Jeez.
Well, before you put the card in the circular file, remind yourself that at least they did care (in their own special way) enough to remember you over the Holidays.
Let me see if I can accomplish what your Aunt cannot: I am wishing you a very Merry Christmas. (If that’s even possible in St. Louis.)
Peace.
---
### Author:  [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/58 "2004-12-22T22:26:37Z")
Although I can certainly understand a frustration with evangelical activity (believe me I bear with a lot of it from the in-laws), it seems to me like Christmas is right up there with Easter in times when you ought to expect it. Furthermore, of all the evangelic activity there is to be put out with, a Christmas card (or card of any type) seems to be the least intrusive (as opposed to say a kidnapping). You don’t like it. Just throw it away. You didn’t say (I don’t think) that the card contained any damning language (e.g. “you’re going to hell”); so it appears more like an attempt to spread the good news (as they say). I have to disagree with what **Anaamika** wrote, that the card “doesn’t express the sentiments of the holiday!” (emphasis mine). Umm, for a good many, the sentiments of the holiday (Christmas that is) has to do with the birth of Jesus (and all that entails).
Finally, I am a bit disheartened by the apparent dogpiling on Christmas in general . . . with words like godling (WTF?) and tongue-in-cheek (I hope) comments about satanic squirrels and whatnot. To ask that a Christian divorce Christmastime from Christ doesn’t seem very fair. That being said, when they annoy you with it (and I can think of examples a lot worse than a card), shake it off. I know, I know, it’s the evangalism in general, but what else do you expect from an evangelical at Christmas. Pit the Birthday card you get with Bible verses and I’ll join you.
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### Author:  [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/59 "2004-12-22T22:31:41Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> Why can’t you send a basic “wishing you a merry Christmas” card. Jeez.
Well, before you put the card in the circular file, remind yourself that at least they did care (in their own special way) enough to remember you over the Holidays.
Let me see if I can accomplish what your Aunt cannot: I am wishing you a very Merry Christmas. (If that’s even possible in St. Louis.)
Peace.
(Sorry for the double-post, but I had to get my new signature line up and running.)
---
### Author:  [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evangelical-christmas-cards/281172/60 "2004-12-22T22:49:57Z")
> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> That’s just the set up. Inside there’s a long list of supposed prohecies and the verses where they were “fulfilled”. Then there’s the bit about prophecies concerning his “second coming”. I swear I’ve never seen a card wo so much text.
Out of curiosity, if you still have the card around, could you look on the back and see if it was made by/for/copyrighted by Guidepost, Inc? Because it sounds depressingly like the Christmas cards my mother sent out for EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
The publishers of Guidepost magazine (a little non-denominational Christian magazine, full of stories of happy coincidences that they relate as evidence of answered prayers) also manufacture a whole lot of other “CHRISTIAN” (yes, all caps are suitable) items, most especially CHRISTMAS cards. They start advertising those in the June issue or so, with handy postage paid blowins.
My mother, who was entering the first stages of Alzheimers Disease though we hadn’t yet realized that, send back EACH AND EVERY one of those cards, month after month, each time ordering one or two or three boxes, each with 25 copies of a super religious card. Those particular ones had the bible verses of the Christmas story plus ‘pull quotes’ from various Christmas hymns.
Anyway, by the time they stopped advertising that year she had bought over 300 of the cards – never mind that she never sent more than 20 or so cards each year.
Toss the rest out? Let them go to waste? Heavens, no. Mom is a thrifty Yankee, born and bred. She just stored them away and mailed them out the next year. And the one after that, and the one after that…As I said, I got them for at least eight years, before she moved to the home and the cards were ‘lost.’
So, buckup! Maybe you aren’t specially chosen, maybe all of their friends and relatives are getting the exact same cards.
Either that, or they have 24 more copies of the cards earmarked JUST FOR YOU.
:eek:
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