Yes, that’s a lovely sentiment and in my personal life I’m an adherent.
Unfortunately, at work pushing back can rile up a customer, which has the potential to get me fired. It grates on my that I am surrendering to this assumption and proselytizing in order to keep my paycheck coming, but unfortunately that is what I am forced to do in order to survive in a Christian-dominated country and even more so in Red state knee-deep in evangelicals.
OK. Soon as you can show me how I can continue to pay my bills while doing that. I am low down on the social totem, pushing back is likely to get me stomped on.
Where I live anything not openly supportive of Christianity is often interpreted as “in your face-ism”. I was once screamed at by a customer who was upset because I didn’t wish the customer ahead of him an explicit “Merry Christmas”. The person ahead of him was a woman in a Muslim garb, not just the head scarf but the black outer robe as well. Pretty sure she didn’t celebrate Christmas and she didn’t object to my “Have a nice day” - but the asshole behind her sure did.
I really hate working retail during the Christian holidays.
The thing that bothers me most is how inarticulate they are and how bad they are at conveying information. And then how bad they are at receiving information.
I feel like a lot is being assumed behind the usage of blessed. I agree with 3AxisCtrl, the vast majority of ppl use it in the same sense of “may you experience good fortune”, whether they are Christian or not. No different than saying “Bless you” when someone sneezes. Both have religious origins but their usage today is mostly non-religious.
I don’t think any significant proportion of non-religious people say “Have a blessed day.” It’s not comparable to “bless you” in my view. It’s implausible, especially when “have a good/nice day” is so solidly entrenched into our culture.
I don’t think that the random person who says “have a blessed day” to people is assuming that others are Christian (or even theists); my suspicion is that they see it as doing some low-level witnessing for their faith.
When I was in college, I was, for a time, a member of an Evangelical Christian student organization. There was a sort of similar societal norm in that group along those lines: one didn’t say “gesundheit” or “bless you” when someone nearby sneezed (whether or not they were a member of the group), but, specifically, “God bless you.”
I’ve heard it once. Small town in Tennessee, from a woman working in a small store. I was okay with it. She meant well. If it was more often, perhaps it would bother me. I was more bothered by the “where do you go to church?” question I got a lot in the rural south.
I’ve heard it four times today already. I’m on my route dropping off food for seniors (mostly African-American). I say “God bless you” right back. Or if they say “God bless you” I say “You too. Have a blessed day.” As said above, I’m an atheist. I did grow up culturally Catholic, though.
This, “Have a blessed day” or “God Bless you” as a farewell are both religious, and I find it difficult to equate them with, “Bless you” when someone sneezes. At least here it isn’t typical and it’s sort of … intrusive and/or assumptive.
I disagree entirely. These, like “thank you,” are almost always thoughtless platitudes. They’re the opposite of intimate. They’re sound-symbols that take the place of thinking of something genuine to say to a person for the sake of expedience.
“I appreciate your help” and “I appreciate your helping me” are common formulations of transactional courtesy. “I appreciate you,” however is very different and has a very different ring to it.
Usually “blessed day” platitudes don’t bother me. It’s meant well, and my brain often shunts it into a pagan context anyway. If it’s witnessing, I find it rude, but that’s on them not me.
This one irritates me no end. If I say that I don’t attend, then I get a litany of suggestions about nice congregations that I could join. I have no idea how to deflect without being rude. It’s very tempting to say that my coven is down members and ask them to join.
We’ve got someone at work who overlades every email with extremely flowery “I appreciate you and all the work you do” sort of language as well as “enjoy this beautiful, blessed day,” etc. etc. – I am not quoting directly, because it seems too mean, but trust me, it’s quite over the top. There’s a religious inflexion for sure, but that’s not really the problem – the problem is every communication reads like a Hallmark card with glitter and little candy hearts inside. For a long time I thought this person was just super-nice, but over time I’ve come to see the language as blowing smoke, and maybe they’re not all that nice. I wish someone would tell them to tone it down.
Why wouldn’t you say Merry Christmas? Because she’s (in all probability) Muslim? I know quite a few Muslims who celebrate Christmas. Obviously not in the Christian sense, but the way most people do, i.e. secularized: family, food, gifts, days off work in the middle of the winter. What’s not to like? And wishing them a Merry Christmas is as empty a phrase as Have a Nice Day.
A lot of people don’t say Merry Christmas. And a lot of people of minority religions, particularly Jews and Muslims, don’t exchange that greeting, even if they celebrate in other ways liken putting up trees.
Why would I wish some one a merry holiday for a holiday neither of us celebrate?
She wasn’t probably a Muslim, she was (and still is, for that matter) a Muslim. She’s a regular at the store. We’ve occasionally commiserated in the ladies’ room about how the Christians get crazy this time of year.
There is this myth that “everyone” celebrates Christmas now and it’s a “secular” holiday. No, it’s not. The Bible-thumpers are correct in their assertion that it’s about their baby Jesus.
The fact that a lot of other faiths have something going on around that time is partly coincidence and partly human need to distract from the cold weather and darkness.
The only reason I “celebrate” Christmas is because I have some Christian friends who invite me to their celebration. I think it’s weird to sing happy birthday to the baby Jesus, but hey, their house, their rules.
Which is different than being in a public place screaming at two people who don’t share your beliefs for not engaging in semi-ritualized social exchanges based on your religion.
I get ONE day off (other than my usual two per week) during this holiday season. That’s Christmas itself. And if I’m really unlucky I get the short straw for coming in to the store at 3 am on December 26 to help re-start everything.
Family? My nearest relative is literally 500 miles away. I can not do that as a day trip. Because of the “blackout” on asking for time off during this period so long as I hold my current job I will NEVER be able to spend either Thanksgiving or Christmas with my family. So… so much for “family time” (but thank goodness for friends who will give me a place at their table).
What’s not to like? The very toxic assholes who make working retail this time of year such a hellish cesspit. You know - the ones who scream because you don’t cater to their notion of forcing their religious holiday on people who don’t share their religion. The people who stress themselves out over a holiday that is supposed to be enjoyable but clearly isn’t for many.
^ This.
Lots of Jews put up tinsel and pretty lights (and the fact they have a holiday around that time involving lights gives them a great excuse) but they’re not celebrating “Jewish Christmas”. They’re celebrating Hanukah, a holiday that predates Christmas by quite a few number of years. Jews are no more celebrating “Jewish Christmas” than Christians are celebrating “Christian Hanukah”, even if those Christians are using light displays, giving gifts to children, and eating traditional foods.