Father Christmas

[galltin]

The Bullring Shopping Centre in Birmingham have announced that there will be no Santa's Grotto this year as they do not want to offend non Christians. Oxford Street have said the same but said it's due to lack of space - yes all the stores. Thoughts everyone?

[Wraith]

Oneeyedvic

 

No I don't stop my kids watching channels other than BBC. I have no problems with advertising. Advertising keeps the TV companies running which gives me and my kids more TV to watch.

 I do take my kids shopping and buy them toys at christmas.

 

I am sorry, but giving a child  the idea that a "magical kindly old man" gives them a present is possibly more ludicrous than banning them at shopping centres. What sort of lesson is this teaching a child?

Were you never told about Santa as a child? I was, my brothers and sisters were and many people I know were told about Santa when they were young. As we grew up we discovered the truth, but it did us no harm as children to have something magical to believe in. How many parents tell their children that there is a heaven when someone dies? Is it because it's true or to help them accept death easier?

 

Yes, Santa  is for commercial reasons, but so is nearly everything about Christmas. If you teach your children about a magical person called Santa it is hardly in the traditional Christian spirit, and little to do with celebrating the birth of the Son of God.

My children and I are not Christian, we are all aethiest and celebrate christmas as a time of peace and goodwill to all. I choose to celebrate it at that time of year to make things easier for my kids.

[Wraith]

Kazzy

 

Wraith, i'm sure everyone respects that it's your choice not to take your children to a shopping centre to see Santa - however, that's precisely the point, " CHOICE " is the keyword here.  What HAS happened to everyones right to choose?? Non -christians are not forced to take their children to see Santa in his Grotto - they can walk on by.  Why should others have that choice taken away from them?  Society has gone completely mad, I for one think that this is one of the most ridiculous things that i have ever heard. I agree with Oneeyedvic - the only way to bring the so-called managers of these shops to their senses is to buoycott the places and try to make our views heard, and that's what i'll be doing. 

I do agree that political correctness has gone mad, and agree that people should be given a free choice. On one american TV show they used the terms 'brown out' instead of 'black out' and 'brown board' instead of 'black board'. Absolute madness. I wasn't agreeing with banning him, only suggesting that he should be free.

[Oneeyedvic]

Wraith

 

Sorry, I misunderstood your post - I assumed (wrongly obviously) that you were in support of this ban.

 

However, it is very clear that there should be a choice - I know of noone who would find Santa's Grotto offensive. If you want to go or not is another matter. Some people (like Wraith) will not want to go, some people obviously do.

It doesn't hurt anyone or anything - let it be.

 

Boycott The Bullring (if this story is true) - I know I will be (but then I live on the East coast so its not difficult)

:-)

[Wraith]

Oneeyedvic, I haven't been to the Bullring in  years, so I guess I'll boycott it too.

 

Reading back over my original post I can see that it could be mis-understood. My apologies.

[galltin]

jimmer  -  I don't read The Sun, I got the information from a radio programme's news broadcasts and ensuing discussions about the matter. I also don't think non-Christians are offended by Father Christmas or any number of other things that the PC brigade take it upon themselves to assume they will be.

[andy hughes]

Here in Stoke-on-Trent, we are bypassing Christmas altogether, instead we are having 'Winterfest', which, according to the Lord Mayor, is and I quote "A festival which lasts all winter." You try and figure it out, I'm off to buy a large sock full of manure and visit the Town Hall!

[bernardo]

What has Father Christmas got to do with Christianity?

[bernardo]

To various people:

 

Do not get confused between

• "Political Correctness"

and

• "Political Correctness Gone Mad"

 

PC is a good and reasonable thing which quite rightly protects people from racism, homophobia, insults, unthinking exclusion, and which seeks to provide equal opportunities for marginalised groups such as disabled.  Before there was PC, there were signs saying "No Blacks here" or "No Dogs or Irish"; before PC people referred to "Christian names" instead of "first names".

 

The term PCGM is used by lazy people to condemn things without thinking through a proper argument.  If it is a silly decision, why not just call it a silly or offensive decision?  Why bring PC into it?  This decision by Birmingham Council (if it has been reported accurately) is a silly and objectionable decision which excludes people and alienates peope, rather than including or integrating people.  As such, it has very little to do with PC.

[ali_alic]

 All those who think this is unfair - could we not send an email??  Not a nasty vindictive one (which I'm sure all you ABers are not!).  After all they advertise their "contact us" details as [email protected].  Or would that not be the done thing?

[ali_alic]

Right - got this answer banned last time so will be very careful with my Ps & Qs.

All those object why don't you send a very nice email to the bullriing voicing your objections.  On their website they have an email address under the "contact us" tab.

Did write out the email address last time, but that might be why it got banned.  Their web address is www.bullring.co.uk.

[Oneeyedvic]

Bernado -

 

Political Correctness - No Blacks or Dogs

Political Correctness Gone Mad - Personhole (instead of Man hole).

The political correctness brigade came out with the 'fact' that Brainstorming was offensive to people who suffered from epilepsy. In fact the epilepsy society polled their members - very few (may have been noone) found this offensive, but did find the reference to Epileptics offensive.

 

It is fairly impossible to not offend someone (as some people will take offense at anything). Political correctness gone mad does, as you suggest, infer stupidity. But you have to admit it has a nice ring about it!

 

(no offense implied in any of the above - except to Bernado who is thick skinned (that is to say his skin is thick and not Bernado is thick)))

[Lindopski]

As the current government seem keen to promote the fact we are now a 'multicultural' society here in the UK (which is fair enough as we are)

why does it seem as though Christians seem to be getting a hard time of it , are they not included in the multicultural culture :)

I for one would enjoy seeing other religious festivals being promoted by stores here in the UK

imagine the satanists taking the kids to see Satan in marks and sparks lol

 

[Jamie Lewis]

Politics and profits geting in the way of fun.

[tartanwiz]

Bernardo - I abhor political correctness and support the derogatory use of the term. It implies that some political and social views are 'correct' and others are 'wrong'. Who is to say what is right and wrong? The use of the term, although recent and American, has it's roots in Soviet Russia when Stalin spoke of 'incorrect thinking' when referring to those who did not agree with the official party view. I would agree that racial discrimination is wrong, but that's because I believe that love is better than hate. I would not describe myself as 'politically correct'. I am not going to be told what is right or wrong by a minority who have taken Christian values and try to prove themselves even more holier.

[natalie_1982]

Come to oxford - we've got a grotto already!

[itsgary]

Go to tooting there are lights up to celebrate dewali or whatever I am not complaining as theres a lot of asians there, but I dont see anyone saying it may offend christians, prob cause if any one did they are deemed racist, this is a christian society that tolerates other religions unlike they do ours in some of these backward countrys.  

[mahmood]

What the bullring are doing i think is completely wrong. I am a muslim and have lived in england all my life. Everyone should be able to celebrate what they want.

Affirmative action prolongs the cycle of negative race relations and proliferates racial tension.

ps. People with those views should not really be living here. It ruins my party

[Cetti]

What about offending Christians by taking Santa way - we seem to be in a minority  these days. I bet Jesus would have loved it!

I happen to love Santa and all the stuff surrounding Christmas. Why does everyone want to ban what is just after all fun - pooh!

Just had a thought - they could put a pair of goggles on him as they did at conker time - then he would be in disguise and everyone would be happy - or would they...?