I also hope that you and your family enjoy all the holidays that you do celebrate.

Wishing you and yours a safe, prosperous, and very happy 2019.

With sincere good wishes and peace.

Tim

Tonight is La Noche Buena

Uruguayans will celebrate late into tomorrow morning with parties, families, friends, otra gente, with food, drink, parijas and fireworks.

Christmas, some will go to churches in this secular country.
Most will spend a quiet family day off.
Like a shut-down government, most everything will be closed, save essential services.
Shop ahead for food.
La gente zealously guard this labor-free day; second only to El Dia de los Trabajadores (May 1)
This year, however, one named store will open it's doors and some will work on the xtian's day.
Yes, they are volunteers, guniny-pigs at the top of this slippery slope towards corporate domination.
The store chain is named 'Tienda Inglesa'.

Damn Ferengi

I've read several versions of the Bible and I understand that humans aren't supposed to see the face of god or use its name in vain. I've heard that one isn't supposed to write the name of god because it somehow diminishes the authority or power or something.

And yet, all throughout my Bibles, the names of god are on nearly every page! Curiously, I don't think you'll find the word "Christian" anywhere in those books since the Christian Church wasn't founded until centuries after the time they say Jesus lived.

During my life, I've attended many different Christian churches covering the spectrum from Catholic to Unitarian sects. Every one of them has Bibles, hymnals and other printed texts where the "forbidden" words are published.

I just don't get it. If you can't say it or write it, it doesn't exist. Of course, I'm not a believer.

Enjoy your holidays, MineralMan. Thanks for all of your thought-provoking posts.

That's where it comes from.

There's more to the story, as well. You can read about where the "X" came from at the link below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas

They spell it G-d, as if they think they are fooling anyone. Check this out:

The Name of G-d
Level: Basic

The name of God should be treated with respect
God has many names in the Bible
A Name should not be written, so it will not be discarded disrespectfully
The most important name is the four-letter name
The pronunciation of the four-letter name is unknown

Please note: This page contains the Name of God. If you print it out, please treat it with appropriate respect.

This reminds me of the controversy when McDonalds put the flags of the world on their take-out bags. Saudi Arabia has a quote from the Quran on it. They became very upset that people would be expected to dispose of the bags.