How do you react to religious greetings?

[Tarheeler]

This question is primarily aimed at members of non-Christian religions in Christian-majority countries.

How do you deal with the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Easter" greetings? What about generic ones like "Have a blessed day"?

Being in the south, most of the people I come across are Christians and are quick to offer a greeting of some sort. I actually think it's great; most of time they seem to be sincere and goodhearted.

I usually respond in kind or with a simple thank you. Usually.

Sometimes I'll answer by wishing them to have a pleasant Pesah or Rosh Shanah or Hanukkah or other Jewish holiday that coincides with the time of year.

I did manage to elicit a lot of strange looks a couple of weeks ago by wishing everybody a happy new year. It's a great feeling though when you find someone who, instead of looling at you like you've gone mad, replies with "Shanah Tovah!".

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

"Thank you" often works.

 

[Storm]

What he said.

 

[Majikthise]

I give a sincere smile, because i'm being sincere, and give the proper return. I say Merry Christmas to everybody at Christmas and usually get the same back.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Merry Christmas and Happy Easter are too generic and secular to warrant a negative response. "Have a blessed day" on the other hand would make my skin crawl.

 

[Madhuri]

How do you deal with the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Easter" greetings? What about generic ones like "Have a blessed day"?

It's fine and there's a very specific reason for that.
Christmas and Easter, at least in my country, has significance largely as a holiday where people get together with family and exchange gifts. Australia is a very agnostic nation, so unless you belong to a Christian community and get involved with church celebrations, you might not even remember the religious significance of these dates. And yet everyone will wish each other a Merry Christmas or Happy Easter. It's cultural.

What I do find awkward is when someone asks me what my Christian name is. The first time anyone ever asked me that, I was very confused. Once I learned that they were simply asking for my first name, then when confronted with this question, I feel exasperated and my mind thinks 'are you really that ignorant?'

But fortunately not many people ask that question these days.

 

[YmirGF]

Normally I would just return the sentiments, but have never been wished a "Have a blessed day".
That might get a raised eyebrow and a drawn out, "Thank you." It would depend on my mood.

The only one I get a bit iffy on is "Good Friday". Granted, most people do not wish you a "Good Friday", but it has always struck me as an odd label. It didn't seem like a very good day for Christ.

 

[Breathe]

I always respond with "you too!". Even if I don't celebrate the holiday. I have no idea why.

 

[Villager]

the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Easter" greetings

... are pagan in name, pagan in origin, and pagan in nature. They are often readily accepted by non-Christians, perhaps because they are pagan in name, pagan in origin, and pagan in nature.

 

[9Westy9]

Nothing. They're just greetings of good will. If the greeting were "Hello my damned friend" then my response might be slightly different.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I lock myself in their car and fart.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

This question is primarily aimed at members of non-Christian religions in Christian-majority countries.

How do you deal with the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Easter" greetings?

I don't generally tend to think of these as religious greetings. They've become secular holidays.

What about generic ones like "Have a blessed day"?

Stuff like that tends to grate, though I don't have to deal with it very often.

Saying that doesn't make a whole lot of sense from a theological perspective, so I would probably interpret it as "hey! Look how religious I am!" Fine for you if it makes you happy, but I don't feel it has a lot to do with me.

 

[Erebus]

I immediately see some concealed jab at me and everything I stand for. Behind the supposedly innocent smile I see a glorification of centuries of violence and bigotry. As such my typical response is to run away weeping and petition the local council to promptly execute the offender.

Other times I'll say "cheers, you too."

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Or we could give the classic Dick Cheney response: "Go **** yourself."

 

[Tarheeler]

Or we could give the classic Dick Cheney response: "Go **** yourself."

I thought that was the classical New Yorker response.

 

[Tarheeler]

Normally I would just return the sentiments, but have never been wished a "Have a blessed day".
That might get a raised eyebrow and a drawn out, "Thank you." It would depend on my mood.

The only one I get a bit iffy on is "Good Friday". Granted, most people do not wish you a "Good Friday", but it has always struck me as an odd label. It didn't seem like a very good day for Christ.

I've been hearing "blessed day" around here for last couple of years. It could be just a local thing though. It's pretty much taken the place of "have a good one".

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I thought that was the classical New Yorker response.

ha -- I don't have a clue what they do in new york.

 

[Draka]

I always respond with "you too!". Even if I don't celebrate the holiday. I have no idea why.

This. Usually it's something heard by store clerks or the like and I just pop back an absent-minded "you too" and be about my way.

 

[Jainarayan]

This. Usually it's something heard by store clerks or the like and I just pop back an absent-minded "you too" and be about my way.

^ Same here. A pleasant "Thank you, same to you".

 

[YmirGF]

Or we could give the classic Dick Cheney response: "Go **** yourself."

I know for a fact that I have used this as a response to:

*Knock, knock"
*opens front door*
"Have you heard the word of God today, friend?"
"Oh, go **** yourself."
*closes door*