Am I Wrong?

BeautyisBeingU

I work for Condo Association and a tenant asked if she could organize a Christmas party for the children. I advised that it would be ok upon condition. She asked if she could have a cake that say, “Happy Birthday Jesus. Me: No, it can say a Happy Holiday since this is such a diverse community. We have more foreigner then American on this property. Tenant: I don’t want to be involved then. Me: Thats find but I thought this was about bring the children in the community together and plus you can’t push religion upon anyone, it needs to be their choice. Tenant: I have converted many people into Christian. Me: That great but these are children and don’t think their parents would be every happy about it ether. Then she began to get loud, Tenant: I thought you were a nice person and I refuse to leave GOD out of his own birthday. Me: If you can continue to yell you can leave the office and just because I don’t agree with you does not mean I am not nice. Tenant: I no longer want to talk about this and start to cry as she walks out the office.
Was I wrong?

S/N: I am christian and I belive in God and is son Jesus.

_beachgirl_

No. You weren't wrong.

writtenINthestars

No, you were definately not wrong. I'm also a Christian and CHristmas is 100% about the birth of Jesus for me...however I also realize that it's not that for everyone and it's especially not appropriate to try and push it on children. While I think her heart may have originally been in the right place as wanting to bring the kids together and celebrate something she cherishes so much, she is going about it all the wrong way.

dandrews010

You definitely did the right thing.

Pocket_Pixi

Not in the least, I think you were in the right to think of everyone and not just yours or her beliefs.

smelmel

no
:bigsmile:

Jeff92se

How about Merry Christmas? It's such a retail term now anyway

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

Nope, you were right. I would be pissed if somebody tried to force their religion on my children. If she wants to do her own thing in her own condo, that's another thing entirely. Great job. :bigsmile:

TheRoadDog

You were right.

Unfortunately, they don't want religion on these boards either. I sense imminent censorship.

therealkittymao

You were absolutely in the right, she was totally out of line to get loud with you. I am glad you stood up for those kids and their families!

SarabellPlus3

No, you were right. I would not let things escalate to yelling, things of that nature, keep calm, and just say only a secular holiday celebration is allowed.
Sounds like she walked in wanting a battle-- I'm not sure why, but there are a lot of people in recent years walking around looking for ways to be offended. If you're bothered by "happy holidays," and things of that nature, I think you're one of them. I'm a Christian, too, but my being silly and rude isn't going to convert anyone, anyway.

sandrinamsilva

No I do not think you were wrong at all.

darrcn5

I don't know that writing something on a cake though is necessarily pushing religion on someone but I can definitely see your point though. Maybe she could do a mix of decorations and such-some Christmas, some Kwanza, some Hanukkah, some secular, etc.

UponThisRock

I would have told her to organize the party herself, and make the cake say whatever she wants.

LuckyLeprechaun

I disagree.

If you're going to allow a "Christmas" party, but refuse to allow the religious aspects of Christmas to be involved, that doesn't make sense.

If you wish to have a "Winter" party, your decision holds up. A "December is fun" party, perfect. But to call it Christmas and then try to excise "Christ" from it, doesn't hold water.

If you were to allow a Hanukkah party, you'd acknowledge it's Jewish, and have a menorah, yes? Same for other religious holidays, no matter how badly they've been shanghai'd by materialism.

If you want to leave religion out of it, then leave religion out of it. But it's rude to Christians to say thanks for the holiday, now can you strip the meaning out of it since I don't share your religion?

I'm not religious, but I dislike the way some people treat Christmas as though it wasn't sacred and deeply religious for some folks.

Mallory0418

You definitely did the right thing. I believe the same as you but she was being way out of line.

BeautyisBeingU

Thanks everyone. I started feeling bad when started to cry.

Unwrapping_Candy

You certainly were not wrong. :flowerforyou:

coyoteo

I don't think you should feel you did anything wrong. But neither should she. I gotta say, if it's a CHRISTMAS party, the Jesus cake should be expected. If it's a HOLIDAY party, then not so much. If you send your kids to an easter party would you be offended when they bring home eggs with crosses on them? Now if it was a spring party, it would be weired. Kudos to her for not sacrificing her values.

coyoteo

I disagree.

If you're going to allow a "Christmas" party, but refuse to allow the religious aspects of Christmas to be involved, that doesn't make sense.

If you wish to have a "Winter" party, your decision holds up. A "December is fun" party, perfect. But to call it Christmas and then try to excise "Christ" from it, doesn't hold water.

If you were to allow a Hanukkah party, you'd acknowledge it's Jewish, and have a menorah, yes? Same for other religious holidays, no matter how badly they've been shanghai'd by materialism.

If you want to leave religion out of it, then leave religion out of it. But it's rude to Christians to say thanks for the holiday, now can you strip the meaning out of it since I don't share your religion?

I'm not religious, but I dislike the way some people treat Christmas as though it wasn't sacred and deeply religious for some folks.

Well said.

SarabellPlus3

I disagree.

If you're going to allow a "Christmas" party, but refuse to allow the religious aspects of Christmas to be involved, that doesn't make sense.

If you wish to have a "Winter" party, your decision holds up. A "December is fun" party, perfect. But to call it Christmas and then try to excise "Christ" from it, doesn't hold water.

If you were to allow a Hanukkah party, you'd acknowledge it's Jewish, and have a menorah, yes? Same for other religious holidays, no matter how badly they've been shanghai'd by materialism.

If you want to leave religion out of it, then leave religion out of it. But it's rude to Christians to say thanks for the holiday, now can you strip the meaning out of it since I don't share your religion?

I'm not religious, but I dislike the way some people treat Christmas as though it wasn't sacred and deeply religious for some folks.

I just can't look around the US and think that's true, is all.
Dispite the name, and the fact that the date is near Christ's SYMBOLIC (not real) birthdate, Christmas is very much a secular celebration, and religious for some folks (like me!).

That said-- you make a good point in it just being wise form to maybe rename it a "Holiday Party" just to avoid such mishaps in the future.

smarterthanyoda

Her idea risks offending Christians, as well as those of other faiths. I know a number of Christians who would be offended by her idea of a birthday cake for Jesus. It does not show the respect or reverence that He deserves.

Not only does she want to make this a religious event, but she wants to do it in a very unorthodox way that could bring in criticism from all sides.

Contrarian

I have never seen a cake that says "Happy Birthday Jesus".

You weren't wrong. For children of many faiths, Christmastime is a magical time of year, filled with tales of flying reindeer and elves.

BeautyisBeingU

I disagree.

If you're going to allow a "Christmas" party, but refuse to allow the religious aspects of Christmas to be involved, that doesn't make sense.

If you wish to have a "Winter" party, your decision holds up. A "December is fun" party, perfect. But to call it Christmas and then try to excise "Christ" from it, doesn't hold water.

If you were to allow a Hanukkah party, you'd acknowledge it's Jewish, and have a menorah, yes? Same for other religious holidays, no matter how badly they've been shanghai'd by materialism.

If you want to leave religion out of it, then leave religion out of it. But it's rude to Christians to say thanks for the holiday, now can you strip the meaning out of it since I don't share your religion?

I'm not religious, but I dislike the way some people treat Christmas as though it wasn't sacred and deeply religious for some folks.

I understand your point. Did tell her that I think we should change the theme to say Holiday Party so that everyone could be involved. But she wants a Christmas Party.

CaptainGordo

She can do what she pleases in her home, but the owners of your facility make the calls there.

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

If it's for kids....why not put Santa on the cake?

HollieDoodles

I'm so tired of everyone trying to be politically correct. It's Christmas. Celebrate it or move on. Make your own holiday if you don't like it. Do not have it on the same day, please. Errrr......

CaptainGordo

I dunno... I imagine Jesus preferring that everyone get together in peace and unity than offending some just to make a point.

LuckyLeprechaun

I know it isn't Christ's date of birth. I know more than the average bear about how it came to be on that date, but that part is not at issue. Christmas has become more and more secular.

But I find it very puzzling that some from the secular crowd are finding it offensive that religion is (STILL!) a part of this religious celebration.


I'm very live-and-let-live, and an important part of who I want to be is someone who is respectful of that which others hold sacred. Evicting Jesus from Christmas doesn't seem respectful towards those who hold it sacred.

RhonndaJ

No, I believe you made the right decision given that it was to be a community party. Though I suspect the tenant was well meaning, she seemed to have missed the notion of good will to all.

3GKnight

Maybe I don't know how condo associations work, but I'm assuming there's a public (rentable?) space that people can use? Unless the tenant was specifically asking for sponsorship (money, time, or a name), I don't see why the association would have anything to say about it. Would the tenant not have the right to rent the space, advertise it as a Christmas party for the children of the community, and then decorate it however they wanted to?

As long as the tenant follows the association rules, it seems like a freedom of speech issue to me. Of course, that goes out the window if she was asking for sponsorship from the association.

Again, I'm not sure how condo associations work, so I may be way off base.