cannot beleive today

i was watching the news today,and could not belive what i saw on the news. At a walmart in new york somewhere. when they opened the doors this morning a man got crushed to death, from the ppl trying to rush into the store. Has our society gotten that bad that ppl are dieing when they are out buying that great price on a christmas present they probably didnt have in stock to begin with.. i just dont think the lord ahd that in mind when we are to be celebrating his sons birth.. or is it just me???????

[hrt3105]

Afraid that is what our society has come to, Look at the events in India . When peolpe ask what they were thinking doing this it proves if people will kill to go shopping why should the rest shock us. I really dont see it getting better for a long time either, darkest before the dawn. All the Christmas ads, sells give a new meaning to Black Friday huh, notice no one has mentioned what Christmas is supposed to be about yet. We are in for the long haul an i fear it will be painful, anyone up for learning Russian yet LOL, seriously times are going to be bad Just pray an do you best, I dont have any ideas as to anything else.  No its not just you

[April2]

I totally agree with you. We were discussing this on another thread. It's pretty sad that our society has become so greedy and materialistic. That's what Christmas has become anymore, the quest to find the newest, greatest toy. Gotta have it! Then we get all stressed and grumpy and forget our fellow mankind.
You're right. The true meaning of Christmas has been buried under Santa Clause and presents.
That's why we always go to a candle light service on Christmas Eve and try to give and think of others on Christmas. I always taught me kids that it's Jesus birthday we're celebrating first. That's the most important thing.

[Cherie762]

Brian you are so very right, people forget the Christ in Christmas. very sad/

[dominosarah]

The mans family is dealing with the loss of a their loved one.........all becuz of greed.  How tragic

[April2]

Did you guys here about the shooting in a Toys R Us in California on Black Friday? It didn't appear to be related to shopping, although it happened on the busiest shopping day of the year. It appeared to be gang related. 2 men are dead. What's scary is they just started fighting, then shooting each other in the middle of a busy store full of people, including children. Two men are now dead. And for what?
How many of us think that going to a Toys R Us store or any other store could end up endangering our lives? It's a scary world out there anymore.

[Brenndy]

It's out of control and has been for quite some years.  What can we do about it? Nothing. It's advertisement and the suits at its/their finest.

[SeriousSam]

Ous society has been that bad for years if you remember the cabbage patch kids and people dying and killing over those!

[Tuckamore]

You are all so right. Jolly this isn't the first time something like this has happened. It's sad that Christmas has turned into who gets the most, has the most and that love is measured through things. Our Lord must cry as he looks at his ppl "celebrating" the saviors birth.

[margypops]

Did anyone see the news from India ,?

[crecco]

Haven't seen the news from India, but I am also afraid to ask. Just from what I have seen here in the US is terrible. Christmas has become too commercialized. But like the rest of you, I see no way of fixing it. Greed is a terrible thing. Even worse is that a lot of the time, people don't even really appreciate the gifts they do recieve. Especially kids because they get so much.

[margypops]

There was a huge fire at the old Hotel in Bombay and the terrorists took hostages asked who was American and British and killed about 200  and shot and injured 380  several Americans killed , they were very organised and also hijacked a jewish temple and a hospital , it is the kind of thing could happen here, it was the biggest, oldest Hotel. The hostages are all free now but the drama goes on of finding out which terrorist group did it .very nasty and worrisome ,says dont go to stay in any big Hotel in any Capitol,

[April2]

They're pretty sure Al Qaeda is responsible for this. It was too organized to be anything else.

[crecco]

  I am sorry, I did see the news from India. It was just horrible and probably was the responsibility of Al Qaeda.

[lonewolf07]

Jollyman - have you ever watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas"?  It doesn't answer all the questions raised in this thread but it does show that even in the 1960s Christmas was losing a lot of it's original meaning.  You might find it on YouTube.  I doesn't have a global element but it does have some interesting perspectives on greed.

[lonewolf07]

Here is the YouTube version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Of_mna-Rs

[kitty51]

Black doesnt sound to nice to begin with let alone a shopping day.glad that we dont have those type of shopping frenzies.As for India well the terrorist said they would do something after the bali bombers were exicuted.
My Mum quotes stuff from the bible and she reakons that things are coming to pass.
Oh boy she scares me.
Christmasdoes it not mean Christ=Jesus   Mas=the celebration of his birth ??Am i correct on this?

[SeriousSam]

Actually x-mas comes from the replacement of yule (xmas trees father xmas) and Saturnalis (presents) with a replacement holiday chritmas.  Almost none of our holiday traditions have anything to with jesus.

Like OESTER or Easter is the name of an obscure fertility goddess whose symbols were the rabit and egg.

Wasn't Jesus supposedly born in July anyway?

Just a historical note-

[Me967]

I agree with everyone else here.  The name black Friday is very upsetting to me too.  My kid sister (grade school teacher) said that now instead of saying Merry Christmas they now have to say Happy holidays.  Christ and the word Christ is being taken out of everything!  And they wonder what's wrong with the kids now a days and the newer generations.....Hmmmmmm.    Makes me angry.   Where's there hope?  In people only!  LOL  

CHRISTmas should be about love, peace, joy, hope, and happyness and mainly Christ as our savior.  

Family's getting together (gifts or no gifts) and happy just to talk to or see one another, seems to be a thing of the past in which is really sad considering at one time e v e r y thing was formed around God and his son Jesus.  Or whatever considering your beliefs.  NOT A CARTOON CHARECTER!  (*Not knocking cartoon charecters as long as people remember the true meaning)

Now it seems like you can't even feel right visiting or calling someone around the holidays to say "I love you or just wanted to say hi and let them know they're in your thoughts" without having a gift for them first. That's sad.

Anyhow, rant is over.  LOL  In the meanwhile I hope everyone has a Merry Christ mas and we will just have to PRAY for everyone else in the world in our own way that believes that it's all about the gifts and or money.

[lonewolf07]

I don't think the cartoon characters are offended  = )

The Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon doesn't portray the characters as being like or against Christ in any way.  Charlie Brown is depressed because he thinks Christmas is too commercial and has lost it's original meaning.  Linus (his friend) recites a passage from the Bible about the birth of Jesus and ultimately the characters re-discover the true meaning of Christmas.  It's not an Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny type of cartoon.

Even 40 yrs ago people felt Christmas was "changing" and losing it's real meaning.  I'd never heard the term "Black Friday" until I read it here.  It's a horrible phrase.  For those who are alone at Christmas it just IMHO reinforces their loneliness.  For those who don't want to spend money, don't buy presents.

Which makes me wonder - why is the adjective "black" seen as a negative?

Also - I think the date of Christ's birth had something to do with a pagan holiday called Saturnalia.  The Greek Orthodox church celebrates it on a different day but then they use the Julian not Gregorian calendar (I think).

There is a documentary about St. Nick - who supposedly "invented" Christmas and another documentary about Santa Claus.

That's it.  End of nerdy speech.

[margypops]

The black came from the Retailors being able to go from being in the red and on  sales days they make money and go into the Black, hence Black  Friday /

[kiddthekatt]

  No way was I getting out in that dangerous situation.  I actually participated in Black Friday one year and swore to never ever do it again. I went online yesterday and finished my shopping for my grandbabies. I never buy toys, they get enough junk throughout the year, but I do buy them clothes. It's hard to keep up on kids fashions...:( but a nice hoodie wins hands down.

[cowgirlnerd]

I went out for the first time ever this year.  I have always had to work the day after Thanksgiving and it didn't seem as busy as I have heard about - but I went to one place to get a few things, and got the heck out of there.  It's crazy.  

A lot of the problems this year, I think, might be because of the economy.  What do you think?  People are still so shocked at the state our economy that they are desperate and add the guilt of parents trying to provide a "good Christmas" to their children - it's horrible.   Here in North Alabama- we had a non publicized incident of a 40 year old man beating a 17 year old kid over a stupid Wii system at a Walmart Black Friday Sale.....  people are idiots.  

My ex and I had a long talk with my 9 year old recently and talked to him about what all he had and that unlike previous years, he might not get as much as he had in the past.  He wanted 1 Christmas instead of 2.  That's what he wanted.  He didn't want to open his gifts and have to go to another house.  He wanted us to have one Christmas and open them all and play with them.  That's what we are doing.  We can do more because it's not split between us and he is happy.  We also have talked to him about the economy - what all of that means - so he isn't afraid of the news, etc.  He is going through his toys he never played with and we are donating to Toys for Tots.  He is adopting an angel from the Salvation Army tree, too.  You would be amazed what those kids ask for.  I was a "poor kid" and know what asking for socks and underwear is all about - you really are glad to have them.   Overall, he has shown US that it's not the massive gifts under the tree - to my son it's about feeling like you matter and that you are loved by your parents....   We are doing the Christmas cookies, decorating, making ornaments together, spending time together - it just might be the best Christmas ever.

I really don't have "family" - my family doesn't have a lot of goodness in them and don't want to deal with my bipolar - so my boys, my exhusband, and close friends, are all I have.  I am grateful that I have them.  That's enough for me.  Like my son, I want to feel like I matter - like I am loved.  I feel that this year - cared about, maybe not by my "family" but by people that matter to me and I matter to them - maybe for the first time ever.  

Like hrt3105 - I agree that people have lost sight of the reason for Christmas...  can we ever get that back?  Will the economic mess we are in make us realize the importance of family, traditions, appreciation?  Who knows - maybe it was God's plan to giveth and taketh away to give us a "heavenly reality check".  

[HelpinUtah]

Serious Sam:
I thought he was born in April.  Either way, the whole meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ.  I have friends who only give their children 3 Christmas presents every year.  One from Santa and two from them.  They have told them that the baby Jesus only got 3 gifts and so that's why they only get 3 gifts.

It's so sad that this man had to die.  I also heard that a pregnant woman was trampled on and lost her baby!  I just don't understand how shopping can be more important than the people around them.