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Post by paul Zernikazof on Dec 10, 2007 18:19:42 GMT
For those who want the religious stamps this year and in years to come please read this This extract was taken from www.anglican-mainstream.net/“Royal Mail has traditionally alternated between sacred and secular designs for their Christmas stamps and this year it is the turn for a religious image. Royal Mail has issued two sets of designs this year. The main set of designs, available in all the main denominations is of angels, which is vaguely Christian but not explicitly so and certainly not specifically Christmassy. They have also issued a ‘Madonna and Child’ design for first and second class only. Post Office staff have been instructed to only sell this design if people specifically request it, but obviously people can’t request it if they don’t know it exists! If people don’t buy these stamps, Royal Mail will claim there is no demand for religious Christmas stamps and not produce them in future. Please therefore ask for ‘Madonna and Child’ stamps when you do your Christmas posting and also tell your friends, contacts etc. to do the same. Thank You.
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Post by revmichael on Dec 10, 2007 19:45:33 GMT
Thanks Paul. I saw that notice also and forgot to post it. I'm grateful that you have alerted us, on the Rectory, to that.
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Post by Nesta Vipers on Dec 10, 2007 20:03:32 GMT
I bought mine on Saturday and simply asked for Christmas stamps. They'd run out of second class (surprise, surprise) so I bought first class. I wasn't offered a choice and didn't know that there was one. What I got were the Madonna and Child design, so it can't be that people have to specifically ask for them.
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Post by carlott on Dec 10, 2007 21:08:50 GMT
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Post by paul Zernikazof on Dec 10, 2007 21:48:25 GMT
This may be possible Carl but I do know two people personally who tested the claim in that article at two different Post Offices and were not offered the religious ones untill they asked for them. It was their experience that made me interested to search to find out about it. Of course anyone who does not want religious stamps can always ask for the others if offered them, I would guess that most wouldn't bother what sort they got. But I felt that if the claim is correct for any Post Offices then this post may do its bit to inform those, who would like to have a religious theme on their Christmas stamps.
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Post by sarah on Dec 10, 2007 22:56:40 GMT
As an aside, A lady asked me yesterday why we didn't sell religeous christmas cards. She said she couldn't find any anywhere, and I must admit to being rather surprised. That is, until I thought a bit more, and although not being all that bothered myself, I do wonder if this it to do with pc/mustn't upset anyone of other faiths stuff. But, surely they should be available! What do you think Rev, I find it rather sad. Having said that, the few cards that I do send, I do like to put the pretty stamps on. xx
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Post by Fi on Dec 10, 2007 23:49:53 GMT
This should be read by all those, and there are far too many of them, that think that christianity should be removed from Christmas for fear of offending other religions. Which then leads to a question that's popped into my head - do atheists follow many of the traditions associated with Christmas and, if so, why?
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Post by Beau Leggs on Dec 11, 2007 9:29:05 GMT
This should be read by all those, and there are far too many of them, that think that christianity should be removed from Christmas for fear of offending other religions. Which then leads to a question that's popped into my head - do atheists follow many of the traditions associated with Christmas and, if so, why? Like what for instance? The chrimbo tree, the decorations the presents, even the date are not christian in origin.
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Post by revmichael on Dec 11, 2007 10:50:31 GMT
This should be read by all those, and there are far too many of them, that think that christianity should be removed from Christmas for fear of offending other religions. Which then leads to a question that's popped into my head - do atheists follow many of the traditions associated with Christmas and, if so, why? Thanks for pointing to that one Fi. I believe it was last week that Indigit Singh said, on Pause for Thought' that he gladly signed a document saying that Christmas should be observed - and that it was NO offense to him, or anyone he knew in another faith. It seems to me that the ones who are objecting are not those of other faiths, but the secularists who will use any occasion to make their point that following a religion is rubbish.
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Post by carlott on Dec 11, 2007 11:50:02 GMT
This should be read by all those, and there are far too many of them, that think that christianity should be removed from Christmas for fear of offending other religions. Which then leads to a question that's popped into my head - do atheists follow many of the traditions associated with Christmas and, if so, why? Thanks for pointing to that one Fi. I believe it was last week that Indigit Singh said, on Pause for Thought' that he gladly signed a document saying that Christmas should be observed - and that it was NO offense to him, or anyone he knew in another faith.
It seems to me that the ones who are objecting are not those of other faiths, but the secularists who will use any occasion to make their point that following a religion is rubbish. Not sure I agree with you on this one Michael - back in the bad old days of Birmingham's Winterval [of Discontent] the people pushing it were primarily Christian councillors who arrogantly deciding that calling the time of year Christmas would cause offence - in fact the people offended [by the councillors action] were the very minority religious groups they claimed to be looking out for.
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Post by sussexgirl on Dec 11, 2007 11:55:19 GMT
As an aside, A lady asked me yesterday why we didn't sell religeous christmas cards. She said she couldn't find any anywhere, and I must admit to being rather surprised. That is, until I thought a bit more, and although not being all that bothered myself, I do wonder if this it to do with pc/mustn't upset anyone of other faiths stuff. But, surely they should be available! What do you think Rev, I find it rather sad. Having said that, the few cards that I do send, I do like to put the pretty stamps on. xx Finding a nativity scene on Advent calendars in most high street card shops is nigh on impossible. As far as I was aware, Thomas the Tank engine, the Simpsons and such like were not there on the very first Christmas, and I cant recall reading about gifts of chocolate being offered to the Babe in the manger.
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Post by meltemi on Dec 11, 2007 12:17:47 GMT
My recent purchase of two X12 books of second-class postage stamps depict a clearly female seraphin sorry mature, thus an angel with trumpet with a banner displaying 'Peace'.
So the stamps bearing a seasonal religious theme are perhaps more freely available than it seems.
As an atheist does a religious stamp offend? No of course it does not. Does the recipient feel any better for a religious stamp on the received card? The answer should be no , I assume. Unless the package weighs above 100 grammes and is larger than a 1/2 A4 (A5?) envelope where a surcharge of £1.09 Replaced by £1.24 Jeremy Vine 12-12-07 will be levied to celebrate this annual season of good-will...
Mel apologises if he has accidentally created a national shortage of 2nd class stamps...
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Post by oldbean on Dec 11, 2007 17:51:42 GMT
I managed to get Nativity Advent calendars in M&S... I also bought the Snowman and a couple of others for the teams in my office. There was almost a fight over the Nativity version... although I am not sure if it was because they wanted the cut-out of the tranvestite shepherd with the false beard!
Like the cards, they are out there if you look...
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Post by Fi on Dec 12, 2007 1:00:58 GMT
This should be read by all those, and there are far too many of them, that think that christianity should be removed from Christmas for fear of offending other religions. Which then leads to a question that's popped into my head - do atheists follow many of the traditions associated with Christmas and, if so, why? Like what for instance? The chrimbo tree, the decorations the presents, even the date are not christian in origin. You're right about the origin, but they have all been embraced as traditions within the church. Indeed, the only thing about Christmas that has a Christian origin is the church service. As I mentioned in another thread, it's all Pope Gregory's fault with a helpful nudge from settlers in America and more recently Victoria and Albert.
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Post by Fi on Dec 12, 2007 1:09:18 GMT
My recent purchase of two X12 books of second-class postage stamps depict a clearly female seraphin sorry mature, thus an angel with trumpet with a banner displaying 'Peace'. So the stamps bearing a seasonal religious theme are perhaps more freely available than it seems. Depicting an angel is a clever twist on not causing offence - Judaism and Islam also believe that there are such things as angels since both Judaism and Islam share the first five books of the Old Testament, which are believed to have been written by Abraham, with Christians. Hinduism doesn't, but the religion itself is so inclusive that I'm sure that Hindu's would not be offended by an angelic stamp.
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Post by revmichael on Dec 12, 2007 7:35:30 GMT
My recent purchase of two X12 books of second-class postage stamps depict a clearly female seraphin sorry mature, thus an angel with trumpet with a banner displaying 'Peace'. So the stamps bearing a seasonal religious theme are perhaps more freely available than it seems. Depicting an angel is a clever twist on not causing offence - Judaism and Islam also believe that there are such things as angels since both Judaism and Islam share the first five books of the Old Testament, which are believed to have been written by Abraham, with Christians. Hinduism doesn't, but the religion itself is so inclusive that I'm sure that Hindu's would not be offended by an angelic stamp. The first five books of the bible are sometimes called 'The books of Moses.' I believe that both Christians and Jews believe that he wrote them (apart from the bit which records his death). Abraham died in the earlier chapters of Genesis (the first of the five).
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Post by Beau Leggs on Dec 12, 2007 18:00:36 GMT
Like what for instance? The chrimbo tree, the decorations the presents, even the date are not christian in origin. You're right about the origin, but they have all been embraced as traditions within the church. Indeed, the only thing about Christmas that has a Christian origin is the church service. As I mentioned in another thread, it's all Pope Gregory's fault with a helpful nudge from settlers in America and more recently Victoria and Albert. But traditions change. My grandfather told me that until WWII, christmas was almost a normal day (ie you went to work as in a normal day and got paid that day's rate). The only holiday around this period was New Year. Easter was marked as a special time, as it was about the resurrection of Jesus.
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Post by revmichael on Dec 12, 2007 18:04:22 GMT
You're right about the origin, but they have all been embraced as traditions within the church. Indeed, the only thing about Christmas that has a Christian origin is the church service. As I mentioned in another thread, it's all Pope Gregory's fault with a helpful nudge from settlers in America and more recently Victoria and Albert. But traditions change. My grandfather told me that until WWII, christmas was almost a normal day (ie you went to work as in a normal day and got paid that day's rate). The only holiday around this period was New Year. Easter was marked as a special time, as it was about the resurrection of Jesus. But did they get New Year's Day off in Scotland? When I was a boy New Year's Day was not a holiday in England.
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Post by Beau Leggs on Dec 12, 2007 18:16:40 GMT
They got New Years Day and in lots of places the 2nd off as well - they were public (bank) holidays
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Post by revmichael on Dec 12, 2007 19:02:29 GMT
They got New Years Day and in lots of places the 2nd off as well - they were public (bank) holidays Aahhhh, that probably explains why they didn't get Christmas Day off. Being of sound and sober mind we Southerners didn't need two days off to get the stench of the alcoholic fumes from our systems.
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