To be surprised that the Royal Mail Christmas stamps are all religious?

[stampsurprise]

I thought for a change I'd get proper Christmas stamps this year. Didn't expect them to be all religious and no choice!

Is this usually what's on offer? I don't object personally, but I think most of those I send to won't care for a religious stamp.

@S00LA

Is this usually what's on offer? I don't object personally, but I think most of those I send to won't care for a religious stamp

Yeah totally. If I receive a greetings card and the stamp doesn’t exactly reflect my personal moral, religious, political and ideological beliefs then I bin it straight away.

🤣🤣🤣

@LastTrainEast

I think easter is more fun anyway. Celebrating the birth of the Christian god/prophet by giving each other chocolate eggs in the name of a fertility goddess.

I hope Christians have an explanation ready for when they meet their god cos it could be a bit awkward

Fucks sake! Easter has nothing to do with the birth of a prophet. Do schools teach people nothing these days?

Saying all that, I really want the Marvel stamps now.

Me too - amazing!

It’s not such a big thing in e.g. southern Europe, where they typically don’t have such cold, dark and dismal winters to get through

And what about those in the Southern Hemisphere? It's not even winter here, but we still celebrate Christmas. Honestly, reading this thread you would think Christmas was a UK thing only!

Some rather nasty posters on here also. The original post was about Christmas stamps, now we have all sorts of unpleasant posters who feel they simply MUST educate everyone else. Newsflash: Most of us couldn't care less, we like the Christmas celebration, some go to church, some don't, you do you, let the rest of us happily go our own way.

Christianity isn't just about personal choice though.
It shapes the fabric of our society, controls woman's reproductive choices, underpins misogyny with its patriarchial model. Unelected church members create laws for our country, sit on ethics committes which decide medical treatment, all schools are legally obliged to provide religious indoctrination .
As an atheist I am affected my christianity, it's not something I can opt out of.

@speakout

Christianity isn't just about personal choice though. It shapes the fabric of our society, controls woman's reproductive choices, underpins misogyny with its patriarchial model. Unelected church members create laws for our country, sit on ethics committes which decide medical treatment, all schools are legally obliged to provide religious indoctrination . As an atheist I am affected my christianity, it's not something I can opt out of.

Can you qualify those comments? Where does it control women's reproductive choices in the UK? How does it decide medical treatment?

They're just stained glass windows....a type of art. Surely anyone can appreciate a bit of traditional art, whatever their religion, or none?

Why do you celebrate Christmas if you don't believe it's a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ?

Why do you celebrate Christmas if you don't believe it's a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ?

Unbelievable.

Why do you celebrate Christmas if you don't believe it's a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ

Isn't that a bit of a stupid question? As a pp said, there is nothing about the probably mythical JC in a modern day Christmas celebration. It's a secular holiday.

I would say it is a secular and religious holiday.
Secular for non believers, and religious for believers.

We can all enjoy Christmas the way we want without being rude and disrepectful to others.

@joystir59

Why do you celebrate Christmas if you don't believe it's a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ?

Really? Did you even read the previous threads. Nearly all the traditional things are nothing to do with the bible or religious roots.

I would say it is a secular and religious holiday.Secular for non believers, and religious for believers.

I would agree with that. I would add though that there are a hell of lot more of the former than the latter, with the trend increasing in the same direction.

I just thought the RM might do something more inclusive for people to put on their holiday cards.

But they are inclusive. Inclusive of Christians and people who do practice that religion. Or are they not as worth a representation as other religious groups? Can't have every single group represented all the time can we?

@HmmSureJan

I just thought the RM might do something more inclusive for people to put on their holiday cards.

But they are inclusive. Inclusive of Christians and people who do practice that religion. Or are they not as worth a representation as other religious groups? Can't have every single group represented all the time can we?

the Madonna and child iconography is not even inclusive of all Christians.

Yeah totally. If I receive a greetings card and the stamp doesn’t exactly reflect my personal moral, religious, political and ideological beliefs then I bin it straight away.

Nearly all of modern culture is secular already. Presumably some religious people would like to see a few more products on sale to have a religious slant - or even most or all products. So a few tasteful, non-fundamentalist Christmas stamps doesn't seem too much.

As for Christmas having pagan roots, yes, why not? Most traditions arise from something which came before, or include parts they liked. IMO it isn't an insult to adopt something from another tradition, it is what has always happened.

the Madonna and child iconography is not even inclusive of all Christians.

Sure. So isn't it good that a group within a group has been included?

@HmmSureJan

the Madonna and child iconography is not even inclusive of all Christians.

Sure. So isn't it good that a group within a group has been included?

It's just strange there is so little choice regarding stamps for both Christians and atheists.

Still, I have my cards and my stickers to be going on with

To be fair though, the demographic buying stamps is quite likely to be overlapping the demographic going to church....both 70+!

I've just realised something weird I do. I always turn down buying Christmas and other commemorative stamps because I just don't like them and prefer standard stamps. However, I don't look and care about what stamp has been put on an envelope I receive.

Lunar year of the Ox stamps, anyone?...

shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/christmas-2020/lunar-year-of-the-ox-generic-sheet

@S00LA

Is this usually what's on offer? I don't object personally, but I think most of those I send to won't care for a religious stamp

Yeah totally. If I receive a greetings card and the stamp doesn’t exactly reflect my personal moral, religious, political and ideological beliefs then I bin it straight away.

Sincerely hope you are a royalist then :P

the Madonna and child iconography is not even inclusive of all Christians

What Christians is it not inclusive of??! All Christians believe Christ was born of the virgin Mary.

I'm a Protestant Christian and it's inclusive of me.

[quote mnahmnah]@haircutsRus

Interesting![/quote]
We invented the postage stamp - it was a chap called Rowland Hill. The image of our monarch is recognised worldwide and that image is on all the stamps, so I guess they don't need to bother with the name. Some parts of the UK, such as NI, add their own shield too.

(My late dad was an avid stamp collector, can you tell?!)