Grayling

Your opinions are still Bollocks

G

MJC

That is just it, my opinion, and whilst I disagree with your thoughts about mine, I agree that they should be heard!

eliscolin

Somebody I know well just told me that at the bank branch he works at in London they banned Father Christmas and any other reference to Christmas for fear of offending those of a *different religious persuasion*.

I am no Christian myself, but why should we grovel to these people? Christmas is an Anglo Saxon Tradition even though it has lost its true purpose. We respect their rights...they should respect ours. As the poster Vandiemen pointed out...political correctness has become an absurdity in this country and it is getting worse.

Elvira

To be entitled for non-emergency treatment under the NHS, you have to be resident in the UK. As in living there, as opposed to visiting.

NI contributions and being British doesn't come into it.

If you need further information, I suggest googling for 'NHS entitlement'.

(NB: anyone - including tourists - will be treated for free in an emergency.)

novita77

Thank you for your very kind explanation

Angry White Pyjamas

Cant say "Merry Christmas" here. You have to say "Happy Holidays" as some religions dont celebrate christmas. So its not just in the UK.

ladyofthelake

Quit moaning for goodness sake. Christmas is still a a word you can use most of the time in the UK, but you can't here in the US believe it or not. It has morphed into 'The Holidays' to avoid upsetting the other festivities at the same time of year. Care to guess what they may be?
Try buying a Christmas card with the word Christmas anywhere on it...you can't, it doesn't exist. I recieved a card from my mailman last week, it said Happy Holidays on the envelope. The card had a picture of Mary holding a baby Jesus, but the wording inside said something like "Season's Greeting during the Holidays" So even with a religious picture on the card, Christmas is still unmentionable You can't even say Merry Christmas to someone here, for fear of causing offense....it has to be Happy Holidays The kids have Holiday parties and Holiday cookies etc. Just substitute Holidays for whenever you would normally say Christmas.

dunroving

It is a shame, really, when the intent is usually just to be friendly.

If I said "Happy Christmas" to someone and they responded with "and a Happy Hannukah to you!", or "Happy Kwaanza!" it would not offend me in the slightest, in fact I'd hope it would be the start of an interesting conversation. In fact, if they said something like "Don't you mean Happy Hannukah?" it would be quite funny way of letting me know they are Jewish.

Too easy to offend people these days.

Elvira

I always thought it rather nice that our non-Christian friends in the UK would still send out 'Seasons Greetings' cards - and none of them were ever offended by receiving 'proper' Christmas cards.

I recall one nativity play at my boys' primary school where Mary was played by a Moslem and Joseph by a Hindu...

You wouldn't be allowed to do any of this here

Being an old contrarian, I always reply to 'Happy Holidays' with 'Merry Christmas' - unless I know or suspect that the person is religious but not Christian. So far I don't think I've actually offended anyone...

ShozInOz

At least you are honest about your racism... But don't you live in a 'non-white', 'arab' country? How on earth do you cope with all those non-white queue jumpers constant jumping queues everywhere?

Angry White Pyjamas

Actually I say "Merry Xmas" here even though I'm an atheist. So I have to laugh at the irony when someone tells me they are offended by it - and they do. I had someone lecture me on why I shouldnt say Merry Christmas to them and how dare I push my beliefs on them as they were non-christian. After a couple of minutes of their ranting I explained that actually im an atheist and I was simply wishing them a good time. The look was priceless.

Ben

I don't have a problem saying Happy Christmas here and there are a lot of Jewish families around. But I am careful who I say it to. Only because I am respectful of other peoples beliefs. I will gladly buy appropriate cards and wish others Happy "insert which ever holiday you wish" if I know they are not Christian/Christmas celebrators. And I can buy Christmas Cards (with Merry/Happy Christmas written on) all over - Walmart, Target, Dollar Store etc. And generally prefer them to Happy Holiday cards, purely because it is what I am used to/what I like. But the children don't like them and prefer Happy Holidays for all their friends.

I know it takes a bit of getting use to, not having Christmas how we remember it, but just like everything that when you learn to adapt you can still keep your traditions without feeling that you are having to fight for them

Angry White Pyjamas

Out of interest then, since neither my wife nor I have a holiday over Xmas due to our work, should we be offended by someone saying "Happy Holidays" to us?

suffolkdino

it is interesting to go back to the op (above) then look through the threads to see how the conversation has digressed into one regarding different cultures and those who seem more racially tolerant than others..
it is hardly surprizing when Eliscolin, begins by talking about an "Islamic state" - but Eliscolin, apart from your racial views, the rest of your post seems mainly concerned with materialistic things, cost of living, houses etc
I, like probably a lot of other people emigrated because we genuinely thought that another country, in my case Australia, would mean I'd be able to give my children a "better quality of life" etc. Since being here i have discovered that some people like me, need to travel the world to appreciate what was really important in the first place i.e. the big house etc means nothing if you are in a society whos values do not sit comfortably with your own.
i have learnt that when emigrating, you can adapt and choose to live anywhere - but that is the crux of it - CHOICE. I see people who are very happily settled here (and thats good) but no matter what they say, they have to of changed their beliefs (whether aware of it or not) in order to become part of that society. I feel that I am not being true to myself if I do that because I like the person I am and dont want to become part of the "Im all right Jack" brigade. I also see a lot of Australians who are not racist - its just for me because I have lived in the UK, i do not want my children to pay "lip service" to minority gps re equal opps - i want them to experience the multicultral way of life and decide for themselves. I didnt think things like that were important before I came - I probably had similar views to you re public sector decline etc etc. however, i know feel that in order of importance, these things have gone way down the list below being surrounded by people who you think will genuinely care for you and help you if the shit hits the fan. For me thats whats important inlife - that what defines us -it was an expensive learning curve but Im glad I did it
By reading your OP, I really dont think that you are the type of person to think beyond the "whats best for me" attitude and therefore you will probably do ok whaerever you choose to live. so good luck to you - but Im glad, I have discovered that its not the person I am.

novita77

that call living expatting ....accepting the local culture where u live. And why u think I cope with all those non-white queue jumper? I live in their country ... and just have to accept their ingnorance, or get out

if they dont like to queue in Britain... IMHO they should get out ....