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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is now offensive just as is Charlie Brown, saying Merry Christmas and even the song Baby It's Cold Outside to some people. While I find myself being less offended by things these days than ever before .... clearly others are the opposite.

Do these things now offend you and if so/not ... what do you think is in bad taste today that you didn't in the past?

I think people need to recalibrate the word "offended" personally.  I don't think people are really OFFENDED by some of these things. 

There are many slang terms that I used when I was younger (e.g. "gay" to mean something is bad) that I try to avoid now.

Yeah, add "retarded" to the list of words that I used to use capriciously, and avoid using altogether now.

I really wish I could take the word fag away from it's negative history towards homosexual...although online gaming may have already accomplished that.

I'm offended by people who are easily offended although that really hasn't changed much just how many people offend me now because of this.  >:D

#FirstWorldProblems.

I notice misogyny and am more sensitive to that.  And gatekeeping is a concept that I didn't really even realize was a thing before, but I find it kind of gross now.

Not even sure if it still exists, but years ago I stumbled across a Facebook page called People Offended by Offended People (POOP).    It always had some pretty hilarious content. 

Gatekeeping is just what people say when they aren't truly a part of something, stop hedging your bets.

There are words and phrases my parents use that i used growing up that i no longer use such as faggot and indian-giver not because they offend me but might offend others.

I use the term “happy holidays” unless I know the person’s specific holiday.  Eg if they were buying an xmas tree or were wearing a star of david necklace. 

In general I am not offended by someone wishing me a merry xmas.  However, I did find it offensive when i was at the grocery store buying gefilte fish, matza, and various other item labeled kosher for passover and the clerk wished me a happy easter.  I said in good nature ”try again”. She said “what?”. “I am not christian”.  “I pray for your soul hopefully you will find jesus soon” Her final statement resulted in a very pointed complaint letter to corporate.

Christmas is a day recognized by the US Federal government as a holiday.  Granted it is religious in origin, but it is the name of a day.

Its like saying "happy Friday" - to say Merry Christmas to someone - I just don't see how that could be OFFENSIVE.  Its not like the person said "you are ugly" - they are wishing you to have a good day at its core.  I don't care what religion you are, I feel like to be offended by that, in itself, is kinda of over the top.  Just my opinion.

However, I agree with Hoodie - that clerk crossed the line ONLY by the last statement.  And there's no rule stating you must be Jewish to buy gefilte fish and matzah.

I simply don't consider the "mass holidays" like Christmas and Easter to be holy. The vast, vast majority of people I know celebrate them, but aren't at all religious (and, to the extent they are, of a variety of religions).

I think most Christians are aware that Jesus was definitely not born near the end of December, though I am unsure if most know that "Christmas" was specifically created to appropriate pagan winter holidays like Yule (as part of their conversion to Christianity).

As we've discussed before, Santa Claus, reindeer, decorated trees, mistletoe, holly wreaths, candy canes, etc have nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus of Nazareth.

Gay, fag, and retarded I still use them and will continue. I'm not directing them toward gays, fags, or retards so I don't see who would get offended. And if they do, fuck 'em. Maybe people these days should stop worrying about what other people think of them.

it was obvious i was shopping for passover.  yes some non jews like matza.  but they don’t buy multiple boxes of the over priced kosher for passover cake mixes that taste barely edible.  if you saw my cart and guessed happy easter was the way to you are an idiot. 

and wishing someone merry xmas is not the equivalent of wishing some one a happy 4th of july.  xmas being a federal holiday is just a symptom of our country giving preference to christians over every one else.

I'm an atheist, but it never bothers me when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas, or kind words of any other origin.  In my opinion, people these days are generally a pretty surly and unfriendly lot.  So anyone who says anything to me where their intent is to pass along a kind gesture is going to be more than welcome. 

It takes quite a bit to offend me because the opinions of people outside of my "inner circle" don't really mean anything to me anyway.  Hoodie's story about the store clerk saying they would "pray for his soul" definitely made me shake my head though.  Good for Hoodie for bringing that kind of nasty, holier than thou attitude to the attention of their corporate office. I wonder if people like that realize that in their zealous efforts to "recruit for Jesus", their hypocrisy, condescending attitudes, and air of supremacy actually drive people further and further away from what they tell themselves they are recruiting for in the first place.   It reminded me of something I read once where the writer said "I don't have an issue with the concept of a supreme being, it is their fans and followers that make me want to have no part of it all."   

Going back to the OG question of the thread, I don't think I'm offended by anything today that didn't offend me in the past.  If anything, as I get older, I think I am offended by fewer things than I used to be.  I do believe that as a whole, our society has become astoundingly hypersensitive, thin skinned, and they seem to be constantly searching for something to be offended by.  And if they can't find anything truly offensive, they make some random thing offensive to them just so they can be offended. 

Overly pushy Christians = Smug Atheist

Two sides of the same coin.

(Note: not calling you in a particular a smug atheist)

I don't disagree with you at all.  Plenty of atheists are smug and look down on others for what they believe.  I don't condone their actions either. 

Little girl beauty pageants offend me. I think they're at best child exploitation, but probably are actually child abuse.
Public sector corruption offends me.
That corporations are treated like people offends me.
Con artists offend me.

As an atheist, i'm completely NOT offended by religion, at all. people are free to believe whatever they want however they want. I'm as equally not offended by Scientologists as i am by Mormons or Methodists. I'm not one to judge people's beliefs as long as it doesn't affect me. Consenting adults and all that.

"Merry Christmas" doesn't offend me. I'd actually postulate that Christmas is at best nominally christian anymore anyways. I have a Christmas tree, lights outside, stockings hung, decorations everywhere and yet .. not a single mention or reference to the christian use of the holiday.

Kind of on with my point earlier.  Merry Christmas is no worse that "have a nice day" - except it identifies a specific day.  Unless you intend to find specific religious meaning, the American tradition known as Christmas has diverged from its Christian roots.

Most Atheists, Agnostics, Christians, and people with other assorted religious beliefs think that their beliefs about religion are the correct ones. However, I've found the answer. I'm an Apatheist, I simply don't give a shit either way. If he's up there somewhere, fuck him. If he's not, fuck him again. Either way it doesn't matter..... >:D

My sentiments exactly.

I'm totally stealing "Apatheist" from you.  Love that.  I'm still searching for a religion that simply promotes "mind your own business and leave people the F alone."   Buddhism comes relatively close, but there is no way that I'm not killing a spider when I see one in my house.   ;D

I don't use words like gay or retarded as name-calling any longer although that slipped my mind. I also believe we used to call each other the N word but not as an offensive black thing. More in the dirty, poor person way. I had black friends spending the night as a kid so it wasn't like we thought negatively of blacks but I think I became more aware in middle school and stopped using it to attack people. That's been so long ago I can't even remember ever doing it but I know we did.  I guess I've eventually just quit using derogatory terms in general. Seems so odd to think I once did like it was expected.

I have no idea what gate-keeping is and while I understand Hoodie's anger from the Christian lady ... I would be willing to bet it came from love and not a "holier than thou attitude". In my experience the people who step out and say things like that in public truly do have a heart for salvation for everyone. I'm not talking about the street corner guy who attacks you with the Bible. Just the genuine people who reach out.  Whether Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or whatever if you say you are going to pray for me I welcome it.  Lord knows I have much to work on and learn.

The latest outrage came form people attacking Kevin Hart for past jokes on twitter. He stepped down from hosting the Oscars as a result.  I think these kind of things only serve to weaken our society.

I love a good debate on religion and I usually fall on the side that God doesn't exist. Do I know that for a fact? Nope, but I just don't see any evidence of a God. However, unlike most people, I admit that I could be wrong.

Having said that though, religious debates usually end in a stalemate and no one is going to change anyone else's opinion. Many Atheists, Agnostics, Christians, and people with other assorted religious beliefs usually take this shit way too personal and catch an attitude. Being an Apatheist fixes that problem. Since I don't take it personal and don't really care either way, it doesn't matter and I can move forward. Who the fuck wants to argue about that silly shit all the time?

Isnt agnostic synonymous with apatheist?

and then i read stories like this, and remember this thread.  Agree or disagree...?

https://www.local10.com/holidays/christmas/principal-bans-candy-canes-because-j-shape-stands-for-jesus

Agnostic = The existence or non-existence of a god cannot be proven so we cannot know for sure either way.
Apatheist = I don't care

So it's "I can't know" vs "I don't give a shit". Agnostic is a status of ones knowledge and/or belief, while Apatheism is more of an attitude.

Then I must be one because I don't care anymore  >:D

I thought you was a Christian, maybe I was thinking of someone else. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, it's just not for me, haha.

This person just went too far.

Here's the thing -- this is a nuanced issue.  Certain things are religious decor.  Others are traditions that have their roots in religion but are not religious OR they don't have their roots in religion but religion has adopted them.  It's just a balancing act and people are going to over-react.  You just correct, adapt, and try to do better next time.

I have Jehovah Witnesses that I work with and we have to be more careful about their sensibilities in regard to holidays way more than with Atheists or Jews.  There will always be outliers, but the Atheists that I know (me included) are the most festive people around. 

If you're offended if someone says Merry Christmas, you're just looking to be an asshole.

I just read that she (the principal) was put in leave by the school district so it looks like someone still has some common sense up there.

Fortunately the extremely offended are in the minority. Unfortunately people used to laugh at PETA and now they have almost succeeded in closing down Sea World ... among other crazy things they have going. I hope the extremely offended don’t get that same power.

I am, I was saying I don't care about the subject matter anymore, being smart ass.

The real reason to ban candy canes is because peppermint sucks.

PETA is crazy, but they don't deserve credit for closing Sea World or zoos or anything else.  Sea World keeps whales in tanks that can't really house them, there was a documentary about it, and people (myself included) don't go there.  They are trying to keep up by changing towards a more thrill ride centric park, but they can't keep up with their competition.

You're giving way too much credit to PETA, which is an organization that makes headlines by being nuts, but has no real pull with the average person.

Sea World is failing because of capitalism.  With HD nature shows on demand on Netflix and all kinds of oddities on YouTube so many other opportunities to do fun stuff in the state, kids don't give a shit about seeing a whale in a tank, or a bear riding a unicycle or whatever else.

I agree Dave, they are crazy AF. 

Just a side-note, PETA euthenizes a shit ton of dogs and cats every year, and they do it under the guise of mercy killings.  They are a hypocritical organization filled with domestic terrorists.

I do IT work for a local SPCA and while they also "do not euthanize pets," that is not an ironclad rule.  If there is an animal that is surrendered with a problem that makes it unadoptable - say, if it is aggressive while feeding - they will euthanize it.  I wouldn't say this makes them "hypocrites"... it's just realizing the practical choice of filling their kennels with animals that can never be adopted vs. animals that can.  

Every animal that the SPCA turns down because they are full goes to the county shelter, where it will be euthanized after a period of time.  Decisions are not made in a vacuum.

To be fair, I find way more people offended by PETA's antics (which is ironic and also why PETA has crazy positions...it's to cause a rise and get people talking) than support PETA.  PETA is a fringe group -- they are the edge...maybe they help move the needle some, but are in no way indicative of the norm of people who care about animal rights.