Here is a story about a word some seem to find offensive.

Several years ago, when the word first became onerous to some, a newspaper instituted a software patch that would automatically change the word to "homosexual". Unfortunately, just at that time a major runner with that name won several races only to find his name changed in the headlines.

Whether it's Lewis Carroll or George Orwell, brilliant minds have written much about the absurdity of meanings. Hell, Carroll wasn't Carroll, nor Orwell Orwell. I have burned my Peevologist Club membership card, and understand that we only see through smoke and mirrors, and hear over clanging bells and maniacal ravings. It is all as Shakespeare - whoever he was - said:
"...It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing. — Macbeth (Act 5, scene V ... There is no meaning beyond the moment and the mellieu.

Amusingly, the following line also has a word with more than one meaning:

Troll the ancient Yuletide carol. Fa la la la la la la la la.

I had long (mistakenly, as usual) considered troll in that sense being akin to its use in fishing, i.e. to move about, since yule singers usually go from house to house.

Here is a great related article about "offensive" Christmas carols.

If you're an atheist they're all offensive - or silly.

The author missed a few. For example, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing says "Glory to the new-born King." We live in a democracy which eliminated royal tendencies many years ago (with apologies to our overseas brethren struggling under regal yoke).
There is also the issue of hidden pornographic allusions. It Came upon the Midnight Clear? What perversion are they referring to? I couldn't find any reference to this in the Urban Dictionary.
The same applies to "Santa Claus is coming..." Is that the kind of thing we want to teach our kids?
The lyric says, 'Have yourself a merry little Christmas...." Is there some reason I am limited in what sort of holiday I can enjoy while the singer is apparently subject to a massive Christmas celebration?
Then there is the communist influence. What is Addeste Fideles if it is not "Hail, Fidel" in Latin? No Red marching songs, please.
I say, to avoid problems, ban all carols.

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Thanks, Goofy, you saved me from linking to that blog posting. I've been an atheist (actually closer to a nontheist or a transtheist) for nigh going on a half of century, but that has not stopped me from enjoying Xmas carols or paintings of religious subjects.

I have to agree with you, Z. Some wonderful music is religious, but I can enjoy it anyway.

A Jewish friend in Portland used to kvetch, "They always play Handel's 'Messiah,' but do they ever play 'Judas Maccabaeus," noooooo!"

quote:

We live in a democracy which eliminated royal tendencies many years ago (with apologies to our overseas brethren struggling under regal yoke).

Well, the Christmas carols aren't just for people in the U.S.

The Hanukkah songs are by and large - awful. But then Hanukkah isn't a major holiday anyway. The music at Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah is beautiful.