Sending religious cards to non-religious friends may be potentially insulting. Worse is sending a religious card to a friend of a different religion, say an overtly Christian card to a Jewish friend. If cards are meant to offer salutations, thanks, sympathies, or to wish someone a good holiday season, then the card is also meant to be a personal gesture of good will. Sending overtly religious cards to those with a different belief system tends to pervert the intent of thoughtfulness implied by sending a card.
Religious cards are meant to be shared by people of the same central religions. The most common examples of overtly religious cards are religious cards sent at Christmas. If one wants to send religious cards at Christmas, consider relying on an address list consisting of only other Christian friends.
Some see the sending of religious cards during Christmas as a way to proselytize and witness the birth of Christ. The same people might find themselves somewhat offended if they received Hanukkah or Kwanzaa cards. Yet by their own logic, a Jewish person, or a person celebrating Kwanzaa would be justified in using religious cards to preach their religion as well. For the person celebrating Kwanzaa, this might be either Christianity or Islam.
Thus it is often considered polite to send a more generic card for holidays so as not to offend the religions of others. This is particularly true for business associates, or new acquaintances. Sending religious cards to those you know will appreciate them is another matter. If concerned over card cost, consider writing a brief quote from scripture in the cards for friends who share one’s religious beliefs.
Condolence cards are often religious in nature. Yet the last thing a person in grief needs is to be the object of someone else’s religious views. If one wants to help a person by offering them a spiritual path, consider inviting them to a church service, rather than preaching through religious cards. Sometimes people find great comfort in a new religion after suffering a loss.
At other times, they may be most angry with the Divine for taking away a loved one. Consider the intent behind sending the card, and do not make the mistake of believing that scripture or Kuran (also known as the Qur’an) passages will provide comfort to a person who is non-religious. In fact, it may fuel their anger.
Instead send cards that honor the deceased and express sympathy to the survivors that does not dwell on religious explanations. It may be okay to write that a grieving person is in one’s thoughts and prayers. One's personal beliefs of predestination or God’s purpose may not be comforting to that person, so it is always best to consider the recipient. People must come to their own understanding of why a death occurred through time and healing, which may not necessarily be gained through a religious card.
