COLUMN: Getting Christ out of Christmas
It has taken years, but I think the politically correct police and the atheists have almost achieved their goal of transforming Christmas into a completely, non-religious holiday.
Of course I am committing a major faux pas by even mentioning Christmas. I believe the new favored term is “Happy Winter.”
How did we get to the point where we cannot even wish someone Merry Christmas without fear of being labeled politically incorrect or religiously insensitive? Does anyone worry about offending Christians with this concentrated effort to pretend that Christmas has nothing at all to do with the birth of Christ?
One could argue that Christmas was co-opted decades ago by retailers intent on using the holiday to push merchandise. However, even the most materialistic of companies or individuals would not have attempted to convince the public that wishing someone Merry Christmas was somehow offensive.
Today is quite a different story.
Most schools no longer have Christmas parties, they have winter celebrations. Christmas - excuse me - “Happy Winter” cards seldom even mention the word Christmas any more. They instead wish the recipient Happy Holidays or Season Greetings. I suppose it is only a matter of time until there is an outright ban on playing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” or other such politically incorrect songs.
A Connecticut school principal made headlines last week when he banned all religious festivities from the classroom. He justified this decision by citing a state law which mandates public schools cannot knowingly exclude children. That is unless your children are Christians, in which case they can be excluded and made to feel that their religion is offensive. Offending Christians is fine, as long as no one offends the Muslims or the atheists or the Hindus or whoever.
The school superintendent defended the principal saying the issue of religious celebrations was “especially difficult” in December. Really? How dare those darn Christians screw up December with their Christ celebrations.
Of course you also have those politically incorrect Jews celebrating their religious holiday in December. I am not certain how offensive it is to say Happy Hanukkah, but I think that holiday has managed to fly under the radar so far. Stay in the tall grass Jewish brethren.
On a positive note, if you want to wish someone Merry Festivus or Happy Kwanzaa, you are good to go.
Officials in Washington State, in a successful attempt to marginalize Christmas, recently approved numerous holiday displays in their state capitol, including a Festivus display. For those of you who missed the nineties, Festivus was a holiday created on the Seinfield television show. It is completely made up, yet state lawmakers chose to give anti-religion protestors/Festivus celebrants a venue to essentially ridicule Christmas. It is absolutely incredible to think that these officials thought putting a Festivus display next to a nativity scene was the right thing to do.
Efforts to marginalize Christmas are simply another form of reverse discrimination. If this keeps up, the next thing you know Christians will be expected to act like Easter has nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ and is instead a non-religious celebration featuring bunnies bringing candy and hiding eggs in people’s yards.
Merry Christmas and God bless.
Kristi Reed is a reporter for the Barrow Journal. You can reach her at kreed@barrowjournal.com.
How did we get to the point where we cannot even wish someone Merry Christmas without fear of being labeled politically incorrect or religiously insensitive? Does anyone worry about offending Christians with this concentrated effort to pretend that Christmas has nothing at all to do with the birth of Christ?
One could argue that Christmas was co-opted decades ago by retailers intent on using the holiday to push merchandise. However, even the most materialistic of companies or individuals would not have attempted to convince the public that wishing someone Merry Christmas was somehow offensive.
Today is quite a different story.
Most schools no longer have Christmas parties, they have winter celebrations. Christmas - excuse me - “Happy Winter” cards seldom even mention the word Christmas any more. They instead wish the recipient Happy Holidays or Season Greetings. I suppose it is only a matter of time until there is an outright ban on playing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” or other such politically incorrect songs.
A Connecticut school principal made headlines last week when he banned all religious festivities from the classroom. He justified this decision by citing a state law which mandates public schools cannot knowingly exclude children. That is unless your children are Christians, in which case they can be excluded and made to feel that their religion is offensive. Offending Christians is fine, as long as no one offends the Muslims or the atheists or the Hindus or whoever.
The school superintendent defended the principal saying the issue of religious celebrations was “especially difficult” in December. Really? How dare those darn Christians screw up December with their Christ celebrations.
Of course you also have those politically incorrect Jews celebrating their religious holiday in December. I am not certain how offensive it is to say Happy Hanukkah, but I think that holiday has managed to fly under the radar so far. Stay in the tall grass Jewish brethren.
On a positive note, if you want to wish someone Merry Festivus or Happy Kwanzaa, you are good to go.
Officials in Washington State, in a successful attempt to marginalize Christmas, recently approved numerous holiday displays in their state capitol, including a Festivus display. For those of you who missed the nineties, Festivus was a holiday created on the Seinfield television show. It is completely made up, yet state lawmakers chose to give anti-religion protestors/Festivus celebrants a venue to essentially ridicule Christmas. It is absolutely incredible to think that these officials thought putting a Festivus display next to a nativity scene was the right thing to do.
Efforts to marginalize Christmas are simply another form of reverse discrimination. If this keeps up, the next thing you know Christians will be expected to act like Easter has nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ and is instead a non-religious celebration featuring bunnies bringing candy and hiding eggs in people’s yards.
Merry Christmas and God bless.
Kristi Reed is a reporter for the Barrow Journal. You can reach her at kreed@barrowjournal.com.
As far as Easter, I thought they already had made a total separation from the resurrection of Christ.
100 percent BS. Absolutely untrue. No one is doing that.
I really do feel sorry for you, being unable to form a thought of your own unless it comes from O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck or Limbaugh. How pathetic is that?
In my life, I have been fortunate enough to befriend a number of people who don't always share the same views and beliefs I do on everything, including matters of faith. I buy cards like the ones you deride in your column, and then I take the time to actually think about the recipient and to send a sincere holiday greeting. I wished my Grandmother a Merry Christmas, my Jewish co-worker a Happy Hanukkah, and another co-worker "Happy holidays" because I don't know what holiday(s) she celebrate(s). If someone I knew celebrated Festivus, I'd wish them a happy one of those, too. You can be "good to go" when you wish someone a Merry Christmas, the same way you can when you extend any other holiday greeting. The problem arises when you refuse to give the beliefs of others the same respect you expect them to give yours.
Maybe people who don't celebrate Christmas wouldn't object to being wished a "Merry Christmas" if people weren't turning it into a command. I know a lot of people who believe strongly in the Christ behind Christmas. The ones who inspire me the most and help keep Christ in the hearts of others are the ones who spread Christ's words in their deeds and how they treat every person, regardless of religion, not the ones who think it's about the wording on the gift wrap or the greeting card. They may not say "Merry Christmas" to every stranger they meet, but they create merry Christmases for countless others through their donations and volunteering. It seems like the ones shouting the loudest about 'taking Christ out of Christmas' are the ones who've really forgotten the reason for the season.
As for the Washington state display, I understand your frustration that displays of other religious and secular nature are being given equal treatment. However, I must point out that the clause of the Constitution that protects your right to write this column (the free speech clause of the 1st Amendment) is the same one that requires the government to make room for all religious and non-holiday displays if it's going to make room for any on public property. Otherwise, it's violating the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment. Instead of critizing Washington for letting everyone in, maybe we should recognize them for taking a step that made it lawful to keep Christmas on public grounds.