
While I do cringe when I read about things like removing the word Christmas from the "Christmas Village"
or PCing the season down to "Happy Holidays" I understand the intent. It is to be more inclusive. We do pride ourselves, after all, on being a multicultural society. So if Christians feel like there is a frontal assault on their holiday, or take it as a personal insult of their right to express their joy at the birth of Christ, when someone pushes back against the relentless onslaught of the "Christian Right Wing" movement in America, I wish they would realize several things. First, and most importantly, this struggle is not new in America. The dialogue about the role of religion in American public life has been raging since before the Constitution, thus the honor of being mentioned in the first amendment. Secondly, the obvious assuming attitude many devout people feel toward those who might not adhere to a Western religious view of the world can seem judgmental and even hurtful. It is possible to be a good person without believing in a God who is specifically concerned with the affairs of man (credit to Albert Einstein). Thirdly, no one can deny the fact that Christmas has become more of a commercial retail onslaught than a season of spirituality and Light. That is why retailers dropped Christmas from their stores and circulars. They want to encourage all Americans to spend money on their goods.
So I agree with the bumper stickers. Let's keep "Christ" in Christmas and remember His was a message of tolerance and peace, and not one of feverish excess.
Click on the title for a link to the controversy.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post Richard. Thanks for the perspective. Merry Christmas... Missed you yesterday at the family gathering.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are not embarrassed that I found this. I enjoy reading intelligent blogs as I am sure yours is.
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