I've been listening to/watching Bill O'Reilly lately with this topic in the forefront. According to many, secularists/left-leaning anti-Christians? are attempting to gradually remove the Christianity from Christmas. As absurd as that sounds, it would appear to be happening at some levels now. It's "Happy Holidays," not Merry Christmas; it's a "Holiday Tree" or a "Winter Tree" not a Christmas tree; children in Texas were being taught IN PUBLIC SCHOOL alternative lyrics to "Silent Night" that had no connection whatsoever to Christmas, but instead was about winter in general.
I'm not so sure this is an organized effort led by some secret underground organization (although the ACLU does come to mind) but rather a conglomerate of individuals who think they're doing the "right thing" by being politically correct and either A) not offending anyone of an alternative faith (even though over 80% of people in the US identify themselves as Christian), or B) attempting to placate those who wish to celebrate traditionally but can't because they're in a "government institution" (i.e. a public classroom or government business.)
Regardless of motive, removing Christ from Christmas is an impossible task. The more left-leaning peoples push their way, the more the Christians see their faith threatened and will push back the other way. I am one of those people. I proudly wear a "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" pin on my shirt during this time of year. I also say Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays.
Political correctness and the ACLU have waged a war on Christianity, but they cannot win.
So, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
...and as Tiny Tim observed, "God Bless Us, Everyone!"
P.S. The following is from O'Reilly's website from 12/8:
'Twas the Night Before Solstice
By: Bill O'Reilly for BillOReilly.com
Thursday, Dec 08, 2005
Way back in 1822 Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem called "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," which was first published in the New York Sentinel journal. Moore, the son of the New York Bishop who had presided at George Washington's inauguration, had no idea his verse would become world famous, beloved by people everywhere.
But because there is mention of a certain "Saint Nicholas" in the poem it may, alas, have to be revised in order not to offend Americans who don't believe in saints or even Christmas for that matter. We cannot be having any exclusionary poems now, can we?
So with apologies to Clement Moore and everybody else, I humbly submit this updated poem for your consideration:
'Twas the night before Solstice, and all through the land
the ACLU was watching to keep things in hand.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while forces kept Christmas out of their heads.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed and heard desperate chatter.
Someone had seen my manger display,
And wailed very loudly - go away, go away.
How could I be so crass, so utterly wrong
So show the infant Jesus and sing him a song?
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
An ACLU lawyer, looking stern and aloof.
No manger! No caroling! he said with a snort,
And if you don't comply immediately, I'll take you to court!
He was chubby and plump, a right surly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
He dallied no more, but went straight to his phone
Lamenting the manger, in a most pitiful moan.
But I in the spirit, said nothing unkind
Christmas is forgiveness whatever you find.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
Christmas will survive, the folks will demand it,
Even if secular lawyers will not understand it.
Then I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
Happy Solstice to all, and to all a good night!
4 comments:
The assault on Christianity has been raging for years. Christmas is one of many targets of the American left. Anything that represents traditional Christian values or beliefs is being challenged. Issues such as abortion, homosexual special rights, prayer, and marriage are all targets.
When I used to live in Champaign, I remember seeing a yard display at Christmas that was simply, "Happy Birthday Jesus" is red and green lights. I hope to see more of that this Christmas season.
I happen to be "left-leaning" yet still a Christian, and someone who does not care for "happy holidays" rather than "merry Christmas," at least coming out of my own mouth.
It would be good of y'all to at least periodically recognize the possibility that there might be some folk who are your coreligionists who don't agree with you politically...and still somehow magically manage to remain both Christian and, for that matter, American.
Is it possible that this is a trumped-up issue that is a direct mail fundraiser windfall for the Right?
I don't think it's a fund-raiser for the right...I think it's a wake-up call for all of us Christians to be aware that there are forces out there (political, ideological, and even religious) that want any traces of Christianity erased from American society. Regardless of how "innocent" one concession might seem, it is one of many steps that these forces are using to attempt to erase that same Christianity out of their way. Whether it's the ACLU, or some "PC" groupie, or a agnostic/athiest, or even a muslim extremist/sympathizer as MCR has put out on his website, I will not compromise. I will be polite, but I will not compromise. It is the exceptions to the rule that should be less demanding of their "equal time" and allow the majority of us to remain as we are.
At least that's my opinion...
Here's the book by the same title:
The War On Christmas
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