Everyone – End This Silly “War on Christmas”
Thank you, citizens of Washington state, for making national waves (on Fox News – surprise) with your ability to blow a situation vastly out of proportion. In case you haven’t been following this story closely, atheists posted a sign at the state capitol decrying the very idea of religion. Today it was stolen … and returned! The Seattle Times has the fast-breaking story here.
Let’s just declare an end to this idea of a “War on Christmas.” Now that one side declared it a war, it’s become one. The atheists’ sign (reading “”Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds”), while often true and protected under free speech, just isn’t that respectful or even thoughtful. It means “war.” Meanwhile, the couple protests organized by local churches against the sign also declare a battle of sorts. All this despite the state’s rather agreeable decision to allow anyone to display in the capitol building this year.
It’s foolish to use a term like “war,” especially now, and especially during the holiday season. But even some college compatriots got into the act. Local College Republicans advertised their Christmas party last night with fliers annulling the word “holiday” in favor of “Christmas.” If a joke, 10 years old. If serious, petty at best.
Here’s the thing: the entire holiday season, no matter what holiday or non-holiday people celebrate for religious or non-religious reasons, is a time of celebration. It might celebrate materialism, but at least it celebrates good cheer among people. Christmas, though a time for materialism, is also a time for necessary materialism as people practice generosity to those who are needy in material ways!
Simply put, our ideological institutions, from many stripes (let’s not say “both sides”) perpetuate this silly “war on Christmas” idea. I have never witnessed a single person-to-person argument about someone saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” Seriously. People know how to handle themselves. For some reason, our ideological institutions forget to engage in actual conversations over the holiday season and choose to hurl bombastic public statements instead. Let’s make them stop.
The so-called “war” will continue as long as there are extremists on both sides who want to keep fueling it. Christmas can still be Christmas and still be secular. It DOES have that dimension. By the same token, the shrill exhortations on the other side (“keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas”) will do more to marginalize the festival and make the more fanatical secularists apoplectic. If only the same passion were lavished on the REAL crises we face today….global warming and the survival of the planet, for one thing.