Reason for the Season
Found this rather interesting article on the War on Christmas and I thought I'd share it with those so inclined.
CNN:
Commentary: You can't take Christ out of Christmas
By Roland S. Martin
CNN contributor
(CNN) -- This whole push to remove Christ from the Christmas season has gotten so ridiculous that it's pathetic.
Because of all the politically correct idiots, we are being encouraged to stop saying "Merry Christmas" for the more palatable "Happy Holidays." What the heck are "Seasons Greetings"? Can someone tell me what season we are greeting folks about? A Christmas tree? Oh, no! It's now a holiday tree. Any Christmas song that even remotely mentions Christ or has a religious undertone is being axed for being overtly religious. And I'm sorry, forget X-M-A-S. Malcolm X? Yes. X replacing Christ? No.
Don't get me wrong; I'm very respectful of other religions. I don't want anyone to be afraid of discussing the Jewish faith when we address Hanukkah. And we shouldn't dismiss Muslims when the annual pilgrimage to Mecca is held during December. In fact, Americans are so ignorant of other faiths that we can all learn from one another.
But this seeming backlash against Christianity is bordering on the absurd, and we should continue to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
I know that may sound strident, but it's true. We spend an inordinate amount of time focused on shopping and buying gifts, but really, what does any of this have to do with the birth of Jesus? We have families all over the nation killing themselves to buy a tree they can't afford, running up their credit to buy toys and other gifts, all in an effort to make someone else happy.
What if families decided to forgo gifts, and instead, used their shopping days giving back to those in need? What if more of us went into our closets, grabbed old toys and clothes, repackaged them, and provided them as gifts to those without? Instead of gorging on food, what if we used some of the dough to feed those who are in need? What if we blew off those gift cards to electronic retailers and signed up with Networkforgood.org, and gave someone a gift card to their favorite charity?
Sure, I know I sound like a reincarnation of a flower child, but really, do we have to be so crass during the Christmas season?
It's time that we return to traditional values, and end this ridiculous charade. It's important that we take a fuller account of WHY we celebrate Christmas, as opposed to falling for the barrage of ads that tell us what is most important.
Parents, don't be so consumed with the notion that your children will have a terrible Christmas because the tree isn't overflowing with gifts. The true love that you show them is more important than anything else.
America might be the king of capitalism, but secularism must never become so prevalent that our religious traditions are discarded.
Roland S. Martinis a nationally award-winning journalist and CNN contributor. Martin is studying to receive his master's degree in Christian communications at Louisiana Baptist University, and he is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith." You can read more of his columns at www.rolandsmartin.com.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer.
I agree with him in this case. I have nothing against those who want to celebrate the trip to Mecca, and I have enough Jewish friends that I'm very familiar with Channukah (hey mosellegreen - here's a reggae dub Channukah song just for you!) and though I know nothing about Kwanzaa, it seems interesting enough and it's to whomever wishes to celebrate it anyway. So why all the fuss about what people want to call it? How does it offend (yes, I'm aware of those who are offended just by its existence; however, there's enough on the other side of that fence too, so live and let live on that). I just can't quite put my head on why anyone would want to complain about it.
Christmas has become too overcommercialized anyway. Why not let Christians take back Christmas and take it back to basics, or at least pull it from the maw of the capitalist beast? Perhaps some good would come from that. And I firmly believe that if we were all celebrating Channukah or some other winter holiday, we'd be all in the same boat regardless...the secular affects the devout faster than the devout can affect the secular.
Just my ten cents (.02, adjusted for inflation) on the whole thing.
CNN:
Commentary: You can't take Christ out of Christmas
By Roland S. Martin
CNN contributor
(CNN) -- This whole push to remove Christ from the Christmas season has gotten so ridiculous that it's pathetic.
Because of all the politically correct idiots, we are being encouraged to stop saying "Merry Christmas" for the more palatable "Happy Holidays." What the heck are "Seasons Greetings"? Can someone tell me what season we are greeting folks about? A Christmas tree? Oh, no! It's now a holiday tree. Any Christmas song that even remotely mentions Christ or has a religious undertone is being axed for being overtly religious. And I'm sorry, forget X-M-A-S. Malcolm X? Yes. X replacing Christ? No.
Don't get me wrong; I'm very respectful of other religions. I don't want anyone to be afraid of discussing the Jewish faith when we address Hanukkah. And we shouldn't dismiss Muslims when the annual pilgrimage to Mecca is held during December. In fact, Americans are so ignorant of other faiths that we can all learn from one another.
But this seeming backlash against Christianity is bordering on the absurd, and we should continue to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
I know that may sound strident, but it's true. We spend an inordinate amount of time focused on shopping and buying gifts, but really, what does any of this have to do with the birth of Jesus? We have families all over the nation killing themselves to buy a tree they can't afford, running up their credit to buy toys and other gifts, all in an effort to make someone else happy.
What if families decided to forgo gifts, and instead, used their shopping days giving back to those in need? What if more of us went into our closets, grabbed old toys and clothes, repackaged them, and provided them as gifts to those without? Instead of gorging on food, what if we used some of the dough to feed those who are in need? What if we blew off those gift cards to electronic retailers and signed up with Networkforgood.org, and gave someone a gift card to their favorite charity?
Sure, I know I sound like a reincarnation of a flower child, but really, do we have to be so crass during the Christmas season?
It's time that we return to traditional values, and end this ridiculous charade. It's important that we take a fuller account of WHY we celebrate Christmas, as opposed to falling for the barrage of ads that tell us what is most important.
Parents, don't be so consumed with the notion that your children will have a terrible Christmas because the tree isn't overflowing with gifts. The true love that you show them is more important than anything else.
America might be the king of capitalism, but secularism must never become so prevalent that our religious traditions are discarded.
Roland S. Martinis a nationally award-winning journalist and CNN contributor. Martin is studying to receive his master's degree in Christian communications at Louisiana Baptist University, and he is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith." You can read more of his columns at www.rolandsmartin.com.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer.
I agree with him in this case. I have nothing against those who want to celebrate the trip to Mecca, and I have enough Jewish friends that I'm very familiar with Channukah (hey mosellegreen - here's a reggae dub Channukah song just for you!) and though I know nothing about Kwanzaa, it seems interesting enough and it's to whomever wishes to celebrate it anyway. So why all the fuss about what people want to call it? How does it offend (yes, I'm aware of those who are offended just by its existence; however, there's enough on the other side of that fence too, so live and let live on that). I just can't quite put my head on why anyone would want to complain about it.
Christmas has become too overcommercialized anyway. Why not let Christians take back Christmas and take it back to basics, or at least pull it from the maw of the capitalist beast? Perhaps some good would come from that. And I firmly believe that if we were all celebrating Channukah or some other winter holiday, we'd be all in the same boat regardless...the secular affects the devout faster than the devout can affect the secular.
Just my ten cents (.02, adjusted for inflation) on the whole thing.