Last year, I wrote this post about the secularization of Christmas. This year, I am adding a short addendum:
Our local Wal-Mart began playing Christmas music over the PA system before Thanksgiving this year, yet none of the songs played are of a religious nature. How can we celebrate Christmas with absolutely no mention at all of the reason we celebrate?
I know I risk sounding redundant by mentioning this again this year, but the problem is worsening.
Atheists and secularists are trying, with no small amount of success, to remove any connection with Jesus Christ from the traditional celebration of His birth.
I would like to point out that Christians don't object to other cultures and religions celebrating their holy days in the way they see fit. You never hear of Christian groups objecting to the celebration by other religions and cultures of Kwanzaa or Ramadan.
I have expressed consternation with the blatant attempts to stifle all connections of the Christmas holy day with Christianity before.
So. Although there is ample evidence to suggest Christmas is indeed being targeted by secularists and atheists, the significance of Christ's birth, life, death, and subsequent resurrection will not be erased.
In the end, they will all realize their folly, as God has promised us, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." ~ Philippians 2: 10-11
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11 comments:
"Although there is ample evidence to suggest Christmas is indeed being targeted by secularists and atheists"
Really? There is? targeted for what?
"significance of Christ's birth, life, death, and subsequent resurrection will not be erased"
Of course not.
Why, oh why must "Jim", the anonymous clown who haunts this blog like stink on a dead armaadillo with his silly ruminations, ALWAYS come down on the wrong side of an issue? Is he just a contrarian?
Instead of criticizing me with with lies and childish (dickish) ad hominem attacks, Rick, why don't you make an argument that makes sense and has some intelligence and fact behind it?
I don't mind secular Christmas songs being played in stores and malls. But I do wish that the religious carols would be played as well.
How can we celebrate Christmas with absolutely no mention at all of the reason we celebrate?
We can't!
Kind of funny really. Seeing as how Dec 25 was selected to correspond with the winter solstice. Its okay for the church dump on the solstice parade, but not for you to hear some crappy Wal-Mart music?
Really, you should be upset that you're not really celebrating the correct day.
It's simply the date chosen, for whatever reason, to celebrate the birth of Christ. No further ruminations on the subject needed.
But the issue at hand, the secularization of Christmas, or more colloquially, the commercialization of Christmas, is an old story. But it does seem to have morphed from the latter to more of the former as we see "Happy Holidays", "Winter Break" and such replacing "Merry Christmas" and "Christmas Vacation".
However, I don't think it is as it was even last year. It might just be my area, but it seems that people are going out of their way to say "Merry Christmas", almost in defiance of the pathetic and politically correct (redundancy alert) alternatives.
But as to targeting, that's hard to deny with Christianity being about the only remaining acceptable target of derision in this pathetically politically correct (there it is again) climate. Case in point: the recent wailing and gnashing of the teeth over the muslim community center at Ground Zero in Manhatten, while little attention is given the troubles of the already existing Christian church struck by debris from the attack.
Christianity threatens the secular world because of its truth. The secular cannot tolerate the guilt they feel in the face of that truth. Far better to diminish and distort the day so as to deflect attention to the reason for the day.
"Really? There is? targeted for what?"
Jim, maybe you should go back and re-read the original post. As I said, this post is an addendum to that one. I don't think this really needs to be explained to you, does it?
Atheists and Liberals (but I repeat myself) are actively trying to remove Christ from Christmas. And you know it. Stop pretending you don't notice.
As I said in the first post, other holidays are Christian holidays, but so far, they haven't objected to the inclusion of God or Jesus in them. Although, every Easter, Time or Newsweek publishes some article which makes ludicrous, Blasphemous claims about Jesus, like "He didn't really die", "He didn't really rise from the dead", or that "He was married and had children", etc.
All these things are examples of the secularists attempting to de-legitimize Christ and Christianity.
Park, I have no problem with Walmart playing Christmas music (although half of what they play isn't Christmas music, but rather, Winter music). I am pointing out that atheists and Liberals (but I repeat myself again) have so continually objected to any mention of Christ in the public square that they have intimidated retailers across the country.
Retailers have stopped playing Christian music over the PA, and have told their employees to stop saying "Merry Christmas" for fear of offending a small percentage of the population because the vocal minority has raised objections to the inclusion of Christ in Christmas.
The true date of Jesus' birth is unknown. I have no objections to which day Christmas is celebrated on simply because it doesn't matter. What matters is that He WAS born, and WHY He was born.
But, I guess a Liberal Atheist (which is a redundant term) such as yourself shouldn't be expected to understand that.
Except...I do wish whoever settled on celebrating Christmas in the winter had chosen a warmer season.
TR: Response at According to my sources.
"Atheists and Liberals (but I repeat myself)"
No you don't. I'm a liberal and a member of LMS, and a worship leader.
"are actively trying to remove Christ from Christmas. And you know it. Stop pretending you don't notice."
Very untrue. There is nothing to notice. This is a myth. Only today I interacted with service people online and on the telephone and everyone of them wished me Merry Christmas and I did the same. What you say I "know" is simply false. It's false.
"All these things are examples of the secularists attempting to de-legitimize Christ and Christianity."
Very poor examples. Since Mary found the stone rolled away from the tomb, people have questioned what happened. To question it is not an attempt to de-legitimize it. Another weak argument.
"I am pointing out that atheists and Liberals (but I repeat myself again)"
Yes you do but not as you think. Another FAIL. See above.
"have so continually objected to any mention of Christ in the public square that they have intimidated retailers across the country."
Simply false. You seem to have difficulty understanding the difference between public (government) buildings and the "public square".
"Retailers have stopped playing Christian music over the PA, and have told their employees to stop saying "Merry Christmas" for fear of offending a small percentage of the population"
Again, this is simply false. Everywhere I go I'm seeing signs in store windows and retail clerks and service people saying Merry Christmas, and I'm talking about where I work in San Francisco, too.
Your assertion is simply FALSE.
Case in point: I was at the mall on Christmas Eve buying something for my son at a "hip" clothing store and noticed that the store was playing traditional RELIGIOUS Christmas hymns: Silent Night, What Child Is This, and more.
I chuckled and said to the store manager, "So much for the 'war on Christmas'." He smiled and said, "Anyone who doesn't like it can leave."
Here's one that made me scratch my head. My church has a good mix of people of different political persuasions. I was playing music at the contemporary service when the worship leader began with, "Merry Christmas, everyone. Yes it's OK to say Merry Christmas."
I'm thinking, "Duh! We're in a church! Stop trying to perpetuate something that doesn't exist!"
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