A New Christmas

I have problems with the liberal, secular humanist theft of Christmas by converting it to a bright light "winter holiday" buying binge and extended "happy hour" instead of the time of worship and reflection it should be. I cannot fathom how gifts by ancient wise men could be turned into the spending frenzy we see today. Perhaps, as a nation, we have taken an unwise detour towards multiculturalism somewhere along the way and forgotten the importance of the occasion and to whom the gifts were given. What I observe each year is not a Christian Christmas. It is a second-rate secular knock-off of something quite extraordinary. Many seem to have forgotten what Christmas really means. Eighty-some-odd percent of Americans profess a belief in God and the vast majority of those are Christians; odds are that most of the forgetful ones are Christians. However, the tradition of giving gifts on Christmas goes back over 2,000 years and to criticize Christians for continuing that tradition is unkind at best. Actually, I much prefer Christians to just keep quiet and shop only at the few stores that recognize without prodding the meaning of this season to most Americans. I think that will speak much louder than any talking head. I would let the department store chains figure it out on their own as they count their dwindling sales. They might learn a lasting lesson and many easily led people will not be dreading the bills come the first of January.

I can remember when nativity scenes were prevalent on public grounds and in public buildings and no one got their panties in a wad. No one got incensed over a menorah at the courthouse. I do not recall anyone forced off their horse to bow down to either. People were tolerant and respectful of religious beliefs and custom back in the 50s. That is not true today is it? To say that Christmas has no place on public grounds is to say that the rest of the Judeo-Christian ethic doesn’t either. If anyone really believes that, I think they have wandered a tad to far too the left and are in danger of falling off the edge of the earth. Public buildings built before most Americans were out of three-cornered pants proudly display the Judeo-Christian heritage of this country as well as does our currency. As I read the Constitution, and I do often, as well as the Federalist Papers and a host of other documents and books concerning the American Constitution, the act of placing a nativity scene on public property hardly constitutes "congress making any law regarding establishing a religion", liberal court decisions notwithstanding. When the government requires public servants (other than the IRS) to pass the offering plate, actively proselytize the public, or demand a baptismal certificate before providing services then I will think liberals have a case. That clause was written for a specific purpose and that was to avoid situations as occurred between Henry VIII and Pope Clement VII and the ensuing spiteful and almost total eradication of Catholicism from England.

Regarding the founding father's understanding of God, I know of not one of our founding fathers who was a Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Confucian, Rastafarian, Zoroastrian, or worshiped Molech, Aphrodite, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Aries, Bacchus, Boreas, Baldr, Freyr, Tyr, Bragi, Hiemdall, Loki Laufreyiarson, Uranus, Morpheus, Nemesis, Eros, Gaea, Dionysus, Athena, Ares, Hermes, Siofn, Vor, Lord and Rind, Wakea, Pele, Marduk, Ptah, Ahura Mazdah, Ahriman, Khnum, Prometheus, Enki, Ymir, Isis, Coatlicue, Osiris, Rig Veda, or any of the pantheon of gods popular with those in Africa, the Mediterranean, Asia, South America, or Europe throughout history. To my knowledge all worshiped the Christian God and recognized Jesus Christ as his Son, even Jefferson who some falsely claim was a Deist. To think their reference to God in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution meant just any god is ludicrous. America was born a Christian country. If the left has its way, it will die a secular cesspool, but not on my watch. There are at least 89 days during the winter season. Let the godless have it all. Perhaps Christians should celebrate Christmas the first two weeks in September when Christ was likely born and not corrupt the celebration as is now done.
William Fortner