Put Christ Back In Christmas
Of recent years, it seems that the war on Christmas is really taking off. It is happening in schools, city events, parades, television, pretty much everywhere.
Back in 2005, Wal-Mart prohibited the message Merry Christmas from their products and employees. Thankfully the public was outraged and would not have it. Many organizations boycotted the chain including, The American Family Association and The Catholic League boycotted retailers like Wal-Mart that excluded the word Christmas from their products sold in stores. In 2006 Wal-Mart had learned the error in their ways and announced that they would start using the phrase “Merry Christmas” both in products and around their stores during the season.
Just this year, The State of Washington accepted an application from an atheist group, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, to put an anti-religion message to be displayed right next to the nativity scene. The sign reads, “At this season of the winter solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.” The sign clearly has nothing to do with fairness and really borders on hate speech and is clearly anti-religion.
An annual boat parade in Patchogue, N.Y. on a Long Island river dropped Christmas from its name in 2008. The Greater Patchogue Foundation made the decision to change the name after a split decision vote because the word Christmas was found to be offensive to a few of the towns residents. They changed the name to the Patchogue Boat Parade of Lights. The results were half the normal crowd attending and a loss of the main financial contributors. It seems that they would rather alienate over half of the town than a few who support the war on Christmas.
For whatever reason the United States and Western societies have lost their way. The true meaning of the holiday is right in the name of the word for crying out loud, Christ-Mas. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The idea of gift giving goes back in honor of the gifts that the Sheppards brought to baby Jesus.
Thankfully some are not willing to give up Christmas without a fight. Many are wearing Christian T-Shirts that read “Christ is Christmas” There are also many bumper stickers that read “Jesus Is The Reason For The Season” and “Wise Men Still Seek Him”.
