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The Meaning of Christmas
Dec. 24th, 2009 12:55 amI adore Christmas. I love the ideas and traditions, the music and food; I love equally the secular, faith-based, and pagan aspects; I love the fact that there is a time of the year where most of the people in my culture give some thought to friends, family, and love; gift-giving, kindness, and peace on earth.
But one thing I've noticed this year is a sort of defiant belligerence about Christmas from some quarters. I've seen a couple of "don't let them take Christ out of Christmas" memes go around on social networking sites, and I find them disturbing. This is the text of one that was on my sister-in-law's facebook status: "I am NOT afraid..... They may want to take Christ out of Christmas, but they can never take Christ out of me. If you are proud to be a Christian and are not ashamed of Christ then post this to your status for 1 day as a light to the world. Most people will be too ashamed or scared to do it. God Bless those of you who can do it!!!"
It really rubs me the wrong way. For one thing, it's shaming: If you are Christian and you don't repost this, it says, then you are a coward. For another, it's defensive and passive-aggressive. It mentions a shadowy "They" who "want to take the Christ out of Christmas." Who is this they? Anyone who celebrates the secular aspects of this holiday? People who celebrate other holidays, like Hanukkah, Solstice, or Kwanzaa?
Then there's my sister (not the sister-in-law), who works in the marketing department for a large regional bank in the south. Their web page had a rather inoffensive "Happy Holidays!" message on it, which generated a shitstorm from a bunch of small town Mississippians (the bank serves several southern states, but the Mississippians were the ones who raised a fuss), who flooded my poor sister's office with angry calls and emails that ran along the lines of: This is a Christian nation and you should say Merry Christmas. You have trampled on my religion by not saying Merry Christmas, you godless heathens.
Not surprisingly, this had her in tears. And livid. And it got even worse when her bank's board decided to cave in and replace the "Happy Holidays!" message with "Merry Christmas!" As if there were no Jews or Pagans or Muslims or Buddhists or Atheists or what have you in their customer base. As if they had done something wrong by wishing their customers a Happy Holidays.
What is going on here? Is this Glen Beck and FOX News's doing, with their "War on Christmas" sensationalism over town halls erecting Menorahs as well as manger scenes? Is it just people looking for an excuse to see themselves as victims? And what on earth happened to the notions of tolerance and religious freedom that were once so important to America's sense of self as a nation?
Somehow I can't help but see these two things as being related: the aggressive accusatory tone of the facebook memes, and the behavior of the anti-"Happy Holidays" people. Can't they see that this is the very thing that gives Christians a bad name? That makes non-Christians fearful? And how is this in any way Christ-like behavior? How does this lead to peace on earth and good will towards all people? Isn't that really what Christmas is about?
But one thing I've noticed this year is a sort of defiant belligerence about Christmas from some quarters. I've seen a couple of "don't let them take Christ out of Christmas" memes go around on social networking sites, and I find them disturbing. This is the text of one that was on my sister-in-law's facebook status: "I am NOT afraid..... They may want to take Christ out of Christmas, but they can never take Christ out of me. If you are proud to be a Christian and are not ashamed of Christ then post this to your status for 1 day as a light to the world. Most people will be too ashamed or scared to do it. God Bless those of you who can do it!!!"
It really rubs me the wrong way. For one thing, it's shaming: If you are Christian and you don't repost this, it says, then you are a coward. For another, it's defensive and passive-aggressive. It mentions a shadowy "They" who "want to take the Christ out of Christmas." Who is this they? Anyone who celebrates the secular aspects of this holiday? People who celebrate other holidays, like Hanukkah, Solstice, or Kwanzaa?
Then there's my sister (not the sister-in-law), who works in the marketing department for a large regional bank in the south. Their web page had a rather inoffensive "Happy Holidays!" message on it, which generated a shitstorm from a bunch of small town Mississippians (the bank serves several southern states, but the Mississippians were the ones who raised a fuss), who flooded my poor sister's office with angry calls and emails that ran along the lines of: This is a Christian nation and you should say Merry Christmas. You have trampled on my religion by not saying Merry Christmas, you godless heathens.
Not surprisingly, this had her in tears. And livid. And it got even worse when her bank's board decided to cave in and replace the "Happy Holidays!" message with "Merry Christmas!" As if there were no Jews or Pagans or Muslims or Buddhists or Atheists or what have you in their customer base. As if they had done something wrong by wishing their customers a Happy Holidays.
What is going on here? Is this Glen Beck and FOX News's doing, with their "War on Christmas" sensationalism over town halls erecting Menorahs as well as manger scenes? Is it just people looking for an excuse to see themselves as victims? And what on earth happened to the notions of tolerance and religious freedom that were once so important to America's sense of self as a nation?
Somehow I can't help but see these two things as being related: the aggressive accusatory tone of the facebook memes, and the behavior of the anti-"Happy Holidays" people. Can't they see that this is the very thing that gives Christians a bad name? That makes non-Christians fearful? And how is this in any way Christ-like behavior? How does this lead to peace on earth and good will towards all people? Isn't that really what Christmas is about?
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all.