by Andrew Linn
Clash Daily Guest Contributor
Every December, someone decides that they are offended by Christmas. This year is no different.
In Arkansas, an atheist objected when their child went on a field trip to a church in order to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas, saying the field trip violated the separation of church and state.
In some communities (such as Santa Monica) nativity scenes are banned on public property. Meanwhile, some schools ban Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, or anything that is even affiliated with Christmas.
Most likely, the reason given for such nonsense is separation of church and state or to avoid offending non-Christians.
And the War on Christmas is not limited to America.
In Brussels, Belgium, city officials banned the display of a Christmas tree exhibit to avoid offend the ever-growing Muslim population there. Needless to say, some Muslims are offended by Christmas, not just in Belgium, but in other countries (e.g. Britain, Australia).
The question is why are Muslims and atheists offended by Christmas, especially since they have experienced Christmas celebrations and traditions throughout the years?
For Muslims, the answer is obvious. Christmas is barely allowed in Muslim countries. Meanwhile, Muslims begin arriving in the West and multiply like rabbits, with the intention of taking over (i.e. an immigration form of jihad). Once the Muslim population reaches a certain percentage, they begin demanding special treatment, hence creeping sharia.
As for atheists, they have taken advantage of the liberalism and secularism which have gained ground in America (and the West in general) during recent years. Recently, it has been said a significant portion of the American population was not religious. It’s unclear why this is so, although some say it is because people disagree with the teachings of their denominations. It’s more likely they are exposed to liberal ideas (e.g. sex, drugs, no work ethic) and therefore choose them over religious values. They might not be atheists, but it’s a good bet they don’t attend church. And if they celebrate Christmas, they do so in a secular manner. The same might be said for agnostics.
One might also ask if people of other faiths are offended by Christmas. How many Jews are offended by Christmas? What about Hindus or Buddhists? How about Sikhs or Jainists? Are people who are of the Confuciast, Taoist, or Shinto religions offended by Christmas? How about those of native religions or of the New Age/pagan/wiccan faiths- are they offended by Christmas? The odds are that a majority of people who practice these faiths are not offended by Christmas.
Thus, if someone doesn’t like Christmas, they should keep in mind that no one is forcing them to be a part of it. They should also be reminded that the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and that Christmas (and Chanukah) are part of the experience during the month of December.
As for the expression “Happy Holidays”, it’s somewhat of a gray area. It is used by some to be politically correct. For others, it is meant to include all the holidays celebrated during this time or year. While still others use the term because holidays are actually “holy days.”
So in conclusion, I say to you Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Or perhaps Seasons Greetings might do.
Image: Courtesy of geograph.org.uk; author: James Yardley; Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
