The War on Christmas

The war on Christmas has been on the news lately (particularly Fox News). There is a sense of outraged that Christmas is being banned from American and that Christians are being forced out of the public arena. Here are examples of the battlefield around the country:

• In Illinois, state government workers were forbidden from saying the words “Merry Christmas” while at work
• In Rhode Island, local officials banned Christians from participating in a public project to decorate the lawn of City Hall.
• A New Jersey school banned even instrumental versions of traditional Christmas carols.
• Arizona school officials ruled it unconstitutional for a student to make any reference to the religious history of Christmas in a class project.
• Attorneys are working to educate library officials in Memphis about the unconstitutionality of their exclusion of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wise men from a nativity scene.
• Teachers at a Georgia elementary school reportedly were told to nix any religious pins and refrain from referring to a party as a “Christmas” party, while the local district has censored certain religious Christmas songs from its “winter” program.
• In Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Ridgeway Elementary School's "winter program" has changed the name of "Silent Night" to "Cold in the Night." Sung to the tune of "Silent Night," the lyrics include: "Cold in the night, no one in sight, winter winds whirl and bite, how I wish I were happy and warm, safe with my family out of the storm."

Perhaps we should be concern with this “war”. But you know what I am more concern with is the Church proclaiming Christmas to the people of God and the world. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, many people and churches are faced with the dilemma of upsetting the family idolatry/consumerism of Christmas morning vs. keeping Christmas a holy day remembering God’s greatest gift. Seriously, what is the Churches telling the world about Jesus if we crumble under pressure and let Christmas become secularized.

Instead let’s be a people that redeems Christmas from the culture and celebrate what God has done and is doing for us. Are we willing to sacrifice some family traditions and secular customs to focus ourselves with our words and actions on Jesus at Christmas.