There was a time when the birth of Jesus was proclaimed loudly and joyfully, but that doesn't seem to be true now. I have heard more frequently this year than in years past people's refrain from using the word "Christmas." Early in the season, I heard that one home improvement store was not selling Christmas trees, but "holiday" trees. I can understand this. The name "Christmas" reflects Christian beliefs, which not everyone holds to. I can understand when a company wants to respect everyone's beliefs. This refrain was personalized last night after dinner. We said "Merry Christmas" to our waitress on our way out the door. She responded with "Merry Christmas," but also with, "You don't know who you can say that to anymore." Are companies telling their employees to not say "Merry Christmas?" It seems like it. One final comment that really got to me was a personal phone call the other day. As I was saying goodbye to my friend on the other end he said, "Is it okay for me to say Merry Christmas to you?" I said, "Of course." But seriously, this is rediculous. The refrain of using the word Christmas has infiltrated personal friendships - and I'm a pastor for crying out loud. What's the deal???
There's two ways we can look at this. On the one hand, we might feel that our nation is losing touch with its Christian roots. We're letting go of our faith and our Christian holiday and replacing it with the static "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings." We might feel that when people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" Christ is dishonored because His name isn't in the phrase. Or, just because tradition requires us to say "Merry Christmas."
On the other hand, we can take another look at the faith of our nation. The United States has some Christian roots, but it was not founded on Christian beliefs. We're a pagan nation just as much as any other country in the world. We are a "melting pot" of a thousand cultures and religions. Only in America can you find a Buddhist Temple next to a Baptist Church. All this to say that just because a company says "Happy Holidays" doesn't mean we're losing our faith. If our faith is based on a phrase, maybe we didn't have faith in the first place. Our faith is not in a phrase, but in a person. Maybe the more frequent use of the phrase "Happy Holidays" can open our eyes to the fact that people around us - at work, in the stores, restaurants, neighborhoods - are lost. They don't know the "real meaning of Christmas." I think that it's more dishonoring to Christ that we don't explain the real meaning of Christmas to people that getting all worked up that someone said "Happy Holidays."
We celebrate the birth of Christ, but we're far from doing it right. When He was born in that little town of Bethlehem, the angels proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." I don't see us doing this. I don't see us praising God for sending His Son into our world to change our lives for eternity. Instead, it seems that we're more concerned about the words "Holiday" or "Christmas." Celebrate Christ this Christmas with the phrase "Happy Holidays," the story of Christ's birth, and joyful praise to the Father.
2 comments:
Dear Jeremiah,
I just got back to work from having lunch with you. As always, it was great to see you! You looked so happy and relaxed--just the way a man should look who has no homework and a beautiful fiance. I'll respond to this blog entry in more detail when I get back to work next year--you did take it in a surprising direction and I want to think about it a bit. God bless you, my friend, and I hope you have a wonderful new year's celebration and a great 2008! It will be an exciting year for you, that's for sure! ~JimP.
Dear Jeremiah,
You are right when you say it is more dishonoring to God to not share the Good News and not live a life of obedience than to say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas." I am in agreement with you there. Still, it is a shame that people are getting the idea that "Merry Christmas" is forbidden in public--unless you know for sure that you aren't going go offend anyone. (I agree that to hesitate to say it to a pastor is almost incomprehensible, but it shows how political correctness has taken over our culture.) Albert Mohler (sp?) wrote a good column on the new culture of offendedness and the so-called "right" to not be offended. If I can find it I'll email it to you, in case you might find it of interest. I agree with you that perhaps we are blowing this issue out of proportion, but I also see the "no Merry Christmas" movement as a sign of how secular and non-Christian our popular culture is getting, and I find that disturbing. I wonder how far it's going to go? God bless you, Jeremiah, and I hope you are back in Texas safe and sound and are recovering from all your holiday travels. Your friend, JimP.
Post a Comment