The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

It seems to me there is a Grinch who is indeed stealing Christmas, not just during one season but twelve months out of the year. Like others, I am concerned with the subtle shift many businesses as well as political entities have taken in recent years, all of which are very symptomatic of a larger problem – the attempt to remove Christ from our national culture. Many businesses would plead expediency simply because (they say) there are so many holidays involved that it would be impossible to please everybody. Governmental entities insist that the separation of church and state requires it.

Many use the term “Happy Holidays” to resolve the supposed conflict with the explanation that the term has been used for many years. When I was much younger, the use of “Happy Holidays” was acceptable because everyone knew that it referred to Christmas and New Years holidays. Unfortunately, when the issue became an issue of political correctness, typical of how people of liberal persuasion are inclined to do, they took over a familiar term and infused into it their own ideals, thus changing the whole character of the issues involved.

The framers of the semantics involved have craftily overshadowed the celebration of the birth of Christ, changing this season of the year into an exercise of “pluralism,” the handmaiden of liberal ideals wherein various religious persuasions who have holidays at this time of the year are included in the “Happy Holidays” slogan, i.e., Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan. According to “The Apologetics Index,” (an online discussion of the apologetics index of religious cults, sects, and alternative religions), pluralism is “the theory that there are more than one or more than two kinds of ultimate reality and/or truth; and that therefore more than one religion can be said to have the truth (way to God, salvation, etc.) – even if their essential doctrines are mutually exclusive.

Governed by such ideals, we are all one big happy family and should drop the cultural barriers that separate us. Consequently, instead of celebrating Christmas, (they believe) such celebrations should be included in the bigger picture wherein we all celebrate whatever turns us on but doesn’t polarize us from others of other persuasions.

One might think that I am overstating this issue. Perhaps I am but I don’t think so. This is exemplified by schools that prohibit not only the Christmas carols written with the celebration of the birth of Christ in mind, but that prohibit the playing of such carols by their bands and orchestras. There have been many examples of this in recent years. Where are the seasons when we, as children, sang, “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World” and other time honored carols that rejoiced over the birth of our Lord.

A pro-family law firm filed an appeal against a New Jersey school district that banned instrumental (Christian oriented) Christmas music. This law firm stated “such practices are ways for such entities to mask what their true, illicit purpose is, i.e., to keep Christmas out of the public school and take it out of the public domain." One might think this is a local issue and not wide spread but that simply is not true. This practice is a wide spread attempt to remove Christ from the public arena.

The political and economic Grinch is, indeed, making every effort to steal Christmas. Following are some examples: the court ordered removal of the Ten Commandants from an Alabama courthouse, the arrest, handcuffing, and taking to jail of Illinois teens who circled their school’s flagpole and were praying, the ruling of a court in the San Francisco area requiring that the words “under God” to be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, a federal judge in Indiana issuing an edict prohibiting those who pray before the daily opening of the House of Representatives from using the name of Jesus in such prayers.

What should we do – can we do? There are several logistics we can use to change this oppressive move by the liberals of our nation against the faith of our Fathers:

1. More than anything else we can pray. We are instructed to so as a solution for the ills of our nation in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Proverbs 29:2 teaches that the righteous can exercise the authority needed to restore rejoicing in the land.

2. We can vote. More than once in recent years caring Christian people have stood strong in their vote and have made a difference.

3. We can determine where we spend our money. Believe me, the businesses of the land watch the bottom line and will make adjustments when their profits sag. This was aptly illustrated by a major department store chain who found their sales to be lagging when believers stood economically against their refusal to simply say the words “Merry Christmas” in keeping with the season. (NOTE: this same chain featured the word “Christmas” in their advertising this year.)

It is not our desire to require all to say the words “Merry Christmas.” We understand there is a cultural diversity in our nation. However, traditionally, Christmas has been celebrated in our nation as long as it has been a nation. It has been celebrated by the majority of people throughout the Western World from time immemorial. It is a national holiday in most of these countries. Let others celebrate their holidays when and if they wish. We only ask that others respect the traditions we have and not demand that they be modified to conform to their ideals. If the business world wants our business and the politicians want our vote, let them honor the Christmas traditions that are so important to us.

We should not let the Grinch steal our Christmas. The best way to overcome is in the words of Tiny Tim Cratchet, “Merry Christmas” to all! By the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS to each of you.

Jeff

• Jefferson H. and Norma R. Floyd, CO-directors • Jubilee International • P. O. Box 572 • Noblesville, IN 46061