Clay Harris

Every time I read about an alleged “war on Christmas”, I think of my mother, who’s been fighting on one front in that battle for a long time.

Even now, she’s making sure that she sends no card with a nativity scene or any other religious subject, and that any postage stamp she uses only bears a secular image. “Season’s greetings” as a message? Yes, please, that’s what she prefers.

Atheist lefty? Hardly. She is Christian of a most fundamentalist stripe and politically conservative on most issues.

What she illustrates, though, is that there is a strand of Christian belief that holds that Christmas should be celebrated only as a secular holiday and not as a religious one.

The argument, articulately outlined here by Ferrell Jenkins, rests on the Biblical evidence that Jesus may not have been born in December and on the pagan and secular roots of some Christmas traditions. None of this is breaking news to Biblical scholars, and many people will not accept his premise of strict adherence to scriptural authority.

If it were more widely known, however, it could take some of the heat out of the annual “war on Christmas” debate, much of which has nothing to do with religious observance and everything to do with the base political motive of attacking or trying to marginalise those of non-Christian faiths or none.

It might also prove a template for how to integrate public Christmas celebrations into an increasingly multi-cultural society. Christmas is an important part of our history and culture, but is a mongrel tradition, and its secular elements can be open to all.

As Jenkins says, “My family has always recognised Christmas as a civil or cultural holiday. It is a fine time for families to gather, exchange gifts and to explain to others the difference between individual and church activities.”

It’s best to see observance of Christmas as a broad church, metaphorically, with a place for the religious element ranging from exclusively to none. Attempts to shove one particular interpretation down others’ throats are hardly in the spirit of the season.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Twitter: mudlarklives

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (2)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Human Ape said:

... Christmas is an obscene word that many people associate with genocide and/or excessive stupidity. This is why I always say 'Happy Santa Claus Day' instead of "Merry Christmas'. Santa Claus might be a myth, but at least nobody was ever murdered to defend him.

November 29, 2009

SEO　被リンク said:

... I thought, for children, they would rather believe Christmas is a happy word.

January 16, 2010

Name

Website (optional)

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

Add Comment