Can you believe Christmas is just a week away? For some that means shopping has to be taken up a notch because there isn't much time left. For some of us it just means six days before we have to start. I am notorious for waiting until the last minute, but hey, it's the thought that counts right?
I do like the Christmas season but probably not as much as Melody enjoys it. This is truly her time of year. She loves the lights and the decorations and everything about Christmas. We do wait until Thanksgiving weekend to start decorating and we get it all down by New Year's but we sure enjoy it for that month.
The Christmas season does involve presents but they are just an outward expression of appreciation and love. The true meaning is found in the spirit of Christmas and the giving that it sparks in people. You can't turn on the news without hearing about another group helping someone in need and it isn't just in one community but rather all across the country.
Granted, it seems like we are more than generous in this area but people all across the world seem to come together during this season. And, while it does seem to peak during this one month period of time, the spirit of giving and helping does permeate the rest of the year for some people. But, somehow the Christmas season just seems to inspire people to be more generous and giving.
The Christmas season also seems to inspire the atheist movement to try it's best to take Christ out of Christmas and make it the "holiday season." This year they have even gone so far as to take out billboards with the picture of a little girl on it. The caption reads, "Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip church! I'm too old for fairy tales."
I used to get mad at these folks, but now I just feel sorry for them. It appears that they are so afraid of Christians that they want to take any and all references to Christ out of the Christmas season. Why are they so afraid of us and why do they feel the need to try to take people away from church and faith? What is it about people having faith in God that strikes such a chord with them?
I understand that some people don't believe in God and Christ. Personally I don't know how they get through life thinking that this is all there is and nothing more. But, I know people who don't believe and that's their choice. I believe that I do have an obligation to share my faith and my personal story. But, by the same token, I don't try to tell them that they can't "not believe." I don't try to ban their organization and tell people they shouldn't join. Again, that's personal choice.
Every day you hear about Christian persecution across the world. Here in the United States we don't face anything like what our brothers and sisters endure in other countries. But, at the same time it is ironic that a nation founded on faith in God would have so many of its citizens trying to take all references to God out of the public realm.
Our Founding Fathers wanted to make sure that the government did not mandate any one "national" religion like the country from which they had just won independence. They wanted to make sure that Americans had freedom "of" religion and I don't think they meant for people 200 years later to interpret that as freedom "from" religion.
Politicians and politically correct analysts can say what they want but we are a Christian nation. Or at least that is what I think the vast majority of Americans think. We should be tolerant of other beliefs and everyone should be free to believe or not believe as they see fit. But, it is sad that it seems to be okay to go over and beyond to protect other religions but bash Christians and try to restrict our rights and beliefs.
Take Christ out of Christmas? Not for me and my family. Atheists and other non-Christians might try but they can never be successful. Can they "bully" companies into telling their employees not to say "Merry Christmas"? Sure! Can they keep nativity scenes off public premises? Sometimes!
But, neither they nor the government can take away the fact that I believe Christ is the Son of God and was born so that I can have life beyond this earthly body. If my believing that invokes that much passion from non-believers then maybe they need to think about why it bothers them so much. I would be happy to have that conversation with them at any time -- without judging them. But, in the meantime -- Merry Christmas.
Community on 12/18/2014