A couple of days ago I saw this news item:
(CNN) — An atheist sign criticizing Christianity that was erected alongside a Nativity scene was taken from the Legislative Building in Olympia, Washington, on Friday and later found in a ditch.
As I’ve discussed before, throughout college I was a Born Again Christian, which means that to those of you who believe I’m a back slider. Someone of faith who I knew at school is named Felicia. Her Web presence is Felicia Faith, and if you go there you will find a bumper sticker for sale that says, “For Christ’s Sake Say Merry Christmas.”
I think Felicia’s sticker is a great idea. She’s stating the case that Linus makes in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” — Christmas is all about Christ. I think Christmas cards can say “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” and not offend anyone, even if the recipient isn’t Christian.
I have no problem with nativity scenes on public property during Christmas. Allowing a manger on a town common endorses Christianity no more than displaying a menorah means Judaism is favored by the local government. But I also feel that atheists are entitled say what they want as well. Freedom of speech and equal access.
Pulling signs down because they espouse a position you don’t agree with is silly and stupid. Are these people that unsure of Jesus and their faith in Him? Which brings me to tonight’s word — Stephen Colbert.
What’s up with the DVD of A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!? First it was on sale, as seen at this Amazon.com link. Here’s Stephen’s pitch for it.
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2008/DEC/ColbertXmasAmazon.flv 440 330]
But then it apparently sold out and was available only through Amazon Marketplace sellers. But now it’s going to be “released again” on Monday. Why a separate release date? Why not just say it will be back in stock? Confusing. Anyway, I think the Colbert Christmas show is note perfect, although I suppose you have to be of a certain age to remember the ultra-corny Christmas TV specials he’s making fun of.
One of the best bits on the program is with country music singer Toby Keith, who I’d heard had gone through something of a political conversion during the Presidential campaign. The songs Keith does still sound like crank-em-out jobs to me, but this commentary on the watering down of Christmas is worth seeing.
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2008/DEC/ColbertChristmas.flv 440 330]
Cartoonist Thomas Nast had a lot to do, of course, with creating the popularized image of good ol’ St. Nick. The Christmas traditions in Belgium are quite different, with the scary presence of Pere Fouettard asking whether children have been good or bad, and speculoos cookies.
Monte! I still love Linus’s speech on the stage. Don’t take that away from me. Still, I’ll admit, I decorate wall-to-wall at Christmas. It’s been an obsession since, well, since about 1965. Funny you should mention it being too commercial and Santa and all. Yesterday we awoke to a major power outage and dark, rainy weather. No Christmas lights all morning! I had time to reflect on how Christmas must have felt in pioneer days, and yes, waaay back when, before it was Christmas. Somebody decided to make December 25th Christ’s birthday because most people celebrated the winter solstice with “pagan” rituals. Many scholars believe that Christ was really born either in August or April.
Say Doug, you can erase this, but maybe it’s time we should tell Monte about our little jokes about, “…………………..,” whaddya say?” 😉 [I’ll save it for e-mail! -DOuG]
I think even my dad got it wrong when he has Linus telling us what the true meaning of Christmas is. Indeed, as many of know, the true meaning of the holiday is the winter solstice, and Christmas as we celebrate it today is a loving creation of the Victorian era — the trees, Santa, all of it. George Washington wouldn’t recognize our Christmas at all. So I’m fine believing that Santa and presents are every bit as important and true to Christmas as the nativity story, and Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings works just as well for me as Merry Christmas; I use all three. Don’t take away the old carols and the nativity scene, but don’t tell me Christmas is too commercial, either. If Christians can co-opt the winter solstice, we can have Santa.
I agree wholeheartedly that if we are going to allow nativity scenes and menorahs in public displays, we must also be willing to allow atheists the same freedom of expression, however offensive we might find it. The First Amendment is the First Amendment, and it applies to ALL American citizens, not just those we happen to agree with.
I have addressed this topic of free speech along with other precious individual rights we are in serious danger of losing in a new post on my own blog, entitled IT’S TIME FOR POLITICAL INCORRECTNESS.
There are two other new posts, as well.
Again, you have posted a topic I appreciate seeing. We must understand that this world, indeed the universe, doesn’t necessarily revolve solely around Christians. In a free society, ALL of its people must be allowed to enjoy the same freedoms.
I have no problem with saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”, but I refuse to allow anyone to dictate to me which greeting I may or may not use. We would never tell a Jew they cannot say, “Happy Hannakuh”, nor should we tell atheists they cannot publicly express their own beliefs so long as we can still publicly express ours.
I’m not defending atheism — just freedom.
— Jan
All these heavy coats! My first thought as a woman battling menopause was, “Aren’t they hot under all those lights?” Too funny! Travis is the epitome of the redneck hunter around here: “I’m shootin’ deer for Christmas presents,” except half the time they poach them! I caught the shot of the kids in “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!”