Why We Need Christmas

Unless you’ve been living in an Al-Qaeda cave somewhere, you should be aware of what has been called the ‘War on Christmas’.

The War on Christmas is the attempt to secularize Christmas in response to complaints – real or imagined – from religious and ethnic sects other than Christianity. The secularists want to remove any and all public displays of Christmas including Nativity scenes, Christmas Carols, Christmas trees, red and green lights – and even Santa Claus – so as not to offend a long list of whoever the secularists deem may be offended including Jews, Hindus, Muslims, agonistics and atheists. The secularities want to replace Christmas with the word Holiday and its symbols with inoffensive snow flakes and icicles.

Merry Christmas is not to be uttered. Happy Holidays is to be used. Christmas tress are to be called Holiday trees. Songs of Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nose reindeer are now the correct way to sing praise to the season and not Christmas Carols. Christmas Parades are now to be called Holiday Parades. And Jesus is not to be alluded to in any fashion what so ever.

So what have the secularist gained by this attempt to stamp out the pubic display of Christmas? Maybe the better question is what have the secularists lost?

Tell me one religion or ethnic belief other than Christianity that uses as its central theme of the season Peace on Earth. Good Will Towards Men (LUKE 2:14). Tell me one religion or ethnic belief other than Christianity that sings praises to God in some of the most beautiful music ever written? Tell me one religion or ethnic belief other than Christianity who has a Saint that brings joy and wonderment to children all over the world?

The secularist’s attempts at eliminating Santa Claus from public celebration is the most hideous tactic of all.

Like Christmas Eve itself, Santa Claus is magic - not because there's magic in the world but because children see the world as magic. He's all that's good, unselfish and generous, and he is an important part Christmas. He is the embodiment of children’s wishes and dreams.

And to take that symbol of wishes and dreams away for them and hide him from public view is the secularist biggest mistake. For those who no longer wish, no longer dream. And those who lose their dreams lose their hopes. And those who lose hope are easy to control.

So what have the secularist gained by this attempt to stamp out the pubic display of Christmas? They have exchanged the warm, hopeful symbols of Christmas for the cold, hard celebration of snow and icicles.

Other religions and ethnic beliefs should seek to emulate not eliminate the symbols and meaning of Christmas. We need Christmas and Christmas needs all of us for no other belief system comes close – secular or otherwise - that offers the hope and dreams of people for a better and more peaceful world in the coming year.