Refreshing Words from a Christian
I said everything I have to say about this "War on Christmas" crap last year, so this December I'll turn the microphone over to Ryan McMaken, who unlike me actually follows the faith that's allegedly under attack:
Since American Christianity has often been a most bland, tacky, and stripped down version of the real thing, it seems Americans have a thing for filling in the holes with efforts at blending the religious and the civic. Who cares if the government buildings have a nativity scene on their front steps? I sure don't. In fact I sure don't want my tax dollars paying for the upkeep of decorations. Leave the government buildings undecorated. Let's not pretend that the government has ever had the best interests of the faith in mind. Then there are those parades that cost untold amounts of police overtime pay. I'd agree that "Holiday Parades" are stupid. They should be "Christmas" parades because that is what they are. But why have a parade at all? There are plenty of processions and rites to mark any holy day at my parish. When it's a religious holiday, I know it. I'd be overjoyed if every house in my street had a nativity scene out front, but I sure don't need the government or the check-out girl at Target to remind me it's Christmas or to make it "joyous."…
When I walk in my house, or the homes of my friends or family during Christmas season, it's pretty clear that it's Christmas, a Christian Holy day. No one says Happy Holidays. I have plenty of religious ceremonies to attend, plenty of devotions to participate in, and plenty of prayers to say, and I don't have some pathetic need for others to validate my Holidays. If they share my faith, wonderful. If not, that's too bad for them. But I have better things to do than get my religious validation in the check out line at the grocery store.
Read the whole thing. His best line is about Wal-Mart: "I'm there to shop, not have a religious experience."