Bill O’Reilly has been saying that there’s a war on Christmas going on. This has made me very tense, as I’ve tried to find weapons to prepare for the coming battle. So far, everything has been quiet here in Colorado Springs – except for, of course, the tragic shooting at New Life Church several weeks ago, which wasn’t a war on Christmas at all, but was, perhaps, part of someone’s war against unloving religion.
But, so far, there seem to be no signs here of a war on Christmas. Nobody has tried to remove my crèche from my home. I’ve been reading the Nativity Story in the Bible, and not one person has burst into my home to tear the Bible from my hands. I hear the Christmas music in the grocery store that I’ve been hearing every year for most of my life – the same songs of “Winter Wonderland” and “Jingle Bells” and “I’ll be Home for Christmas”. Nothing seems to have changed there. No, I’m not hearing “Silent Night” while I shop, but then, I find it a bit crass to try to mix commercialism and consumerism and to see how much money they can make off the baby Jesus. If I want to hear Christmas carols, there are plenty of opportunities - the CD carol albums, the religious station on the radio, and, yes, I can go to Church and sing. I intend to go to Church Christmas Eve for a special Carol-singing service, and as far as I know, no one will be stationed at the door, with their AK-47s, trying to keep me from worshipping.
My Jewish friends who visited my home never once asked me to take down my crèche, nor did I ask them to take down their Hanukah display. I have some religious decorations on our tree – but no one has yet confiscated them. If I want to see an outside crèche, there’s a nice one at a church a few miles away – I can drive past it anytime I want.
When I go to shop, I decide whether to wish someone “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” If it’s a religious store, or if I know the person is a Christian, (such as the printing shop with religious music coming over the radio and a cross on the wall), I wish him “Merry Christmas.” If the owner is Jewish, or Muslim, or shows no sign one way or another, it seems that a “Happy Holiday” is just fine. My greeting simply shows my sensitivity to them and does not take away anything from my own celebration. If anything, it adds to me – since Christmas is supposed to be a loving and caring time of year.
I know that some people find Christmas a difficult time of year. For those who aren’t religious, or not Christian, the bombardment of a particular point of view can be tiring, and jolting. For these same people, Christmas can be a time to be givers, to bring family together, to celebrate their own love for each other. For those of us who are Christian, it has another significance. But that significance is not diminished because everyone doesn’t think the way we do. We can still go about our merry way, celebrating the many dimensions that are part of this season and worshipping as we so choose, without forcing anyone else to follow our same rituals.
Perhaps Bill, and Sean, and many of the people on Fox T-V, haven’t figured out where to find Christmas yet. It’s in our hearts. It’s the compassion we show for each other. It’s the love and peace and joy that we manifest. Perhaps when they stop being nasty to others, they’ll find Christmas and realize there’s no war going on – just their own!
