It is that time again.
The trees are going up in homes, chrismons and wreaths are going up in naves, department store caroling makes more sense than it did a week a go and parishioners are pressuring pastors to sing Christmas hymns during Advent.
It is time for Christmas. And what does that mean? That we celebrate the birth of Emmanuel and the promise of peace on earth by demonstrating the love and grace of God for every one of God's children? Yeah, right!
The secular season of Christmas (what the church calls Advent) is no longer a season of personal and communal preparation for the fulfilling of one of the greatest promises ever made. It is a season for doing the things God really intends; shopping, consuming, emotional pressure, spiritual neglect, hysteria and declarations about how "the liberals" are trying to steal Christmas.
It is time for the WAR ON CHRISTMAS! Make no mistake about it, this is war, people. Fox News even has a graphic and intro music. Only real wars get those. Across this great nation falsely believed to have been founded on Christian principles (slavery anyone?), liberals are infiltrating school boards and city councils to perpetuate their demonic plot to force all of us to say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas."
How dare they? Do they not realize that the salvation won in the life, death and resurrection in Christ depends on forcing four year old Jewish kids to sing "O, Little Town of Bethlehem?" Do they not understand that the nativity scene representing the romanticized scene at Christ's birth (yeah, Mary was showered and dressed that soon after labor) must be displayed in a classroom where Buddhist students are forced to contemplate the birth of Messiah even though there no messianic figure waiting to be born in Buddhism? Do they not realize that he coming of the kingdom of God depends fully on using the language of the Christian faith to make people feel uncomfortable and defensive?
Thankfully for the sake of the Kingdom and for we in the church, Field Marshall Bill "bats#!t" O'Riley and General Sarah "can't hold down a job for 24 consecutive months before I quit or get fired" Palin are on it. In an interview on Fox, Palin was taped saying that she "loves the commercialization" of Christmas because it spread the Christmas cheer so wide. Bill O'Riley was there to call out Macy's on daring to turn the laundry list of stuff that kids give the guy at the mall a "Holiday Wish List" rather than a "Christmas Wish List." How dare they fail to realize the spiritual importance of giving a list of demands to a stranger dressed in a red suit playing a modern adaptation of an ancient European pagan diety?
After spending some time this morning listening to these brave defenders of the faith-in-Christmas-stuff, I have decided that I am going to lay down my sword and surrender this particular war on Christmas. Liberals, you won this one.
I am laying down my sword and will no longer defend the rights of every person to be forced to sing the songs of my faith.
I am laying down my sword and will no longer defend the principle of consumerism as the purest form of faithfulness.
I am laying down my sword and will no longer defend the principle that my freedom of religion is not about personal devotional practice but about my God given right to make others feel ostracized and excluded because they do not share my faith.
I am laying down my sword and surrendering in this War on Christmas.
Now, perhaps, I can get back to that whole "season of expectation and anticipation of the miracle of the birth of God in the world" stuff. This year, I guess the birth of Christ will just have to suffice.
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