Free Republic

Christmas is a time of joy for Christians and, for multitudes around the world, a time of suffering. Last Wednesday, under the auspices of Senator Rick Santorum and the Congressional Working Group on Religious Freedom that he cochairs with Congressman Roy Blunt, some of the world's foremost defenders of persecuted Christians gathered in the U.S. Capitol to draw attention to this suffering. Over Christmas 2000 in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country and one traditionally renowned for its religious toleration, terrorists bombed churches in 18 cities, killing scores and wounding hundreds. At Wednesday's forum, Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver...

On Dec. 25, Rod Shapiro and Pat Wong will exchange Christmas and Chanukah gifts spread under a seven-foot Christmas tree. They will listen to carols sung by Johnny Mathis and Chanukah songs by the Klezmatics. In the evening, this interfaith couple in their mid-50s, married two years, will light the menorah and invite friends to stop by their Long Beach home. Welcome to Chrismukkah 2005, a holiday that offers greeting cards that feature a reindeer with menorah antlers and recipes for Gefilte Goose and Kris Kringle Kugel in “The Merry Mish Mash Holiday Cookbook.” Christmas tree ornaments decorated with Stars...

It's OK to Say "Merry Christmas!" .   Although 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C105272%2C00.html), legal attacks on the public celebration of Christmas continue to accelerate, as evidenced in public schools, in the workplace and on public property. It appears that many of those who have religious beliefs contrary to Christianity -- even atheistic-religious beliefs -- feel that their beliefs are somehow above those who hold to Biblical Christian beliefs. But, the fact is that there is no such thing as a non-religious belief about God, since that becomes a religious belief by definition, and even the US Supreme Court has recognized the fact. .  No, we...

Christmas has been a special time of the year for as long as I remember. People were nicer. Things slowed down a bit so ordinary folks could enjoy the Christmas Season. We had very little when I was growing up. One year when things were especially tight my mother and I walked six blocks on Christmas Eve to purchase a Christmas tree for the two dollars we could afford. I didn’t mind as long as I could open that magical box which contained all of the ornaments, some pre-dating World War I. As little as we had, we always shared...

Once Upon a Time When America Had Christmas by Rabbi Aryeh SperoIt’s December 2030, and I’m shopping with my grandson in a mall in Northern Virginia. We’ve purchased a gift for a relative. “Gift wrap?” inquired the clerk. “Yes, thanks.” “Happy Chanukah, Merry Kwanzaa, or Eid Greetings?” I frowned. The clerk whispered, “Listen, I think there may still be a few rolls of Christmas wrap in the back if you want…” My grandson looked up at me and asked, “Why is the man whispering, Grandpa?” The clerk leaned over the counter: “The store’s Diversity Regulations stipulate that we’re no longer...

Catholic League Denounces Cal State Dept. Head's Holiday Décor Ban(AgapePress) - The Catholic League is criticizing an administrator at California State University - Sacramento who informed her department that decorations for holidays such as Christmas and the Fourth of July are now banned from the office because they "represent discrimination" and "ethnic insensitivity."The Catholic League recently obtained the memo sent out by the school's Director of the Office of Services to Students With Disabilities, Patricia Sonntag. Sacramento State verified that the holiday decorating ban exists in Sonntag's department; however, the university called her memo "well intentioned, but misguided."But Kiera McCaffrey,...