Take Action to Say and Save Merry Christmas

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 don't live in a vacuum, devoid of all religious beliefs. Anytime an anti-Christian belief displaces a Christian belief, we have effectively eliminated the First Amendment rights of Christians, because of a few atheists or secularists or humanists who want their religious beliefs to be the standard for everyone else in the public place. For all their empty rhetoric about "tolerance," they use it to further their own agenda of ridding society, not of religion (especially their own), but rather, selectively of all Christian religion and faith.

Those who say they favor diversity, yet want to eradicate "Christmas" from all public life, show their true anti-diversity hypocrisy. Many are against all religious _expression in society and/or government, demandng that we use "holiday" instead of "Christmas." But, the fact that "holiday" actually means "holy day" (being historically derived from such) shows their true anti-religious hypocrisy and bias and their true intent to deprive us of our Constitutional liberties. Either way, we who believe in the Christmas message have a First Amendment right to express our beliefs and to have them expressed by our elected officials, who also share the same rights as individuals and US citizens.

Don't be fooled by those who say they want "neutrality" or "no religion at all" in public life -- mostly meaning in government and its schools, and frequently in the workplace. The only way that the government can remain neutral is to allow a free and open forum for individual _expression in the public place -- whether it be free speech or free exercise, etc. As soon as the government and its agents get involved in censoring the free speech or free exercise of any individual in the public place, then the government has violated the First Amendment, regardless of how the liberal courts have interpreted it. Let's end the discrimination and the suppression of our lawful freedoms!

If we all would simply READ the First Amendment, it clearly distinguishes between the limits placed on the government and the freedoms extended to the people. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Where it says "CONGRESS shall make no law," the Constitution is clearly constraining the powers of government, completely removing its involvement in all such matters, while ensuring the extended rights of individual citizens to act freely. The effect is that the government is restricted and the people are free, yet this is completely different from the way things are usually done, isn't it?! How far we have moved from the original intent of our Founding Fathers.

But, a little understanding can be a powerful weapon against such tyranny. As Benjamin Franklin wisely said, "A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins." Let's begin an aggressive campaign to speak freely of such things. Have a wonderful Christmas!

GrassTopsUSA

Christmas -- Going, Going... Gone?
by Don Feder

Christmas music of the future: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Holiday," "I'm Dreaming of a White Holiday," "I'll Be Home for Holiday."

Christmas is being purged from our culture at an ever-accelerating pace. Christmas parades have been replaced by Winterfests. Schools frown on Christmas decorations. Cities and towns have rechristened the municipal Christmas tree a "community tree." You'd have an easier time setting up a nativity scene in Saudi Arabia than in most public parks. And sales clerks wish us a "Happy Holiday!" -- as if we all celebrated something called "holiday."

Bill O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor, charges "There is an anti-Christian bias in this country, and it is more on display at Christmas season than any other time." Says Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, "This is only the beginning of the Christmas season and already the anti-Christmas crusade is in high gear." Overdrive would be more like it.

To begin with, there are the stores that avoid the dreaded C-word in their advertising, and won't allow their sales personnel to wish shoppers a Merry -- well, you know. The latter include Target (which, with an extra measure of bad cheer, has also banished Salvation Army kettles from its premises), Costco, BJ's, Wal-Mart, Sears/K-Mart and Kohl's.

When a Wal-Mart shopper complained, someone in its Customer Service department sent her the following demented e-mail: "The majority of the world still has practices other than 'christmas' (sic.) which is an ancient tradition that has its roots in Siberian shamanism …." Say what? O, Little Town of Irkutsk?

The author of "A Child's Christmas at the Home of Shirley MacLaine" continued: "The colors associated with 'christmas,' (sic.) red and white, are actually a representation of the amanita mascara mushroom. Santa is also borrowed from the Caucuses, mistletoe from the Celts, yule log from the Goths, the time from the Visigoths and the tree from the worship of Baal." And the partridge from the pear tree?

After the Catholic League inquired if it was store policy to intentionally denigrate Christianity in this way, the customer service clown reportedly was fired. (He should have been sent to the frozen tundra, for further research on Siberian shamanism.) At the Lowe's store in Austin, Texas, a banner announces "Now Here! Fresh Cut Holiday Trees," with the same in Spanish. "O Holiday Tree, O Holiday Tree. How PC are Thy Branches."

Then there are all of the public institutions that are bah-humbugging it up during this joyous season.

* Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and the city's parks' commissioner decided that starting this year, they would refer to Boston's Christmas tree as a "Holiday tree." After the donor in Nova Scotia threatened to repossess the tree and run it through a chipper, the city abandoned that dumb idea.

* Last year, the mayor of nearby Somerville, Mass. publicly apologized after a press release misidentified the municipality's holiday party as a "Christmas party."

* Also in 2004, the town council of Kensington, MD. voted to end its 33-year tradition of having Santa Claus at their annual tree lighting. All because two families said the presence of the jolly old elf would make them (oh no!) "uncomfortable" -- in another triumph for sensitivity tyranny.

* Lest you think the foregoing is a blue-state phenomenon, a Kansas newspaper ran a correction for referring to the "Community Tree" at Wichita's Winterfest as a Christmas tree. How long before Menorahs become "Community Candelabra?"

* Denver rejected a Christian-themed float in the city's "holiday parade" (which violated its rule against "direct religious themes" -- wouldn't want to connect religion to "the season") while welcoming German folk dancers, Chinese lion dancers and gay Native Americans. Perhaps the local church which sought to participate should have said its float was a tribute to Siberian shamanism. Then, it probably would have led the procession.

* Across the country, school districts have ordered secular-themed only decorations, forbade teachers from reading Christmas stories or allowing the distribution of Christmas cards and purged Christmas carols from their holiday programs. Last year, the South Orange/Maplewood New Jersey school district went a step further, banning the playing of instrumental music like "Silent Night" by school bands. Apparently, not just words -- but also melodies -- are sins against inclusiveness.

* In perhaps the unkindest cut of all, according to WorldNetDaily.com, Christianity was notably absent from the White House 2004 Christmas celebration. The White House website proclaimed the holiday the "Season of Song and Melody." The site noted the White House was decorated with "delightful vignettes illustrating the best-loved songs of the season," among them "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," and "Frosty the Snowman." Not one was a hymn or a traditional Christmas carol.

* At the lighting of the National Christmas Tree (yes, it's still that, and not a "holiday tree" or "community tree," as yet), the president recently reelected with a groundswell of support from evangelical Christians observed, "At Christmas time, we celebrate good tidings, first announced 2,000 years ago, and still a source of great joy to our world." And what would those tiding be, Mr. President -- gas prices down, the administration's approval ratings up? When the president who once said Jesus was his "favorite philosopher" can't connect the birth of his Savior to the holiday, you know Christmas is in serious trouble.

And so it is. Each year, Christmas recedes further from view. This notwithstanding that, according to a recent Newsweek survey, 85% of this nation is Christian. (On a percentage-of-population basis, America is more Christian than Israel is Jewish -- more Christian than India is Hindu.)

A FOX News poll informs us that 96 % of the American people celebrate Christmas -- which means a lot of non-Christians are decking the halls too. So the above de-Santa-zation process is all for 4% of the population? Not even. Many who don't celebrate Christmas have no objection to Christmas trees, carols, mangers in parks, Santas in parades or the lady at the cash register saying "Merry Christmas." I should know; I'm one of them.

When I was in grade school, back in the '50s, we sang Christmas carols and made Christmas ornaments. And, guess what -- I wasn't emotionally scarred for life. What's the big deal? I'm a Jew who lives in an overwhelmingly Christian nation. (Are Christians who live in Israel offended when someone wishes them a Happy Hanukah?) Christmas has been celebrated on these shores -- in one form or another -- since the earliest settlements.

Christmas is part of the fabric of America -- from Washington's first Christmas message to the Continental Army (1776), to the famous 1897 New York Sun editorial ("Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus"), to the 1947 classic "Miracle on 34th. Street," to the American troops who celebrated Christmas in the Pacific and on the battlefields of Europe during World War II, and latter in the jungles of Vietnam.

Will Americans serving in Iraq have holiday trees, sing "Frosty the Snowman," or take part in the rituals of Siberian Shamanism on Christmas eve? Will they eagerly await seasonal presents from home, or enjoy a holiday dinner on December 25th. Ironically, American Christians stationed in a Moslem country may feel more Christmas spirit than the folks they're guarding back home. There's a war over there, and a war over here.

The secularist assault on Christmas (unwittingly aided by the perpetually aggrieved and sensitivity-whipped) is one front in the war on America's Judeo-Christian heritage. Other battle zones include Ten Commandments monuments, God in the Pledge of Allegiance, stigmatizing the Boy Scouts, advances of the culture of death, and attempts to impose homosexual marriage by judicial fiat (thus undoing the morality of both Sinai and Bethlehem).

The militantly secularist Anti-Defamation League was shocked by the results of a poll it recently commissioned, indicating that 64% of Americans believe "religion is under attack" in this nation. (Among evangelical and charismatic Christians, that figure is 80%.) That's because religion is under attack in America. From now through December 25th, they'll be take-no-prisoner, hand-to-hand combat in school corridors, public parks, parades and retail establishments. Incoming, Santa!

http://www.grasstopsusa.com/112905.html

GrassTops USA

www.grasstopsusa.com

Alliance Defense Fund (ADF)

Christmas has historically been one of the most celebrated holidays of the American people. In recent years, misconceptions and controversy about the so-called "separation of church and state" and the celebration of Christmas has led many public officials to "remove Christ from Christmas" in places such as schools, parks, libraries, and government offices. This was not the intent of the Founding Fathers. In addition, no court has ever ruled that the Constitution requires government officials to censor Christmas carols, eliminate all references to Christmas, or silence those who celebrate Christ's birth.

In order to eliminate any confusion with regard to your right to publicly celebrate Christmas, the following questions and answers will equip you with the information needed to dispel the myths and excuses that are used to silence the public celebration of Christmas. The bottom line: It's okay to say "Merry Christmas," regardless of the legal threats from the ACLU and its allies.

Questions and Answers

May public schools have students sing religious Christmas carols?

YES. It's okay to sing Christmas carols. Carols may be sung in public schools without offending the Constitution. Religious Christmas carols may be sung by individual students or by a group of students during school activities such as choir, Christmas programs, and other events. Although challenges have been brought, public schools have successfully defended against constitutional challenges to the singing of Christmas carols by their students.

Do school officials violate the Constitution by calling a school break "Christmas holiday"?

NO. It's okay to call Christmas "Christmas." School officials may refer to the school break in December as a "Christmas holiday" without offending the Constitution. The Supreme Court has acknowledged with approval that government has long recognized holidays with religious significance such as Christmas.2 For example, Congress has proclaimed Christmas to be a legal public holiday.

May school districts ban the saying of Merry Christmas?

NO. It's okay to say Merry Christmas. School districts may not ban teachers or students from saying Merry Christmas. The Supreme Court has stated that teachers and students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or _expression at the schoolhouse gate." In order to violate the Establishment Clause, a teacher would have to use his or her authority to promote religion to his or her students.5 Saying a simple greeting that people commonly use in December does not rise to an Establishment Clause violation.

May public schools have students study the religious origins of Christmas and read the Biblical accounts of the birth of Christ?

YES. It's okay to learn about the true meaning of Christmas. The religious origins of Christmas can be studied in the classroom without offending the Constitution. The Supreme Court has stated that "the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like." The Court has also explained that the "study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education," is constitutional under the First Amendment.

Do students have the right to express religious viewpoints in school assignments, reading materials and clothing?

YES. It's okay to write and speak about Christmas. The Supreme Court has held that the Constitution "affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance, of all religions, and forbids hostility toward any." First Amendment rights, such as the rights of freedom of speech and _expression, accompany each student throughout the school day both inside and outside the classroom. Consequently, school officials must permit students to convey religious sentiments through their school assignments, selection of reading materials, and clothing that conveys a religious message through words or symbols.

May public schools display religious symbols?

YES. It's okay for public schools to portray the true meaning of Christmas. Public school officials may display religious symbols such as a nativity scene without offending the Constitution if they have a clear educational reason for doing so. The Supreme Court has held that the display of a nativity scene is constitutional if it is displayed for legitimate secular purposes, such as to celebrate a holiday and to depict the origins of the holiday.

May municipalities sponsor religious displays in public parks?

YES. It's okay for governments to portray the true meaning of Christmas. Public officials may display religious symbols such as a crèche or nativity scene without offending the Constitution. To determine the constitutionality of municipal religious displays, lower courts evaluate whether the religious display passes the Supreme Court's three-prong Lemon test. Under the Lemon test, courts will inquire "whether the challenged law or conduct has a secular purpose, whether its principal or primary effect is to advance or inhibit religion, and whether it creates an excessive entanglement of government with religion." Like in public schools, the Supreme Court has held that the display of a nativity scene is constitutional if it is displayed for legitimate secular purposes, such as to celebrate a holiday and to depict the origins of the holiday. In addition to the Lemon test, courts often look to the endorsement test or "The Three Reindeer Rule," which asks whether a reasonable observer would believe that the municipal display constitutes an endorsement of religion by the government. This Rule requires a municipality to place a sufficient number of secular objects in close enough proximity to the crèche to render the overall display sufficiently secular.

The Constitution does not require government officials to eliminate all public religious _expression of Christmas. In fact, as documented in this pamphlet, the right of public school students and public officials to publicly celebrate the Christmas holiday is protected by the US Constitution and various succeeding court decisions.

The bottom line is: It is OK to say "Merry Christmas," regardless of the legal threats from the ACLU and its allies.

This article is for informational use only. For more in-depth information on this topic, visit www.telladf.org/christmas

The Rutherford Institute

The Twelve Rules of Christmas
Compiled by Attorneys for The Rutherford Institute.

Unfortunately, Christmas has become a time of controversy over what can or cannot be done in terms of celebrating the holiday. In order to clear up much of the misunderstanding, the following twelve rules are offered:

1. Public school students' written or spoken personal expressions concerning the religious significance of Christmas (e.g., T-shirts with the slogan, "Jesus Is the Reason for the Season") may not be censored by school officials absent evidence that the speech would cause a substantial disruption.

2. So long as teachers are generally permitted to wear clothing or jewelry or have personal items expressing their views about the holidays, Christian teachers may not be prohibited from similarly expressing their views by wearing Christmas-related clothing or jewelry or carrying Christmas-related personal items.

3. Public schools may teach students about the Christmas holiday, including its religious significance, so long as it is taught objectively for secular purposes such as its historical or cultural importance, and not for the purpose of promoting Christianity.

4. Public school teachers may send Christmas cards to the families of their students so long as they do so on their own time, outside of school hours.

5. Public schools may include Christmas music, including those with religious themes, in their choral programs if the songs are included for a secular purpose such as their musical quality or cultural value or if the songs are part of an overall performance including other holiday songs relating to Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or other similar holidays.

6. Public schools may not require students to sing Christmas songs whose messages conflict with the students' own religious or nonreligious beliefs.

7. Public school students may not be prohibited from distributing literature to fellow students concerning the Christmas holiday or invitations to church Christmas events on the same terms that they would be allowed to distribute other literature that is not related to schoolwork.

8. Private citizens or groups may display crèches or other Christmas symbols in public parks subject to the same reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions that would apply to other similar displays.

9. Government entities may erect and maintain celebrations of the Christmas holiday, such as Christmas trees and Christmas light displays, and may include crèches in their displays at least so long as the purpose for including the crèche is not to promote its religious content and it is placed in context with other symbols of the Holiday season as part of an effort to celebrate the public Christmas holiday through its traditional symbols.

10. Neither public nor private employers may prevent employees from decorating their offices for Christmas, playing Christmas music, or wearing clothing related to Christmas merely because of their religious content so long as these activities are not used to harass or intimidate others.

11. Public or private employees whose sincerely held religious beliefs require that they not work on Christmas must be reasonably accommodated by their employers unless granting the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer.

12. Government recognition of Christmas as a public holiday and granting government employees a paid holiday for Christmas does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

For more information or to request legal assistance, complete our online form (http://www.rutherford.org/help_now/online_help_request_form.asp) or contact our Legal Department at (434) 978-3888.

http://www.rutherford.org/resources/legal-12rules.asp

Also, see http://rutherford.org/articles_db/press_release.asp?article_id=586.

The Rutherford Institute
www.rutherford.org
© 2004 The Rutherford Institute.

Christmas Under Siege: A Legal Report

PDF http://www.rutherford.org/pdf/christmasundersiege.pdf

Rights of Students, Teachers & Public Schools

PDF http://www.mauckbaker.com/Memo2005.pdf

Christmas and Other Religious Freedoms

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/adfresources/default.aspx

"The War on Christmas" by John Gibson

http://www.wndbookservice.com/products/BookPage.asp?prod_cd=c6824

Religious Liberty Law Firms

http://davidlimbaugh.com/religiousliberty.htm

http://www.mauckbaker.com/pr.html

Lawyers Resume Christmas Clashes
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1298883.html

The God Who Wasn't There???

No Room in the Inn.... or the Public Schools
http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=373

It's OK to Say "Merry Christmas"

Medved: Faith in Films (Narnia)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-12-04-faith-edit_x.htm

Saving Christmas from the ACLU Scrooge

700 Lawyers Ready to Fight ACLU Lawsuits
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41610

Leftist Grinches Will Not Steal Christmas!

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41876

.
I'm Offended that You're Offended - Merry Christmas Anyway!

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/ddaniel/2004/dd_1213.shtml

Action!

VOTE: "Christmas Tree" or "Holiday Tree"?

http://www.vote.com/vote/60366678/index.phtml?cat=4075633

Others: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/page/2/

Boycott Companies that have Banned "Christmas"

http://www.afa.net/christmasban.asp

Target, Macy's & Sears Reverse Their Ban on Christmas!

http://media.afa.net/newdesign/ReleaseDetail.asp?id=3332

http://www.savemerrychristmas.org/macys.htm

http://media.afa.net/newdesign/ReleaseDetail.asp?id=3328

Send a Christmas Card to the ACLU

http://www.earnedmedia.org/mhr1202.htm

http://www.wmca.com/weblogs/kmc/date11302005.aspx

Share Your Anti-Christmas Experiences Here...

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=LH05L01

Buy Christmas Nativity Stamps!

http://snipurl.com/kl9p

1 posted on 12/16/2005 4:18:17 PM PST by Coleus

To: 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; afraidfortherepublic; Alas; al_c; american colleen; annalex; ...

2 posted on 12/16/2005 4:18:53 PM PST by Coleus (Roe v. Wade and Endangered Species Act both passed in 1973, Murder Babies/save trees, birds, algae)

3 posted on 12/16/2005 5:27:31 PM PST by Irish_Thatcherite (~~~A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!~~~)

I bought a few groceries at Albertsons today and wished the cashier a Merry Christmas. She responded by telling me that they (Kroger owned) are instructed to wish people a "Happy Holiday." Good thing my husband wasn't there or he'd have demanded the store manager to the area. I exited knowing I won't be buying groceries there any longer.

I forgot to buy carrots, so we stopped at an IGA store on the way home. When I wished that cashier a Merry Christmas, he responded by telling me it's the first time ANYONE wished him a Merry Christmas. Just letting FReepers know it is important to say the words - not just expect to hear them.

4 posted on 12/16/2005 5:42:35 PM PST by MamaDearest

"When I wished that cashier a Merry Christmas, he responded by telling me it's the first time ANYONE wished him a Merry Christmas."

I think as fewer and fewer people in this country patronize churches regularly there will be more and more Happy Holidays. Christians "in name only" don't like being reminded of their absence in church.

Only those who care about their faith, care about this issue, and it's dying in this country fast.

5 posted on 12/16/2005 6:11:07 PM PST by George from New England

LOL! I got a compliment from another customer tonight when I picked up some stuff from layaway and wished the entire layaway room at Wal-Mart Merry Christmas!

There were positive reactions from the workers there too. Several replied positively to me. "Same to you." One even said "Merry Christmas!"

(Hope she doesn't lose her job!)

6 posted on 12/16/2005 8:10:34 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

A blessed Christmas to all!

Sing praise to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and melodious song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn,

sing joyfully before the King, the Lord.

7 posted on 12/16/2005 8:11:21 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

I think things will be different next year, now that the big box stores know that Christians don't want to be offended, either.

8 posted on 12/16/2005 9:41:08 PM PST by Sun (Hillary Clinton is pro-ILLEGAL immigration. Don't let her fool you. She has a D- /F immigr. rating.)

My tagline tells how I'm reacting when people tell me "Happy Holidays"...

9 posted on 12/16/2005 9:53:50 PM PST by Keith in Iowa (Happy Holidays? No thanks. I'm having a Merry Christmas instead.)

Christmas has been under fire from day-one. Just as soon as the Jewish King Herod discovered that the Christ was born, he sent men out find and kill him in his infancy. Instead of Jesus, hundreds of "Holy Inncents" (babies) died in the name of Christ, with their blood on Herod's murderous hands. How very brave Chrisitians are, it sortta makes you feel proud.

10 posted on 12/17/2005 12:14:04 AM PST by TheCrusader ("The frenzy of the mohammedans has devastated the Churches of God" Pope Urban II ~ 1097A.D.)

11 posted on 12/17/2005 12:16:11 AM PST by TheCrusader ("The frenzy of the mohammedans has devastated the Churches of God" Pope Urban II ~ 1097A.D.)

Thanks for posting Coleus.

I answer the "Happy Holidays" greeting with, "which holiday?" "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukah"...there are only two "holidays" celebrated now and we're allowed to name them, so please do.

12 posted on 12/17/2005 4:14:51 PM PST by milford421

For Coleus:
Thank you for so much for posting so much information and links about this topic. May God bless you!

For ALL members:
Merry Christmas!

13 posted on 12/17/2005 9:37:18 PM PST by Leeron (Christian, Evangelical)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

I will always say MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOD BLESS YOU!!!

And my children will be taught to say MERRY Christmas.

14 posted on 12/23/2005 8:04:17 PM PST by Tonysgirl

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794

It's Okay to Say "Merry Christmas"