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Groups launch holy war against 'Happy Holidays'
Raleigh (NC) News and Observer ^ | December 3, 2005 | Yonat Shimron

Posted on 12/03/2005 8:39:22 AM PST by NCjim

Raleigh pastor's Christmas crusade gets national spotlight

A national effort aimed at keeping Christ in Christmas is getting a big boost from some in the Triangle's Christian community.

This week, the pastor of Raleigh's Upper Room Church of God in Christ was invited to speak on "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News Channel. The pastor, the Rev. Patrick Wooden, pressed his message that retailers and others should use the salutation "Merry Christmas," not "Happy Holidays."

Next week, Called2Action, a local coalition of conservative Christians, will ask the Raleigh City Council to allow a nativity scene, along with other images, in downtown's Moore Square.

These efforts are part of a national campaign, replete with half a dozen Web sites, intended to reassert Christmas as the central religious event in December. Organizers of the campaign, including the American Family Association and Focus on the Family, say Christmas is being turned into a secular "solstice season" by a radical minority intent on pushing religion out of the public square.The campaign is not uniformly supported by Christians. Some retailers who are the targets of the campaign say the groups are misinformed about their policies.

Wooden and his supporters say they see evidence of an anti-religion movement in advertisements by retailers such as Target, Home Depot, Best Buy and Kohl's that don't mention Christmas.

"As a Christian minister, I see the attempt to de-Christianize Christmas as part of a much more sinister plan to de-Christianize America," Wooden said.

He and the Upper Room church took out a full-page ad in The News & Observer last week saying, "Christmas is as American as Mom's Apple Pie and the Fourth of July." The church bought airtime on the UPN television affiliate and on AM radio station WPTF with similar ads. The church spent $11,000 to get the message out, Wooden said.

Such efforts dovetail with those of the Alliance Defense Fund, a national legal advocacy group. The fund recently sent letters to 60,000 school systems telling them it's OK to sing Christmas carols, pass out candy canes and call the winter break "Christmas vacation."

Mike Johnson, the fund's senior legal counsel, said his group has 800 lawyers ready to sue those who would squelch such expression. "This is a quintessential issue of religious freedom," Johnson said.

The American Family Association's lead Web site story urges Americans to boycott Target.

"Target doesn't want to offend a small minority who oppose Christmas," reads the news release. "But they don't mind offending Christians who celebrate the birth of Christ, the Reason for the season."

A Target spokeswoman said the company has no policy banning employees from wishing customers a "Merry Christmas." Neither has it banned the word "Christmas" in its holiday advertising and marketing.

"Target has used the word Christmas as recently as last year in both music and in store marketing," said Kristi Arndt, the spokeswoman.

Not all evangelical churches are on the same page with the efforts. Some say pushing cashiers to say "Merry Christmas" is not only pointless but misguided.

"The investment of the church's time and energy is not to see that Christmas greetings are shared, but that Christ's gospel is shared," said the Rev. Stephen Davey, pastor of Colonial Baptist Church in Cary. "This public debate overlooks the real problem -- it isn't a lack of Christmas decoration; it's a lack of understanding what Christmas means to begin with."

About 80 percent of U.S. residents consider themselves Christians, according to a 2002 General Social Survey conducted by a University of Chicago research center. Most of those are Protestants.

But historians say Protestants were once at the forefront of a battle to ban Christmas. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Puritans, in particular, viewed Christmas as too boisterous or too Catholic, said Leigh Schmidt, a professor of religion at Princeton University.

"It's a historical irony," Schmidt said. "These Puritan descendants are insisting on consecrating something they had a large share in deconsecrating."

Only in the 19th century did Protestants begin to celebrate Christmas again, and even then it was billed as a private family affair, not necessarily a public event, Schmidt said.

Still, Steve Noble, chairman of Called2Action, a coalition of 49 Wake County churches, said there's been an erosion of Christmas signs and displays over the past several decades as the United States has grown more secular.

"There's nothing downtown, whether it's Christmas or Hanukkah," Noble said. "It annoys me, because 20 years ago I guarantee you there was something."

On Tuesday afternoon, Noble and members of his group will head to City Hall to ask for permission to stage a holiday display that includes a nativity scene, reindeer, snowflakes and a Hanukkah menorah. Noble said he has read the legal requirements and understands that displays on public property must have a secular, in addition to a religious, intent if they are to pass constitutional muster.

"For a Christian not to say 'Merry Christmas' because they're afraid of offending someone is a major problem," Noble said. "If you never catch any flak for your faith, I have to question what you're doing with your faith."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christmas; culturewars; heroes; moralabsolutes; pastor
"For a Christian not to say 'Merry Christmas' because they're afraid of offending someone is a major problem," Noble said. "If you never catch any flak for your faith, I have to question what you're doing with your faith."

Exactly.

1 posted on 12/03/2005 8:39:22 AM PST by NCjim
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To: Howlin; Constitution Day

Ping


2 posted on 12/03/2005 8:40:22 AM PST by NCjim (The more I use Windows, the more I love UNIX)
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To: NCjim

My husband and I amke it a point to say Merry Christmas, too. I also say Happy New year to my Jewish friends at Rosh Hoshona...


3 posted on 12/03/2005 8:46:52 AM PST by yldstrk (My heros have always been cowboys-Reagan and Bush)
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To: yldstrk

"My husband and I amke it a point to say Merry Christmas, too. I also say Happy New year to my Jewish friends at Rosh Hoshona..."




I wish friends I know to be Christian a "Merry Christmas." I wish friends I know to be Jewish with "Happy Channukah."
I wish the two friends I know to be Buddhists with "Go in Peace."
I wish the Muslims I know with "Season's Greetings."

Everyone else get's a "Happy Holidays," since I have no idea what their beliefs might be. If they have a holiday this time of the year, then they get my good wishes. Here in the US...everyone pretty much celebrates January 1st as New Years Day. There's a holiday everyone can agree on, whatever their religion. Some celebrate another New Year, too, like the Chinese family who lives three doors down from me, but they also celebrate January 1st.

If someone makes any sort of holiday greeting to me, I return it the same way they offered it.

That all makes perfect sense to me, since I do sincerely hope they have a happy celebration of whatever holiday they celebrate.

However, if I wish someone "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" and they reply nastily with some retort regarding Christmas, I just walk on. That's their problem. I offered a warm greeting. They returned scorn. Tough.


4 posted on 12/03/2005 8:57:40 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: MineralMan
If non-Christians want to wish me well referencing one of their Holy days, I thank them, and if it is at Christmas time I wish them a Merry Christmas.

Wishing someone a Merry Christmas isn't equivalent to a forced conversion.

I would agree with you that hostility is misplaced whether it be in the wisher or the wishie. However, as Christ's Mass is the only major religious holy day of the season (Hanukkah doesn't have nearly the same significance), why is it intolerant to treat it as a Christian holiday period? New Years isn't a Holy day, and it seems odd to be wishing someone a happy new year on December 1st.
5 posted on 12/03/2005 9:15:04 AM PST by SampleMan
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To: yldstrk
I would like to see a new organization:

Jews for a Christian America

This organization could counter the left-wing atheistic scumbags masquerading as Jews (e.g. ADL, liberal reform congregations, etc.). It would not be an organization to convert Jews (that is an old canard anyway.) It would be an organization that promotes the values common to both religions when practiced as religions.

6 posted on 12/03/2005 9:22:12 AM PST by trek
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To: MineralMan
I think it is a backlash against the extreme that some places are taking it. Like "holiday tree" there is only one major holiday that uses trees as part of their celebration at this time of the year. They are Christmas trees. Holiday tree is just silly.

On the other hand, this is the holiday season that begins with Thanksgiving and ends on January 2. Or for some people January 6th.

I wish people would learn to ease up a bit. They have become so determined to be "non-offencive" that they have become offensive.

But on the other hand the offended ones should be careful that they do not engage in the same behavior that offended them.

However, if I wish someone "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" and they reply nastily with some retort regarding Christmas, I just walk on.

And that is a prime example.

Of course I say the same about people who get in a huff over being wished Merry Christmas as well.

7 posted on 12/03/2005 9:30:48 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (When the First Amendment was written dueling was common and legal. Think about it.)
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To: NCjim

This year anyone who wishes me "Happy Holidays" is getting a "Happy Season" back.


8 posted on 12/03/2005 9:33:37 AM PST by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || To Libs: You are failing to celebrate MY diversity! || Iran Azadi)
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To: HairOfTheDog
Say what ~we~ want you to say or else...


9 posted on 12/03/2005 9:36:30 AM PST by ecurbh ()()A Festivus for the rest of us!()()
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To: NCjim

10 posted on 12/03/2005 9:56:02 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: NCjim
Try renaming a Muslim holiday to "holiday season" and wait to see what they blow up!!
11 posted on 12/03/2005 10:04:32 AM PST by mountainlyons (Merry CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!)
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To: NCjim

Well, those groups are losing. Saw on tV last night Macy's did a commerical that says Merry Christma and has Christmas about 4 times in the ad. Also a lot of the other stores are reversing their decisons. Why? Because we spoke out people. Saw a poll with the question abgout should we take Christmas out and it was 90+ NO! The voice of the people can be heard but the people have to speak up first.

I'm proud of everyone who sent letters, emails etc to the various outlets. Good for them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE.


12 posted on 12/03/2005 10:37:50 AM PST by cubreporter (I trust Rush. He's done more for our country than we will ever know. He's the man!)
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