Merry Christmas!
In a postmodern world where people's thoughts shift from the view that God created the world, to the marginalization of God as creator and the acceptance of scientific explanation for all things, Christianity faces increased challenges to bridge the gap between the unchanging truth of the Bible and the culture of today.
Christmas is known all over the world (where Christianity has reached) as the celebration of Jesus birth. In the United States, a largely Christian country, it has long been celebrated without much opposition, but all that is sadly changing.
We hear of increasing demands from atheist groups, the ACLU, and other organizations that fear offending non-Christians wit the use of the word "Christmas", and thus prefer the use of non descriptive words such as "holiday." A young lady was reprimanded at work recently as she wrote the invitations for the company's "Christmas" party, and told vehemently she needed to change the word "Christmas" to "Holiday," so the company would not be accused as "discriminatory"; against attending non-Christians!!!!
My question to such organization is, if Christmas is so offensive, why even have a party during the Christmas season!
The often misquoted words of Thomas Jefferson come to mind as I tried to understand what is happening: "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."
Thomas Jefferson's words explicitly state "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"; yet, our Judges doing just that, when Christians are not able to freely express their Christian beliefs for fear of offending someone else.
What Jefferson meant is that people of any and all religions are free to express their religious views without sanction or sponsorship from the government. That is all. What is happening is that the atheist movement and the ACLU are using those words of Jefferson to mean that government cannot allow people to "acknowledge" God instead of meaning that the government cannot "establish A government religion." There is a big difference between the two, yet people are being duped daily into believing that the two are the same. The practice of Christianity is being sanctioned or prohibited by government and other organizations, and we are allowing it to happen.
I say, by all means, celebrate CHRISTMAS!!!! It is the celebration of Jesus birth. For those of you who don't like the word Christmas why would you want a celebration around this time anyway?
Oh, I know, you don't want to be left out of the Christmas party, but it is OK to leave out the Honored Guest? Now, does that make sense? If it was your birthday party, what would you think if they left you out for fear of offending your enemy attendees? Have your "whatever" party if you must at the time of your choice, that is your right after all, but don't ruin our Christmas celebration for us Christians who choose to honor the Lord Jesus Christ as The Reason for the season.
Also, yes, the ACLU needs to be abolished if Americans want any hope of being able to freely practice Christianity in this age.
Wishing you fellow Christians, a wonderful Christmas Season, and by all means call it CHRISTMAS!!!!!