Posted on 11/19/2002 6:17:05 PM PST by mlmr
The Christmas stock is out in the stores. There are scads of snowmen, Santas, reindeer and other items craving for your dollar. But interestingly enough, when one asks for religious Christmas items, at most stores, which serve a public that is conservatively estimated to be about 67% practicing Christian, there is nothing for sale.
No Christian based ornaments, hardly any Nativity scenes, and Christmas card... “Well Lady, I have robins, joke cards, Santas, dressed and nude, as well as lovely winter scenes and smart looking graphics.” Nativity scene? Magnificent reproductions of famous religious Nativities painted by the Masters? Ummm...no.
Some clerks make a weak smile and point out their extensive angel ornaments...others are belligerent and say firmly: "No we don't carry that sort of thing here." One owner said she did not carry religious Christmas items because people would be offended.
Guess what? I am offended. Every time I walk into a store decked out in its Christmas finest and cannot find any religious Christian items, I am offended. Every time I walk through huge displays of Christmas knickknacks and have to hunt to a bottom shelf of dark aisle to find a small nativity or Christian Advent calendar, I am offended. Every time a walk into a store with a brimming Menorah display, but no equally brimming nativity display, I am offended. (I have nothing against Hanukkah, I just want my religious tradition upheld with respect too. After all we are talking about 2% of the US population versus 67%.)
It is odd. When I talk to clerks about the availability of religious items in their stores, most also tell me that many people ask for them, but there just isn't anything available. Funny, that there is a need and no will to fill it.
I am equally offended by the Christians who are oblivious. Who no longer expect their tradition will be honored by having its items made available through retailers. Christian who don't want to rock the boat. Christians who don't want to seems too pushy or too religious.
I recommend that all thinking Christians go into retailers and ask where the Christian religious objects are located. If there are no religious objects available, perhaps it is time to tell the retailer how disappointed and offended that your religious tradition is being dismissed.
So I have decided to be offended...and to let people know...that true plurality honors even the faith of the majority and dominant culture. I encourage you to do the same...it confuses 'em when we use their words and phrases against 'em.
Gosh, that brings back memories of the early sixties. My dad would take us downtown to see the lights and then the full sized and beautiful nativity in the window of the best store in town.
What did you do? Run the ACLU lawyer out of town on a rail?
I don't even understand that...
What is often most manifest is merely expedient.
Sheesh, so's an Advent wreath. All the better to convert them.
Christmas needs to be about something more than that.
By the way, notice how the secularists are trying (successfully) to do the same thing with Easter (it's all about bunnies and candy now) and even Thanksgiving (which, while not a religious holiday, has deep religious undertones).
There are moneychangers in our temple.
Speaking of cards...did anyone else see the beyond offensive "Choice on Earth" cards Planned Parenthood distributes this time of year? O'Reilly had them on tonight, with the patron Saint of Abortion, Patricia Ireland. She didn't think most Americans would find them offensive. O'Reilly said he would put up a poll (not sure where) to see what Americans REALLY think. Ms. Ireland and her ilk are truly despicable human beings.
I just might do that!
There is no "o" in crud and there is no "u" in crowd; which do you mean?
No. Really. The featured song at our local public school's Holiday concert a few years ago was: drumroll please!
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall...
I'm not arguing your point, I agree, but I believe "government schools" didn't start this.
I worked in a school with a music teacher who went to Bob Jones. Do you think she took Christ out of the Christmas program? I don't think so!
Every respectable community should! :-)
But, personally, I'm waiting for the day when I can get a government grant to display my artwork of an ACLU lawyer submerged in a vat of urine.
I don't consider this persecution...I think this is Christians dropping the ball...
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