So, Who Peed in Their Cheerios? - War on Christians?
Ok, I'll admit that I'm rather confused by most of this issues surrounding this purported War on Christmas and Christians. Last night a friend suggested that part of the reason for this is that Christians are feeling backed into a corner, and are fighting back in any way that they can. The loud and vocal push to call things "Christmas" seems to fall into part of this purported struggle. The idea that there is now some sort of a backlash because Christians are being somehow discriminated against, and therefore they are now fighting mad, and taking it out on the "rest of us" is something that I really haven't considered before. I was told that perhaps this was a reason for my other friend not wishing to assist Pagans, for the newfound exclusionary "do not use Happy Holidays" rhetoric, and for the new pushes to install "Intelligent Design" and nativity scenes and 10 Commandments rocks everywhere possible.
But what is this so-called discrimination that they feel must be fought against? Is it truly discrimination, or is it, instead, a backlash to the backlash? I say this because we have a President who is a self proclaimed fundamentalist who invokes his God as evidence that what he is doing is correct. Nobody wishes to call him on that point for fear they will look "anti-Christian." Those who feel their President has a mandate from the people, then "push the envelope" by attempting to impose religion on others in public settings, often at public expense such as "intelligent design," nativity scenes and biblical rocks, as well as proclaiming trees and parties as "Christmas" and not "Holiday." If anyone objects to that, they are "anti-Christian" and "anti-American." Then, their failed offensive is re-cast by the screeching pundits of Fox News, not as a failed attempt by Christians to encroach further upon a secular state, but as those naughty evil ACLU lovers bashing Christians.
The idea that inclusion was Christian bashing is definitely a new one on me. My father's shrill statement that he was "offended" if someone says "Happy Holidays" to him is but one example of "in your face" confrontation for its own sake that I honestly don't understand. It MAY be the result of Christianity losing ground in the United States as other religious groups are rapidly growing (for example, the studies showing that Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the world, as Protestantism declines). It may be the result of the misplaced sense of entitlement because of the still held although disproved notion that America is a "Christian nation." It may be because of the "election" of George Dubya. But whatever it is, I just can't get over the double talk and twisting of facts that are being used to justify exclusion of others, and feigned horror that the holidays in December can still be called holidays and not "Christmas."
More later.