The Best Communicator of all time, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, used sarcasm at appropriate times to convey a resounding, stinging message to his audience. The apostle Paul, on numerous occasions, followed the example of his Lord by using sarcasm in the letters he wrote. With that in mind, and with Christmas Day upon us, I submit to you an editorial that first appeared in Moody Magazine in 1988. It is more true today than it was then. . .
Ok, all you folks at the ACLU, we give up. Your march to the courts to argue against Nativity scenes on public property has become as much a herald of the Christmas season as Macy's parade. Maybe you're right; maybe the risks to our freedom are just too great.
As one federal judge put it last year when he ruled against a creche displayed at Chicago's city hall, we certainly can't be "sending a message to the people o Chicago that the city approved of Christianity."
So next December, you won't have a fight. We're throwing in the towel. But we're taking our holiday with us.
That's right. Because Christmas is just too "religious" for a public forum, we're taking it back. You can keep December 25 (there's considerable doubt that Jesus was born on that date, anyway), but you'll have to find another reason to celebrate.
You'll also have to come up with a new name for the day, for obvious reasons. Someone's suggested Retail Sales Day, which does seem to capture the mood of the season, religious notions aside.
We would caution you, however, that any promotion of such a day must avoid the theme of giving gifts. After all, it was Jesus Christ who said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." And if you do some research, you'll discover that the wise men coming to worship Jesus initiated the custom of giving Christmas presents.
We're taking Christmas trees with us, too. A clergyman named Luther in the 16th century was the first one to drag an evergreen indoors and decorate it to celebrate the season, thereby saturating it with religious meaning.
Much of the music of the season belongs to us: "Joy to the World," "Silent Night," Handel's "Messiah." Those all go. You can, however, keep the immortal "Jingle Bells."
The fat guy in the red suit can stay on as your spokesman. But he, too, will have to find a new name. The "jolly old elf" was Clement Moore's poetic creation. Santa Claus, on the other hand, is derived in several steps from St. Nicholas, a real-life churchman who gave gifts to the needy.
Wreaths, angels, stars, bells, fruitcake--they're full of Christmas meaning and symbolism. So we're taking all those back, too (except maybe the fruitcake).
Oh, yes, one more thing. That message of "peace on earth, good will toward men" that you're so fond of quoting (without attribution)--you'll have to get along without that.
You can have what's left, and feel free to celebrate all you want.
Have a nice day.
