Having lived in a few countries and celebrated Christmas far from the snowy fields of my youth, I appreciates the value of Christmas with family all the more. Still, the Christmas of today lacks much of what I valued in those Christmases of long ago. No, I am not referring to gifts or even the childish anticipation of Christmas morning. Christmas has changed and I would say not for the better. In my teens I went caroling a couple of times, even than the custom was getting dated. Walking the snow covered streets  singing old favorites of the season, we would go from house to house providing Christmas cheer. For the most part, people where happy to see us and even some would join in the festive choruses. A few Grinches were met along the way, grumbling about the noise and wondering if a sermon was to follow. That was the problem, each year the Grinches would become more vocal and brazen in their opposition to the simple act of singing songs of joy. Eventually, the singing stopped never to be heard again.

Who needs a Grinch to Steal Christmas, Liberals are Doing It Just Fine On Their Own

Nowadays the Grinches have taken over it seems. In the name of political correctness even the jovial greeting of Merry Christmas is seen as an act of aggression. People have got to calling Christmas trees holiday trees, as if merely this act of make believe would change the essence of what is set before them. No different from a child calling a stick a horse or pretending putting his arms straight out makes him a plane. Such things are fine for kids, but seems a bit silly for adults to be emulating. The truth is, in the name of not offending a few Grinches, others are being offended in mass. This is what is called tolerance?

There is talk of a War on Christmas, and I do believe it so. But, what if there was a war on Hanukkah or God forbid a war on Ramadan? These religious holidays need not worry, the intolerance police will get around to them too. There is even an anti-Christmas holiday special put on by atheist, in the name of tolerance no doubt. The United States was not founded by atheist escaping religion, but by those seeking respect for their beliefs. Today respect has be substituted by the make believe right to not be offended. Cultural sensitivity it is sometimes called but sensitive to whom?  Certainly not to majority that wish only to spread some Christmas joy. Should I be offended if wished Happy Hanukkah on the streets of Israel or a blessed and spiritually rewarding Ramadan in Jordan? If I was it would not be they that have something to be sorry for, but I who was the sorry one.

An Atheist Billboard, Apparently Their Idea of Being Tolerant and Spreading Goodwill

Despite what is being touted as such, tolerance is not making people tiptoe around in hope they will not offend the gods of political correctness, tolerance is respecting one another. Something that has nothing to do with calling a Christmas tree anything else than what it is. One boss I had understood this very well and absolutely refused to call the tree on display in the main lobby anything else but a Christmas Tree. Since he was Jewish, he was able to denounce the political correct folly with some authenticity, but why should it be left to a Jew to defend the Christians around him? Similarly, on Fox News Radio an Indian born American and member of the Sikh community named Vipp Jaswal speaks eloquently on the subject. Defending Christmas and the Christmas spirit, he pokes holes in the movement to silence the holiday. (Listen Here)

Why a holiday that is about Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards men is controversial is beyond most people’s capacity to understand. Christmas is not about proselytizing the unbelievers, but a celebration of love and goodwill.  There are many reasons to celebrate Christmas, and not all of them are religious. Something most of the world gets instinctively. An atheist can celebrate Christmas and never set foot in a church, as can a Muslim. Christians hope that most will remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, but that is also as it should be.

Christmas is not offensive but trying to silence it is. Caroling has become a thing of the past, but we must not let Christmas follow. In today’s modern retelling of Dr. Suess’s classic, the Grinch of political correct madness is trying to tell who will listen, that Christmas is dirty word not to be spoken in public. It is time to these self proclaimed arbiters of what is right that they are wrong; spreading goodwill and praying for peace on earth is not an act of intolerance, it is what we all should do all year round.

Merry Christmas to all, Pass it on