War on Christmas?

I doubt such a war exists. Christmas is a cultural holiday that has Christian roots. Religious significance is a large part of ‘Christmas’ but popular social myths surround the holiday from around the globe having nothing whatever to do with Christianity.

Also, the Jewish religious calendar has holidays of note during this same time frame. So does Kwanzaa. I’m not sure if Buddhism, Taoism, Islam or Hinduism have festivities during this time of the calendar, but they well could.  Which is the point I wish to make.

Christmas as a purely Christian Holiday belongs in the homes and churches of its followers. Christmas as a cultural holiday in the larger sense, belongs in the public view.

Christmas in America, of all places, should accommodate as many religious celebrations as there are without effecting a belief assumption upon the viewer. This is what is known as acceptance, religious tolerance, freedom of religion, etc. All should be welcome.

Believers of a specific religion should follow their faith as fully as possible in the privacy of their own homes and churches, mosques, temples or synagogues. That is where the meaning is most revered and rewarded among followers.

Meanwhile, public images of the holidays or Holidays must remain more general and cognizant of the beliefs of all. That is the American way.

I heard a comment from a conservative radio commentator recently assert the War on Christmas was actually an action on the Gay Agenda! I could hardly believe such a statement was made.

My reaction: first, there is no such Gay Agenda. Never has been unless you call a large portion of gay Americans feel they have rights that have been historically ignored. That might qualify as something the Gay ‘community’ would share consensus on. However, the so-called gay community doesn’t really exist as anything formal, if it did it would not be able to reach consensus (oh the annals of gay activism prove this many times over!), and thus an agenda does not exist.

Anyone who thinks otherwise simply doesn’t understand much about gay issues. To speak of such as a reality is only a fear mongering tactic to stir up controversy.

As a gay person, believe me, I wish there were a ‘gay community’ that had cohesion and thus conservations. In time such thinking together might lead to intelligent conclusions and achievements. Alas, such is not the case and probably won’t be during my lifetime.

So, the war on Christmas really doesn’t exist and the gays have nothing to do with it if the war were real.

Meantime, face it. Christmas is a retail sales boon that our economy relies on to balance its books. Always has been. War indeed!

December 14, 2012