Christmas Now

For those of other faith traditions Christmas must be an odd time of year. In America the public temper is all about decorated pine trees indoors or out. Christmas carols sounding throughout stores, malls and street front shopping areas. Mistletoe and wreaths hung on street lamps and doorways as well as on garages, homes and of course, the grille of the car! Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer suddenly appears on many mini vans as well.

Insane hype of course, but humorously supported seemingly everywhere. We have Christmas parties in the office, at church, in the neighborhood. And of course open houses and family gatherings as well. At this time of year it seems everyone is into Christmas. And then we remember, not everyone celebrates this particular holiday.

If you are Jewish, Muslim or any of another dozen or more faiths, Christmas is an anomaly. A large one in America, but still an anomaly.

That is not intended. America has a large Christian tradition although it is not a Christian nation. There are those who think otherwise, but then they are free to do so. Especially in the USA! Freedom of religion, you know, and freedom of speech, of assembly, press…we are free to follow our interests and faiths wherever it takes us. Well, there are limits. Your freedoms extend only as far as my freedoms. They are not to impinge on the other.

We seem to forget this reality. You are free to spew your beliefs in public. So am I. However, my spewing should not stop your spewing.

Of course those people with more resources at their disposal think otherwise. Often. They buy ad space, release press releases, go on talk shows and in any other way spread their views. They get excited and ask others to join them. Maybe even believe as they do. Maybe they will seek legislation that immortalizes their point of view, too.

Such misguided efforts surface in odd places – school rooms, text books, posters, hymns, pop music, advertising themes, to name just a few. Well, let’s not get carried away with this. Back to the original theme, please!

Christmas now, today. It is now a public holiday in which Americans are urged to shop until they drop. It is all about gathering and celebrating each other – the family at home or the family at work. It is less a religious holiday than it is a social one, a major break in the busy-ness of life. That makes it all the more poignant when newscasts solemnly turn to religious services marking the religious observance of this holiday – literally Holyday. Of course in our land that is a Roman Catholic Mass filmed for the news at 11 o’clock.

But that is not true for many millions living in the US. There are those who are not religious at all. They have freedoms as well and deserve our respect. Our Jewish fellows are cousins of the Christian faith as well; they share a history both spiritual and historical. Muslims have a proud faith tradition that mirrors much of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The increasing international communication, trade and social integration makes us more a global community than ever before. We wish to be respected for who we are and what we hold dear; so do the others we meet on a daily basis. Even if we don’t know their personal traditions, we respect them for who and what they are regardless. We wish to be treated likewise. So do they.

Why is it so hard for people to allow others the space to be who they are? Without suspicion. Without prejudice. Without hostility.

A Muslim is not a terrorist. A Christian is not a do-gooder. Logic, faith and reason do not automatically fall to one religion over another. Neither does history favor one nation over another. Indeed, history ought not show favor to any one nation, creed or philosophy. It should be fact-based.

Free to be in the now in all of its multiplicity. There is more than one way to see the world, or time, or history, or religion. There is a plurality to be observed and appreciated. And understood.

Perhaps that is why we have trouble with the now? We don’t understand those different than us?

Maybe we should try harder to understand. Then this Christmas, this holiday or Holiday, would have special meaning for all of us. Respect and accept. That would be a good beginning.

May your holiday season this year be of special significance and beauty to you and yours this year.

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2014