Values Under Attack, written by Janet

If I say that my values are under attack, then I should be able to show you an attack. I hear O'Reiley (sp?) talk over and over again about how 'Merry Christmas' is under attack and about how merchants should be grateful that the Baby Jesus was born and the Christmas Holiday was adopted. They should (according to Mr. O'Reiley) be bending over backward to say Merry Christmas at every chance, and if they aren't doing so... then this is an attack on the wonderful celebration of the birth of Christ.

Rational thought, something that my father taught me from his knee: When someone brings up a topic, even the fact that they brought it up has meaning. Every speaker has an agenda, and what is the agenda of Mr. O'Reiley? Is it to preserve our holiday? I doubt it. Christmas is strong, both as a cultural event and as a Christian event. My children love lighting candles, counting the days until the baby Jesus is born, shopping for gifts for their loved ones, preparing for the season of Christmas (which pales in the Catholic Church when preparing for the Easter season, a holiday that is defining of the Christian Religion). They love the beautiful Christmas decorations that the towns put up, and the elaborate ones that some people do, just to please the community. Christmas isn't under attack. So, why is Bill O'Reilley talking about it?

Rational Thought, Continued: What evidence is he using to prove that his values are under attack? That some stores, in order to get both the Christmas shoppers and the Hanunaka shoppers are saying, "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". He is calling for a boycott of such institutions. Sorry, WTF. mate? How is "Happy Holidays" eroding anything? Schools are not doing a Christmas Pageant showing the birth of Christ like they did when I was a child. Do I find this offensive, should he? No, it is just acknowledging that the Christmas Pageant is a Christian tradition, not an American one (and America is built on Christian Values, which is wonderful. Tolerance isn't a Christian value, which is fine, but Tolerance is a value, and should be encouraged because the alternative is non-Christian and non-American). Since a play isn't a value, how can the lack of a play be an attack on a value? They don't put hate mongering in its place, they put beautiful children singing badly (see Liam's post on our humor page on last year's pageant).

Rational Thought, Version 3: The legalization of Homosexual Unions are under attack. Proof, attempted legislation. The evidence of WMDs are under attack. Proof: investigations on both the intelligence, and review of the behavior of our leaders since 9/11. The Homeland Security Bill is under attack. Proof: Constant introduced legislation which weakens the powers given to the Office of Homeland Security.

I'm not really even disputing his use of the words 'under attack'. I just want to introduce the questions that my father taught me to ask. Why is he talking about this? Where is he getting his evidence? Is the evidence proof of his original statement?

Christmas celebrated as a Christian holiday is a beautiful thing. We mixed pagan rituals (Decorated trees, gifts, and lights and such) and Christian purpose (to celebrate the coming of Christ, our savior). We give gifts and we eat huge meals (this part isn't part of the Christian holiday, this is a part of the pagan ritual). We go to Church and we talk about living in the Grace granted us by our savior (this part is the 'Reason for the Season'). I heard one priest put it like this... "The birth of Christ is like a flashlight in a dark room, from the moment he was conceived everything changed. The grace under which Adam and Eve lived in, before eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, has been restored. The light that he brought was the warmest most forgiving event ever. Things are different now, we are burdened with the Knowledge granted, but we have the freedom to be human (and make mistakes) and we have the Grace (His acceptance of us as humans who make wrong choices, with the LOVE of a parent). This beautiful concept, which actually causes me to weep when I think and pray on it, cannot be attacked by the words "Happy Holidays". Those words allow me to share my joy of the wonderful gift of grace with my Jewish brothers and sisters as they celebrate their own holiday, Hanuaka.