11.19.08
Are We Losing Christmas?
According to the latest newspapers, the American humanist Association is trying to take God out of Christmas. They are running a $40,000 holiday ad campaign which places advertisements on Washington area buses. The ads proclaim, “Why believe in a God? Just be good for goodness sake.”
They are simply copying the techniques of the British Humanist Association who placed their ads on London buses with the message: “There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
We’ve seen over the past several years how our secular society is trying to remove the name of Jesus or “Christ” from Christmas celebrations. Many organizations and retail chains have instructed their clerks to wish people a “happy holiday” instead of a “Merry Christmas.” Many Christian organizations are fighting back against the dechristianization of this religious holiday by organizing boycotts against retail chains that promote Christmas as simply another holiday.
Should believers be worried that Christmas is being stolen from us by an increasingly secular society? Is this possible?
Not to worry! First of all, our faith and worship is not controlled by societies approval or disapproval. According to Jesus himself, the whole world is in darkness and will not come to the light, unless they are drawn to Christ by God Himself. So should believers be surprised by opposition or resistance to the Christian faith?
Secondly, as much positive influence as Christianity has had on our world, we cannot truly expect non-believers to understand the incarnation, and what it brought to mankind. So we should not be confused or disappointed when the world turns Christmas into a celebration that conforms more to their nature and desires.
Third, although we take this time of year as an opportunity to give thanks to God for His indescribable gift to us, we don’t need a holiday to do it. We should celebrate God’s mercy And his gift of love to us every single day.
Remember, we Christians aren’t defined by Christmas, we are Christians even without a holiday.
So this year, use this holiday to tell someone about the birth of our Savior — while we still have it.
