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December 16, 2004
"If TV has taught me anything, it's that miracles always happen to poor kids at Christmas."
Last year's Half-Cocked Christmas Tree
There's a lot of hoo-ha right now from the Teevee about how people are saying "Holiday" instead of "Christmas" and how it somehow excludes the poor ol' Christians, although if you think about it objectively, "Holiday" includes everyone. The worst is the outrage over people, like Michael Bloomberg, referring to a "Holiday Tree." I don't know which is dumber, the words themselves, or the outrage over the words.
First, in this day and age, it's a Christmas Tree whether you like it or not, and Bloomberg calling the Rockefeller Center tree a Holiday Tree doesn't change the fact that it's official name is the 72nd Annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. But to suggest that saying "holiday" instead of "Christmas" is somehow changing the meaning of Christmas is laughable.
Now for a little selective Bible quotation --
Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Jeremiah, 10:1-4, King James Version
Now one could argue this is the LORD speaking to the Israelites and doesn't have anything to do with Christianity. Someone decided to fix this problem. The New King James Version changes "heathen" to "Gentile," thus making Christmas trees Christian in the sense that "Gentile" in modern usage means "Christian." Just ignore the fact that there were no Christians during the time period Jeremiah represents. Also, go ahead and ignore the problem of interpreting Old Testament scripture to represent Christian values. Leviticus, anyone?
Christmas traditions are far more pagan than anyone wants to admit. The tree is definitely pagan and so is the date, established to coincide with existing pagan celebrations around the winter solstice. One of my classmates used to teach elementary children in a Lutheran school and she said they weren't allowed to do any Santa stuff. I asked why she was allowed to decorate a Christmas tree in class since it was pagan while Santa Claus was just a corporate creation to induce consumerism. The answer eluded both of us, but its pretty apparent if you think about it.
If you really want Christmas to be about Christ, get rid of your tree, your Santa Claus, your binge drinking at holiday Christmas parties, your rampant consumerism and exchange a little frankincense and myrrh with your family, go to Mass, pray, sing "Silent Night" and reflect on the birth of the baby Jesus. Or, if you like all the fun and partying, you could chill out and stop acting like you're Daniel in the lions' den.
Posted by Half-Cocked at December 16, 2004 04:28 PM
Comments
AMEN! i agree 100 with your accessment. you should go look at the riot at statepaper.com.
tonight i will be drinking my weight in vodka at my company christmas party to celebrate all of the holidays, and to celebrate bill o'reilly's overuse of the words "philosopher jesus". (while purging my memories of his use of the word "loofah".)
this year i will only be celebrating the release of "the life aquatic with steve zissou" on dec 25th. (by drinking, eating, exchanging presents with family members that are getting me presents, and not going to actually see the movie until the 26th or 27th.)
Posted by: julee at December 17, 2004 10:29 AM
Well stated. I never really understood why the most religious observers also happened to be the ones who strongly pushed their kids into believing in Santa Claus. It always seemed odd that they wanted their kids to somewhat idolize this make-believe character while religion specifically says it would be wrong to do so.
Posted by: Ex Mea Sententia at December 20, 2004 02:03 AM
You must show more sympathy for such an oppressed minority! Oh wait.. my bad.. those poor christian folks make up about 85-90% of the US population.
The 10-15% of us who are non-christians must be awfully powerful.
Oh wait.. it is the godless judges that we should blame.. and how many federal judges are not christians?
Right.. I really wish O'Reilly, Dobson, Donohue (from the cry baby catholic league) et al would be smited now. If jesus is god, he sure picked some dimwitted spokespeople.
Posted by: musclehead at December 20, 2004 04:23 PM