Perhaps you received this VERY offensive and divisive email going around this holiday season? It began:
“Let’s put the Christ back in Christmas” with a nostalgic 1950’s snow scene (though what was so wonderful about the 1950’s I’m not exactly sure).
This was followed by – “maybe we can prevent one more American tradition from being lost in the sea of ‘Political Correctness.'”
The response to this is to reply to the sender that you found it offensive and then DELETE. DELETE. DELETE.
Why? It’s definitely NOT Christ-like to insist on wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas,” even though they may be Jewish and celebrating Hanukkah, for example. What about those celebrating Kwanzaa?
Jesus welcomed everyone – as they were, for who they were – no exceptions. He didn’t require that they become Jewish in order to be included. So why then, would Christians insist to others that the only mid-winter holiday being celebrated is Christmas? This is pretty thoughtless and exclusionary at best.
We are NOT a Christian country and have never been. The millions of Native Americans already living here were certainly not Christian and the founding fathers were self-identified deists – so not Christian. We need to speak about our history truthfully, as it really was.
To be Christ-like is to be inclusionary and to treat others the way they wish to be treated. This is the reason we seek to be politically correct – if you are uncertain of some one’s religious orientation – be mindful and thoughtful – wish them “Happy Holidays” and welcome them in!
Today the United States is a beautifully, diverse community of many faiths, cultures and ethnicities. Our Trinitarian God of diversity tells Christians that everyone is valued and all are welcome.
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