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Name ‘Christmas tree’ is right
Published Friday, October 5, 2007
News that Fergus Falls will hold a community Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the evening after Thanksgiving Day has switched on an interesting little debate on The Journal’s web site.
The topic at hand isn’t really whether the community tree lighting is a good idea. Most seem to think it is a fine plan, a good opportunity for people to come together to kick off the holiday season. Rather, the debate raises the question of whether the tree should be called a Christmas tree, a question that city council member Rick Wilson raised when the lighting ceremony was discussed at a meeting earlier this week, noting that, “We need to be respectful of what it’s called.”
That gets to one of the sillier and more extreme questions about the separation of church and state, one that has gained steam over the last 10 years or so in the name of tolerance.
The question, basically, is whether we can still have Christmas anyplace except in the privacy of our homes.
For fear of offending those who either don’t believe in the Christian holiday, who are extremists about church and state separation or who just like to make trouble, many organizations — from schools to retail stores to manufacturers to city hall — have taken Christmas out of the holiday season. Instead of preparing for Christmas during that period between Thanksgiving and, er, Christmas, we are now just celebrating The Holidays.
It is an example of political correctness taken to extremes, an exercise in national amnesia that would be hilariously funny if it wasn’t so dangerous.
Dangerous? Yep. The reality is that the holiday season, the run-up to Christmas, is based on a religious event, the most important event of the year — or second-most, depending on how you rank Christmas and Easter — for those who practice the nation’s dominant religion, Christianity. The holidays are about Christmas. Always have been.
Taking Christmas out of the holidays is like celebrating a birthday without admitting that anyone has gotten a year older.
Taking Christmas out of the holidays removes almost entirely the reason for the season. There is seldom enough recognition that the pre-Christmas weeks are the season of Advent, a time of mental preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Those who choose not to believe, or who follow a different course, should be absolutely free to chart their own path without discrimination. But for the majority of professing Christians, taking Christ out of Christmas, and Christmas out of The Holidays, is just plain wrong.
Part of the problem, of course, is in the American desire to sell, sell, sell. Calling the season The Holidays makes it OK for people of any and all religions to celebrate the season by buying lots and lots of gifts for each other. And, of course, the other big key to selling is to never offend a customer.
There is also a church-and-state issue, although it is one that tends to fall apart on closer inspection. In allowing people to express their religion, government is in no way forcing anybody to accept or adopt a religious practice they don’t like. Don’t care for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony? Stay home. Or if there are enough who want the city to hold a ceremony for another religion’s holiday, go ahead and ask for it.
The reality, though, is that Fergus Falls is a predominantly Christian community, and lighting a Christmas tree is nothing more than a recognition of that fact. To fail to call the tree a Christmas tree is giving in to the tyranny of the minority, a situation in which we take democracy to such an extreme that one dissenting voice can stop anything.
There is nothing wrong with calling a Christmas tree a Christmas tree. And there is a great deal about doing so that is right. I hope we can recognize reality here in Fergus Falls on Nov. 23.
Journal publisher Dave Churchill’s column runs on Fridays.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by Venti (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Where, oh where is Bill O'Reilly when you need him most?
Quick, someone get the spotlight!
Posted by Jerry (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well spoken Dave!
Posted by Venti (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 5:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ahhh!
They're trying to take away Christmas!
They're trying to take away my Christian heritage!
The sky is falling!
They're trying to take Christ out of Christmas!
Which one of those is an alarmists response to this whole Christmas Tree issue?
I love how being religiously inclusive for Christians automatically equates to being religiously excluded. Somehow, in giving something to everyone, something has been taken away from them. If people want to call it a "Christmas Tree," that's fine. Who cares? But then don't advertise and speak about events such as this as a religiously inclusive celebration for the "community" to "come together and kick off the holiday season." It's not. It's a time for the "Christian community" to "come together to kick off the 'Christmas Season.'" What's wrong with that? It seems like most want to have their cake and eat it too. You can't call yourself, your community, or your events "religiously inclusive" and then only celebrate or recognize one religion. Just call it a "Christmas Tree" and a "Christmas Season Celebration" and stop misleading yourself and others with the idealogical language. People are afraid to call a spade a spade, because they don't see themselves as being spades. The problem isn't the PC (or inclusive) requirements of our society, it's the PC (or inclusive) ideals of individuals who, in actuality, have no desire to be inclusive at all. They just want to say that they're inclusive and accepting of other religions because it makes them feel good. But in practice we just want to hold on to our "majority rule" mentality and avoid the "tyranny of the minority" (as Mr. Churchill so eloquently put it) at all costs.
Sorry I had to repost. ;)
Posted by whostruth (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok whats with calling me silly, after you deleted what I wrote?
I beleive as you ,if you would have interpeted it correct, Church and State is JUST a matter of Churchs Tax break?
And we have Freedom of Religion, I Just think we need to stand up for what this majority beleives and quit giving in just to be NICE,This is a great community,I to beleive in celabrating Christmas and will be there. good articale you wrote by the way.
Posted by Jerry (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My goodness Venti, settle down, you're going to give yourself a stroke!
Posted by Elizabeth (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What? Separation of Church & State is just a matter of tax breaks? Huh... I must've read the wrong constitution.
The government can't endorse one religion over another. Period.
Posted by Rumpusgoopus (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, clearly we need the government to tell us which religion is right. Otherwise, how could we ever determine which religion to follow on our own?
Posted by Rumpusgoopus (anonymous) on October 5, 2007 at 9:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh wait, or maybe we're supposed to follow the church of England. Certainly we'd never protest having to follow such an edict.
Posted by adamtroy (anonymous) on October 6, 2007 at 6:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Christmas is older than Christianity.
The solar cult openly worshipped the Sun-God for thousands of years before even the Roman Empire existed. The days following the winter solstice were designated the birth of the Sun-God, as the sun would rise higher from that point until the summer solstice. This was also significant because the rulers could evaluate how much trade was accomplished over the Sun-God's lifespan, and begin working the slaves longer in the extended daylight.
As Christianity became accepted as the official cult of the Roman Empire, the Church leaders, adopting this tried-and-true formula, made a conveniently simple change to the post-solstice ritual by celebrating the birth of the Son of God, as opposed to the Sun-God.
In case you haven't noticed, the ritual celebration still holds significance because the rulers can evaluate how much trade has been accomplished over the Son of God's lifespan.
And now, thanks to the modern marvels of petroleum-powered indoor heating and lighting, they can work us longer year-round.
Posted by Josephine (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Having a Christmas Tree lighting in Fergus Falls seems like a wonderful idea. They do it in New York City, the President does it in Washington D.C. so why not here. We need to remember back @40 years to how Christmas "felt" in Fergus Falls. It was fun! It was emotional! We didn't have all this political correctness to worry about. We need to celebrate these holidays for their true meaning--not worry so much about the $$$$--Fergus Falls has done it before, so lets get it back on the right track--step back into time and enjoy the Christmas Tree lighting.
Posted by Thomas (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good column, Dave....makes a lot of sense......Thomas
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 8:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with the Christians, we need another Christmas tree, there are simply not enough to go around now. Currently there is the one in my house, at least one in every Church, most convience stores have one, every business establishment will have at least one, many people even put several outside on their lawns. In short, during the Christmas season there is virtually no place I can go and not see a Christmas tree. Never the less one more is always welcome (especially at tax payer expense) I hope it is a big one, on a large plot of ground so all the Christians can gather around and compare notes on who is the better Christian , who showed up for the lighting, who did not, who’s going to hell, who’s not., and if the rapture occurs during the lighting ceremony it will be easier for god to find me standing next to a tree named after him. Perhaps next summer our overworked city council could find some money to kill a few of those atheists mosquitoes who constantly bite my fellow Christians.
Posted by toad3 (anonymous) on October 7, 2007 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
City council is too busy with fireworks and Christmas trees to take care of the real business they should be doing! They can't afford lifeguards at Pebble Lake, warming house attendants at the skating rinks, mosquito control during mosquito season! West Nile is not a threat in Fergus, at least the city council must think that. I hope the council doesn't come up with any more unimportant ideas, as far as I am concerned the decorations downtown the city puts up are beautiful and I don't think anything else is needed. The money should be used to man the warming houses this winter, or maybe a lifeguard at Pebble Lake next summer!
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