Why Christmas Just isn't the Same Anymore

[Bond]

The War on Religion

by Rep. Ron Paul, MD

As we celebrate another Yuletide season, it’s hard not to notice that Christmas in America simply doesn’t feel the same anymore. Although an overwhelming majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, and those who don’t celebrate it overwhelmingly accept and respect our nation’s Christmas traditions, a certain shared public sentiment slowly has disappeared. The Christmas spirit, marked by a wonderful feeling of goodwill among men, is in danger of being lost in the ongoing war against religion.

Through perverse court decisions and years of cultural indoctrination, the elitist, secular Left has managed to convince many in our nation that religion must be driven from public view. The justification is always that someone, somewhere, might possibly be offended or feel uncomfortable living in the midst of a largely Christian society, so all must yield to the fragile sensibilities of the few. The ultimate goal of the anti-religious elites is to transform America into a completely secular nation, a nation that is legally and culturally biased against Christianity.

This growing bias explains why many of our wonderful Christmas traditions have been lost. Christmas pageants and plays, including Handel’s Messiah, have been banned from schools and community halls. Nativity scenes have been ordered removed from town squares, and even criticized as offensive when placed on private church lawns. Office Christmas parties have become taboo, replaced by colorless seasonal parties to ensure no employees feel threatened by a “hostile environment.” Even wholly non-religious decorations featuring Santa Claus, snowmen, and the like have been called into question as Christmas symbols that might cause discomfort. Earlier this month, firemen near Chicago reluctantly removed Christmas decorations from their firehouse after a complaint by some embittered busybody. Most noticeably, however, the once commonplace refrain of “Merry Christmas” has been replaced by the vague, ubiquitous “Happy Holidays.” But what holiday? Is Christmas some kind of secret, a word that cannot be uttered in public? Why have we allowed the secularists to intimidate us into downplaying our most cherished and meaningful Christian celebration?

The notion of a rigid separation between church and state has no basis in either the text of the Constitution or the writings of our Founding Fathers. On the contrary, our Founders’ political views were strongly informed by their religious beliefs. Certainly the drafters of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both replete with references to God, would be aghast at the federal government’s hostility to religion. The establishment clause of the First Amendment was simply intended to forbid the creation of an official state church like the Church of England, not to drive religion out of public life.

The Founding Fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America, with churches serving as vital institutions that would eclipse the state in importance. Throughout our nation’s history, churches have done what no government can ever do, namely teach morality and civility. Moral and civil individuals are largely governed by their own sense of right and wrong, and hence have little need for external government. This is the real reason the collectivist Left hates religion: Churches as institutions compete with the state for the people’s allegiance, and many devout people put their faith in God before their faith in the state. Knowing this, the secularists wage an ongoing war against religion, chipping away bit by bit at our nation’s Christian heritage. Christmas itself may soon be a casualty of that war.

So true.

[gekko]

Only a politician could write such crap.

If you want to know why Christmas is dead, look no further to the people who would rather post political garbage on Christmas Eve rather than spend time celebrating the holidays with family. Yes, I blame you Bond.

Now if you'll excuse me, Christmas NiGHTS is calling my name. I still appreciate what Christmas is all about, a snow-covered Nightopia with jingle bells playing in the background

[Dylflon]

Awwww.

Poor white Christian majority. Things are sooo hard for them.


That article was greatly over exaggerated and also complete drivel. Leftist anti-religious elites pulling the strings from behind the scenes to take down Christianity and society?

Give me a break.

[Bond]

[Fox 6]

Originally Posted by Dylflon

Awwww.

Poor white Christian majority. Things are sooo hard for them.

and isnt that what christmas is really about?
that and presents

[GameMaster]

[manasecret]

I agree. We should bring Christmas back to its roots. Let's all honor the god Saturn with Saturnalia.

During My week the serious is barred; no business allowed. Drinking, noise and games and dice, appointing of kings and feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of frenzied hands, an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water—such are the functions over which I preside. link

Like a second Mardi Gras. Sounds good to me.

[Professor S]

I got to the part where it admitted it was written by racist loonie toon Ron Paul and decided my intelligence would be best served by not reading the rest of it.

And you all can feel free to bash Christianity. Christains are mature enough to take it without rioting or blowing themselves up. Be thankful for that.

[Jonbo298]

Christmas/holidays have lost meaning in terms of what it should be more about. I've stopped asking for gifts for Xmas and just only say something if someone asks and even then, I tell them I don't need anything and just ask for something small.

Its too commercialized and alot of us Americans are too damn stupid to see it yet. Retail sector needs to get hit hard for one "season" to have a wakeup call. It wouldn't even bother me if retail had a horrible sales season. They are the idiots commercializing it, and its never going to end. So I just let my wallet do the talking.

[Perfect Stu]

Maybe if people stopped whining and started enjoying, it would be as good as ever.

Seriousy, time is what you make of it...if you can't enjoy Christmas, it's on you. I've loved spending time with my family, exchanging stories and gifts, sharing laughs and booze and good times.

[The Germanator]

Originally Posted by Perfect Stu

Maybe if people stopped whining and started enjoying, it would be as good as ever.

Seriousy, time is what you make of it...if you can't enjoy Christmas, it's on you. I've loved spending time with my family, exchanging stories and gifts, sharing laughs and booze and good times.

Agreed. I had a great few days seeing people I don't always get to see and laughing and drinking a lot of champagne and egg nog. Great times and usually is.

[KillerGremlin]

Agreed. Christmas is what you make it, this year it's been pretty good.

[Jonbo298]

Originally Posted by Perfect Stu

Maybe if people stopped whining and started enjoying, it would be as good as ever.

Seriousy, time is what you make of it...if you can't enjoy Christmas, it's on you. I've loved spending time with my family, exchanging stories and gifts, sharing laughs and booze and good times.

If that was directed at me, then shut the fuck up. I spent time with the sane side of my family this year out of town. I enjoyed it as I could

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Jonbo298

If that was directed at me, then shut the fuck up. I spent time with the sane side of my family this year out of town. I enjoyed it as I could

Touchy much? And by the way, you're not making a good case for yourself by lashing out like that. It comes off that you're the reason you don't enjoy Christmas anymore.

So have some egg nog, laugh at your crazy family like most of us do and duct tape a handfull of tampons in that bleeding vagina you call a mouth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

[Typhoid]

I just think Christmas isn't the same anymore because we're not 10, or 12. There was always bullshit with religions, and Christmas taking the forefront (Albeit not as much) and now it's swept into politics, and we're at that age where we just can't be completely oblivious about it anymore.

yadda yadda.