The War On Christmas Just Wont End

Christmas is about to swing into high gear. The latest charge comes out of Rhode Island where a state representative is calling Gov. Lincoln Chafee “Governor Grinch” after Chafee defied lawmakers and decided the state would have a ”holiday tree” instead of a “Christmas tree.”

Start the pearl-clutching.

The move has so offended Rep. Doreen Costa that she’s taking matters into her own hands and lighting her own Christmas tree at the state house, and a conservative group of pastors out of Pennsylvania has grabbed onto the story to push the never-ending narrative of Christian oppression during the holiday season.

“This time of year,” says Colin Hanna, president of the Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network and Let Freedom Ring, “some get so wrapped up and wound so tightly about the political correctness of Christmas. We change everything to ‘holiday,’ and are afraid of mentioning anything with ‘Christmas’ in it for fear of offending someone. What about Christians who hold Christmas so dear? Isn’t it offensive to the majority of the U.S. who celebrates this blessed time of Jesus’ birth to take it to such a generic level?”

One reason why state displays with holiday-themed narratives are enacted on a “generic” level is the First Amendment’s prohibition against government-sponsored, backed or endorsed religious activities. A failure of the government not to embrace and promote a specifically Christian world view is not political correctness run amok, it it constitutional fidelity.

Photo from Harry Wood via flickr.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Duane B.

11:30AM PST on Dec 29, 2012

Thank you for sharing.

December 29
send a green star

Helen B.

10:14AM PST on Dec 17, 2012

Scott...it is a christmas tree. it is not a ramadan tree or a hanukkah tree or a kwanza tree for cryin out loud. each of those religions have their own symboles why can't the freakin christmas tree be called what it is. no one is out ramadan or kwanza shopping. Hanukkah is not a high holiday for jewish peope-ask anyone who is jewish. and I really hope all the athiests are working on MY HOLIDAY because i really would not like them to have the day off in celebration of a totally non exsisting day.If you do not like Christmas do not write cards or shop or celebrate-but it is what it is.

December 17
send a green star

Aileen C.

7:46AM PST on Dec 16, 2012

All year round life can be a struggle.
Christmas makes us remember to give of our selves.

December 16
send a green star

7:43AM PST on Dec 16, 2012

Its lovely to get time to visit with family
Also to be reminded of those creatures and groups and species to whom giving to at this time is a joy to both giver and receiver.
Christmas makes us all make an effort towards peace and happiness and forgiveness.

Lynn D.

3:23AM PST on Dec 16, 2012

Sad,......Merry Christmas to one and all!

Connie T.

1:38PM PST on Dec 15, 2012

Wow~ there's certainly a war going on here! A little 'peace on earth' would be a fine thing right now.

December 15
send a green star

Donna B.

6:46AM PST on Dec 15, 2012

Seriously?!?! Merry Christmas And Peace to Everyone!!

Pego R.

12:26AM PST on Dec 17, 2011

Hi Pam

"What's next? Christianaphobia?"

I hate to say it but your waaaaaay late thinking of this. Pat Robertson and the "Moral Majority" and all that ilk have been spreading the panic for several decades now, that there is a war on Christianity and Christians are being oppressed in the US. Didn't you know you were born attacking Christianity? (facetious statement of course) That isn't sourced in mainstream churches, it's kinda loonie. All this "War on Christmas" stuff is straight out of that playbook. In spite of the crass, gross commercialization of Christmas being as anti-Christmas as anything I cam possibly conceive of

The irony from my POV, is that people from my modest peace church and other synagogues, churches and mosques under that "Peace congregation" moniker have been stalked, shot and fire-bombed by people from those congregations. Yet when I look around at the local houses of worship, the only ones that always hire a cop to park there 24-7? Not the Muslims, tho they had to have a guard for years in the aftermath. Not the gay (MCC) church, tho they have their own hate crimes issues including an ironic moment right after 9-11 where their bearded, "black irish" minister was beaten, not as a gay man but accidentally as a Muslim. Not my fellowship, tho I can count more than a dozen attacks and deaths across the country by extremists.... Nope, just the fundamentalist church has said 24-7 police guard. I guess they have themselves convinced of something

Scott H.

12:37PM PST on Dec 13, 2011

It's not a Holiday Tree because Christmas is being removed, it's called a Holiday Tree because there is more than one holiday during this time of year! Many (especially those involving the traditions we usually associate with Christmas) are older than Christianity itself.

Honestly, read your bible and remember what it was like for Christians in the time of the Romans. THAT was persecution; now we're just asking you to accept that other beliefs exist.