But I'm bothered. So I'm pushing the Thanksgiving entry back, stepping away from my studies to take a moment to write about an issue that on the face looks... nice enough, but at the crux is problematic.
On facebook, there is a group called "Help Keep CHRIST in Christmas". Interesting concept. I can see where there would be some Christians who would want to remind their fellow man to enjoy the holiday, but also respect where the holiday came from. I have no cause to find this problematic.
But now, for the description...
The purpose of this cause is to keep CHRIST in Christmas. Since so many people today are trying to ban Christ from everything, School, Courthouse and even Christmas. In a time when all things religious are being discouraged and swept away, it’s refreshing to know that the Order established the “Keep Christ in Christmas” campaign to remind people that Christmas is above all a day God want us to remember the birth of His Son, our Savior
First of all, what is the "Order" that established this campaign? I haven't seen evidence of this particular campaign anywhere else, so that particular misnomer, "campaign", seems a little inappropriate. Regardless, neither of these are the crux of my problem, they're just glaring inadequacies that need to be explained to those who may not see the inside of a church every Sunday (even then, I don't believe the pastor I frequented back home would discuss this). But, alas, I am being petty because the real problem I have with this comes next.
The "ban Christ from everything" line got to me. And it made me an unholy shade of red mad. I believe in the tenants of freedom in this country, I believe that you have a choice to decide your religion and I believe that you can choose not to have another's religion foisted on you in the laws and in education when there is this freedom of religion. Christianity should not have the upper-hand and there are folks who seem to think it should because those of the faith raise an un-godly amount of money for their pastors (notice, I don't say societal issues). Folks are more than welcome to have Christ in their lives, they are more than welcome to be prejudice and racist (although I may not choose to overly interact much with said folks), but to operate on the assumption that Christ should be taught in the public school classrooms and have a place in the legal system is absurd. If folks want to put their children in private schools where the Christian faith is taught all day long, please, do it. If folks want to live in a country where Christianity rules all, then there is nothing stopping them from moving away.
And then let's address the final line of the description of this group's "cause": "remind people that Christmas is above all a day God want us to remember the birth of His Son, our Savior".
Remind what people? All people or just the Christian people? There is an inherent vagueness to this statement that just further shows the incorrect assumptions of society made by this group. First of all, it assumes that everybody is Christian, that they believe in the Christian god, and that the Savior is everybody's. Now, I know of somebody who would dispute this and say that only Christian folks will be reading this and hearing about it. Great. So what's the campaign for then? Ostensibly speaking, pastors and preachers are going to cover the topic of the holidays in their sermons, the true meaning behind the day.
But that's ok, because this is all a ploy. It is a ploy to continue teaching prejudice, to continue teaching that it is okay to discriminate, to make money... Oh... isn't it interesting that this group has raised over $2,000? What is this money going to? It has this little writing at the top of the page - donations will go to X group. Oh, oh gosh. Let's take a minute to look at the group who created the page. I'll be kind and not name names, but I did click on the link to their facebook page. The group itself, while a little too preachy too me, seems like it's actually trying to help folks. They have a Bible rehab program for homeless folks in an urban area. Oh, isn't that interesting? They've made no money on their page. They want 5 million dollars and couldn't raise it on their own... and they've just raised almost 2 thousand dollars by marketing this campaign. Hhhmmm. Sneaky tactics right there. I am impressed at the marketing skills actually. $2,000 is actually quite a bit of money for facebook.
But... they're using a campaign to their own benefit. I find that rather shady. Granted, I find the whole lot of it shady, but this is absolutely a ploy. A ploy to make money when they couldn't make it on their own by stepping on a campaign bandwagon.
Honestly? I would have been okay with the concept behind the campaign, of teaching where this holiday originated. But I would have also been encouraged to have a statement about learning about each other's religions, so that we might understand and respect each other further. I would have been encouraged if it was suggested to go to some page for Hanukkah, so that folks might learn about this holiday, and Kwanza and... the options are many and varied. Religious respect is what is lacking here. Not only this, but they are so concerned about putting Christ back in to Christmas. Yet, they too will be buying a host of gifts (not frankencense and myyrh like in the Bible) that furthers the lack of understanding how this holiday came to be. They too will jump on the Capitalistic bandwagon and buy an insane amount of gifts for only one person (got kids anyone?) and then they wonder why people are greedy and forget the meaning of the holiday. I'm spoiled, so I have no problem with getting an insane amount of gifts, but nor do I preach that everybody has forgotten what this holiday means, that it has turned to a Capitalistic wasteland, and then turn around and perpetuate that very wasteland.
So as we go into this holiday season, I implore you to keep an open mind. Take a few moments to find out what holidays are coming up, regardless of the religion, and learn about them. I'm not asking you to convert, I'm asking you to open your mind and your heart to all peoples. What is Hanukkah? What is Kwanzaa? What is Christmas? What am I missing?
Take the time to learn, donate money to a cause where you know where the money is going, donate your time if you have it, meet new people, try new things, enjoy everything this season has to offer -- regardless of what religion you practice.
First of all, what is the "Order" that established this campaign? I haven't seen evidence of this particular campaign anywhere else, so that particular misnomer, "campaign", seems a little inappropriate. Regardless, neither of these are the crux of my problem, they're just glaring inadequacies that need to be explained to those who may not see the inside of a church every Sunday (even then, I don't believe the pastor I frequented back home would discuss this). But, alas, I am being petty because the real problem I have with this comes next.
The "ban Christ from everything" line got to me. And it made me an unholy shade of red mad. I believe in the tenants of freedom in this country, I believe that you have a choice to decide your religion and I believe that you can choose not to have another's religion foisted on you in the laws and in education when there is this freedom of religion. Christianity should not have the upper-hand and there are folks who seem to think it should because those of the faith raise an un-godly amount of money for their pastors (notice, I don't say societal issues). Folks are more than welcome to have Christ in their lives, they are more than welcome to be prejudice and racist (although I may not choose to overly interact much with said folks), but to operate on the assumption that Christ should be taught in the public school classrooms and have a place in the legal system is absurd. If folks want to put their children in private schools where the Christian faith is taught all day long, please, do it. If folks want to live in a country where Christianity rules all, then there is nothing stopping them from moving away.
And then let's address the final line of the description of this group's "cause": "remind people that Christmas is above all a day God want us to remember the birth of His Son, our Savior".
Remind what people? All people or just the Christian people? There is an inherent vagueness to this statement that just further shows the incorrect assumptions of society made by this group. First of all, it assumes that everybody is Christian, that they believe in the Christian god, and that the Savior is everybody's. Now, I know of somebody who would dispute this and say that only Christian folks will be reading this and hearing about it. Great. So what's the campaign for then? Ostensibly speaking, pastors and preachers are going to cover the topic of the holidays in their sermons, the true meaning behind the day.
But that's ok, because this is all a ploy. It is a ploy to continue teaching prejudice, to continue teaching that it is okay to discriminate, to make money... Oh... isn't it interesting that this group has raised over $2,000? What is this money going to? It has this little writing at the top of the page - donations will go to X group. Oh, oh gosh. Let's take a minute to look at the group who created the page. I'll be kind and not name names, but I did click on the link to their facebook page. The group itself, while a little too preachy too me, seems like it's actually trying to help folks. They have a Bible rehab program for homeless folks in an urban area. Oh, isn't that interesting? They've made no money on their page. They want 5 million dollars and couldn't raise it on their own... and they've just raised almost 2 thousand dollars by marketing this campaign. Hhhmmm. Sneaky tactics right there. I am impressed at the marketing skills actually. $2,000 is actually quite a bit of money for facebook.
But... they're using a campaign to their own benefit. I find that rather shady. Granted, I find the whole lot of it shady, but this is absolutely a ploy. A ploy to make money when they couldn't make it on their own by stepping on a campaign bandwagon.
Honestly? I would have been okay with the concept behind the campaign, of teaching where this holiday originated. But I would have also been encouraged to have a statement about learning about each other's religions, so that we might understand and respect each other further. I would have been encouraged if it was suggested to go to some page for Hanukkah, so that folks might learn about this holiday, and Kwanza and... the options are many and varied. Religious respect is what is lacking here. Not only this, but they are so concerned about putting Christ back in to Christmas. Yet, they too will be buying a host of gifts (not frankencense and myyrh like in the Bible) that furthers the lack of understanding how this holiday came to be. They too will jump on the Capitalistic bandwagon and buy an insane amount of gifts for only one person (got kids anyone?) and then they wonder why people are greedy and forget the meaning of the holiday. I'm spoiled, so I have no problem with getting an insane amount of gifts, but nor do I preach that everybody has forgotten what this holiday means, that it has turned to a Capitalistic wasteland, and then turn around and perpetuate that very wasteland.
So as we go into this holiday season, I implore you to keep an open mind. Take a few moments to find out what holidays are coming up, regardless of the religion, and learn about them. I'm not asking you to convert, I'm asking you to open your mind and your heart to all peoples. What is Hanukkah? What is Kwanzaa? What is Christmas? What am I missing?
Take the time to learn, donate money to a cause where you know where the money is going, donate your time if you have it, meet new people, try new things, enjoy everything this season has to offer -- regardless of what religion you practice.
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