Or happy holidays.
Does it really matter?
Once again this year, there are folks howling about the so-called "War on Christmas." With real wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention painfully high unemployment that has left parents struggling to play Santa, you'd think people would have better things to worry about. Think again.
Christmas is, first and foremost, a religious holiday — a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The majority of Americans are Christian, and they celebrate Christmas. Notwithstanding the fears of at least one member of Congress who actually introduced an anti-Happy Holidays bill, Christians are not under attack in America. They are in control, in the overwhelming majority, and are very capable of speaking for themselves, protecting their holiday and practicing their religion.
Our country was founded on the dual principles of individual religious freedom and government keeping out of religion. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
During a recent TV debate, when I pointed out that the First Amendment establishes the separation of church and state, my "opponent" actually argued that no such provision exists in the Constitution. So I started reciting the First Amendment, and she responded that it was merely an amendment, not part of the Constitution.
Amendments are part of the Constitution. Is the Christmas season also the silly season?
I don't lose sleep over creches — or menorahs — in public places.
But I can't understand why my tax money should be used on either. Businesses can put up whatever decorations they want, but government shouldn't be buying religious symbols to put in public places.
The answer I get to that argument is that these aren't just religious symbols. Of course they are. I have never had a Christmas tree, because I'm not Christian. My Christian friends don't light menorahs. My Muslim friends don't have either. To say that these aren't religious symbols, it seems to me, is the real war on Christmas, the war against the religious significance of a sacred occasion.
The Founding Fathers understood that religious freedom and religious observance go hand in hand; that if you want to encourage religion, you do it by keeping the government out of people's religious lives. Insisting that the government wish those of us who aren't Christian a "merry Christmas" dilutes the religious significance of the holiday, not to mention leaving those of us who don't celebrate this holiday feeling excluded and disfavored.
When I was a little girl, I was told that I couldn't play Mary in our (public) school play — even though I had the longest hair, which would have guaranteed me the part — because I was Jewish. I went home crying, and my parents pointed out that Mary was Jewish, too.
But not making trouble was the watchword, so I said nothing. From the back row of the chorus, I mouthed the words to the songs with the other Jewish kids and felt a loneliness deep inside because I understood that we were not only different, but somehow lesser. Why should any child feel that?
Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays.
To find out more about Susan Estrich and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM
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12 Comments | Post Comment
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Of course, you're right about the Constitution. And about kids feeling different. But some of my Jewish friends have Christmas trees. I'd have a menorah, but my husband--who is Jewish--doesn't want one. Maybe instead of crabbing at one another about the trimmings, we might all adopt a convention of peace and goodwill? That's nondenominational, anyway.
Comment: #1
Posted by:
Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:36 AM
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Curious- if there is no war on Christmas, or Christians for that matter, why is it that wishing someone a Merry Christmas in my children's public school is banned. Why is it, that my wife and I cannot give a 'Christmas' gift to my childrens' teachers, who are Christians? They're permitted to wish all a Happy Holiday and give Holiday gifts, but no mention of Christmas permitted. Yet, the programs in the school have celebrated and educated on holidays such as Diwali, Ramadan, Kwanza, etc....
The other day, I was in the lobby of a Manhattan office building en route to a client. The building management prominently displayed three things: a menorah, a Kwanza display, and a Holiday tree. However, a Holiday/Christmas Tree is not a Christian symbol of Christmas. How irrate would other people be if a Cross or a manger scene were displayed in that office bulding?
You say there's no war on Christmas, or Christians, but are you really sure? I think the majority gets silenced quite a bit on this and your article makes you sound like an appeaser- which I wouldn't expect from a member of the MSM.
I agree, government should not be enforcing nor prohibiting any religion and I agree with your understanding of the First Ammendment. That aside, I do believe there is a definite effort to remove and erradicate all that is Christian from the American society and culture.
I also agree, that during this season, we should be thinking of the real wars going on in the world, pray for our troops, and pray for peace. Also pray that this miserably unpopular (except in DC) health care fiasco is found to be as unconstitutional as Christmas.
Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, In God We Trust......
Comment: #2
Posted by: KTA0773
Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:03 AM
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christains all over the U.S. needs to come together as one no matter what you call yourselves and put a stop to the atheist movement that is destroying this country.Until and unless we do we will not be able to even pray in our own homes . IT IS TIME TO STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELEIVE IN. first they took prayer out of our schools. Now our children cannot even say merry christmas because it has christ in the word . How did one atheist get this kind of control of our right as a free americans and a free people we left one country for this very reason among many others we wanted to be free to worship and raise our children the way we saw fit and according to the word of GOD . Now we need to stand up a one people against all of this evil in our country and take our country back and start living as GOD entended us to live. Helping those less fortunate than we that means the homeless,the hurting,and the sick this is what God expects of us as chriatains .Untilwe do this we will continue to be the same as prisoners in our own country. our government was founded on the word of god as much if not more than anything else.our laws are based on the word all ten commandments of them. There is more of us than there is of them and we need to stand up for what is right. SO LETS GET TO DOING WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO.
Comment: #3
Posted by: joyce barber
Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:27 PM
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Someone wishes another person some goodwill in the form of a greeting, and others shoot it down simply because it's not worded the way they would like? How sad. In all my years in Sunday School, I don't ever remember being taught that Jesus encouraged people to be so self absorbed and petty.
Comment: #4
Posted by: Jon
Wed Dec 23, 2009 3:26 PM
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Susan, let's be honest. This is about sour grapes: you've yet to recover from a painful childhood experience.
You are a lovely and well-accomplished woman -- why not just let bygones be bygones ?
Merry Christmas, darling.
Comment: #5
Posted by: Fabrizio
Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:51 AM
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Maybe in a future piece you could point out to us all the slights, meanness, and affronts you have been able to get over in your life (because at this point its starting to look like the number is zero). Also, at the tactical level, what is difference between a war on Christianity and a war to remove all vestiges of Christianity from the public forum?
Comment: #6
Posted by: scott365
Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:49 AM
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"but government shouldn't be buying religious symbols to put in public places."
....and Susan, government shouldn't be buying abortions with my money which violates my religious beliefs. I'm not trying to deny anyone's right to choice, but why is this Congress trying to force me into supporting something financially which I consider murder. It works both ways Susan. You want an abortion, go for it, but do it on your own dime.
Comment: #7
Posted by: Lenny
Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:34 PM
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Dear Susan:
I'm not much of a writer as you are and yet i have very much enjoyed your God given creative writing talents in our local newspaper. As you are a representative of the Jewish nation scattered throughout the world, i have always enjoyed your point of view. It is a pity that the nation that God has chosen for himself is so harshly treated today, was yesterday and will be in the future until our Lord comes back to deliver us from evil. I wanted to tell you of our love for you and your nation as a Christian and as a believer of God, the ALmighty. Just as the reading of Zechariah chapter 8 says today: "This is what the Lord says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord ALmighty will be called the Holy mountain." (verse 3). I want to apologize and ask your forgiveness for those blind teachers that didn't let you be part of the nativity scene- indeed you were very well suited to be Mary who was Jewish as you are; yet she accepted God's grace to be poured on her and bring the savior of humankind. Please forgive our blindness because your nation is favored and highly loved by God indeed.
May your heart be soothed and comforted in this season when we remember the birth of Yeshua, the Savior not just the little babe in the manger. May you come to know him as your savior as well. He loves you deeply and knows all the pains you have received because of Him. I am a follower of His and yet i don't have a Christmas tree anymore because it distracts me from the "reason for the season". Yet i love the idea of a Menorah because of the light it brings forth: do keep that one shining all year long in your house, not just this month.....
Comment: #8
Posted by: Elizabeth
Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:17 AM
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Is it problmatical for a Christian to wish a Jew "Happy Hanukah"? It seems to me this is oversensitivity. I can see where the reverse (saying "Merry Christmas" by a Christian to a Jew or "Happy Hanukah" from a Jew to a Christian might pose a bit more of a problem, but not much). And what about saying "Happy Holidays" to a Christian fundamentalist, who regards that greeting, like using "Xmas" in place of Christmas," as an insult to their faith?
Comment: #9
Posted by: JohnEMack
Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:02 AM
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Christmas, Easter and the whole lot of so-called "holidays" that the so-called "Christians" embrace are pagan holidays and you can prove that with scripture. Christ was not born in December nor was he crucified on a Friday, and you can prove that with scripture. If the so-called "Christians" did their research biblically they would know that they should be keeping GOD's Sabbath(Friday sundown to Saturday sundown) and GOD's Holy Days(for those of you that are interested for this coming year; Passover is March 29th; Feast of Unleavened Bread is March 30th - April 5th; Day of Pentecost is May 23rd; Feast of Trumpets is September 9th; Day of Atonement is September 18th; Feast of Tabernacles is September 23rd - 29th and the Last Great Day is September 30th. These you can prove with scriptures and none of these are Jewish because they were all implemented for mankind by GOD from the beginning, before the Jews were even around.)
Comment: #10
Posted by: Juanita
Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:10 PM
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I'm not quite sure why we, as a nation, even celebrate this time of year. We were once a Nation under God, but no more. God left us when we starting killing the least of His brethren, His creation, the unborn.
The many problems we face in this country are because we no longer consider God a part of our nation. Individually we can pray for salvation but as a nation we are doomed.
Comment: #11
Posted by: Early
Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:41 AM
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We have never been a nation under God. That is the problem. Some of the founding fathers confess to being Christians. The phrase under God was added in 1954. You really need to do your research.
Comment: #12
Posted by: Juanita
Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:11 PM
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