Big Rant Coming...
The news story leads with this question:
If groups celebrating American Indian holy people, German culture and the Chinese New Year can march in the city's Parade of Lights, why can't a Christian group march to celebrate Christmas? The article then goes on to tell what happens when a local pastor wanted to participate in the city's (Denver) Parade Of Lights singing Christmas songs on a Christian float in the parade. The pastor was turned down. The reason given by a spokesman for the committee overseeing the parade was-
"We want to avoid that specific religious message out of respect for other religions in the region," . The Great Seal Of The United States Of America has this latin phrase: E Pluribus Unum. Roughly translated- out of the many, one. Its a testament that many differing viewpoints can come together and make this great nation. So why exclude the 'religious' in our city parades? This may have only focused on the Christian pastor who spoke up, but what of the Rabbi's who also wanted to participate (one was interviewed last night who would have no problem with the float as long as he could have one)?
The message the city is sending is- we can celebrate for celebration's sake, but to celebrate anything with meaning, well, let's exclude that out. Grrrrr! In trying not to offend anyone on this years parade, I am anything but calm right now.
Just last night, as I was waiting for the Wednesday service to start, I was reading the recent newsletter from
Concerned Women For America regarding a man's fight to bring 'Merry Christmas' back to retailers who have recently favored 'Happy Holidays' in their stores and catalogs.
Excluded from parades, taken out of department stores, the term 'Merry Christmas' is slowly exiting our culture. There is a re-writing, a re-defining of what our society holds dear. No longer do we celebrate our respected religions, we are encourage to cater to those who have none! In the process, we are losing our identity as a country which was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs. That is- the God of the Bible is being stripped away from our society in favor of 'tolerating' those who obviously can't tolerate us.
Shame on us for letting it go this far. In this season of honoring Him who came to earth to take away our sins, we've let the culture go and dictate our celebration to the four walls of our houses and churches. Look around. Is it 'Christmas' or people clammoring to get whatever greedy gift they want? Is it in rememberance of our Lord and Savior's birth, or is it honoring ourselves?