I'm Offended That You're  Offended - Merry Christmas Anyway!

I'm on a "Merry  Christmas" mission and I'm in full throttle. My little yellow VW Beetle  has turned into a Christmas billboard with Merry Christmas written across  the back window. Yes, I've decided to trek off to work everyday on the  public highways with a message that seems to offend people.

At stop  lights, I even turn my music up a little louder, and to top it off, I sing  along with it. Don't I know that stopping at a red light to roll my   windows down only to share the joy of Christmas carols on public streets  is a No-No? Don't I fear the Christmas Gestapo and those who would have me  remove the written message from my car?

I'm sorry folks, but the  only person I'm concerned about "offending" during this Christmas season  is the Lord himself. LEAVE THAT MANGER ALONE! We've allowed the Baby Jesus  to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those offended by Christmas are  still not happy. I refuse to let this happen. I'm going to do my part to  make sure "Merry Christmas" doesn't become extinct. Because like it or  not, if the believers in Christmas don't take a stand now, it's gone forever.

Listen folks, the Christian community has been  underestimated before; we will have to show ourselves again. I walked into  a Wendy's Restaurant the other day and was rather exuberant with my "Merry  Christmas" greeting to the manager. He didn't have much of a response and  I said, "Where's your Christmas spirit?" He said, "We're not allowed to  use the words "Merry Christmas" when greeting customers. We can only say  "Happy Holiday."

This morning I grabbed a quick breakfast at a  Whataburger Restaurant. I noticed there wasn't a single decoration in the  store. I asked the manager why they weren't decorated for Christmas. He  told me the corporate headquarters decided not to send any decorations to  any of their stores, and he didn't know why.

After I heard about  all the Macy's and Federated Stores taking down their Merry Christmas  signs, the Target stores not allowing the Salvation Army to "Ring the  Christmas bells," and the many incidents of children, choirs, and bands  not allowed to play or sing Christmas carols, I realized it was happening  right here in my own little Texas town. How can this be? Not  Texas!

We do, however, have a store, Hobby Lobby, that plays  nothing but Christmas carols during the season. On Christmas Day they run  a full page ad in our local newspaper. That ad is not to promote the  store, but uses the entire page to tell the story of Jesus' birth. Now  that's taking a stand. We need to thank them.

When I saw a news  report the other evening of children being taught new words to a song  we've sung for years - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - I was saddened to  hear "We Wish You a Splendid Holiday." I know now that it's just a matter  of time that the "Merry Christmas" greetings will be gone. Look around your town. Notice the "Holiday" greetings and not "Christmas." It's happening right before our very eyes.

Start singing the songs; go  down the streets of America singing to your heart's content. Get some of  those wash-off markers that these kids use to write on their car windows  when they're rooting for their hometown football team. It's easy to do,  and if a torrential rain washes it off, write it on there again. We've got  to get this message out. "Go Tell It On the Mountain . . . that Jesus  Christ is Born." Sing it, speak it, be a billboard for our  Lord.

The story of this "Baby Jesus" alone has brought about more  goodwill at this time of year than any other day we celebrate. How can we  sit back and allow Him to be snuffed out of our lives? Is it Jesus, or is  it His followers that the "offended" don't like? What kind of revulsion  galvanizes one to campaign so vehemently against the mere mention of His  name, the mere singing of a carol, or the mere visual of a sign that says  "Merry Christmas?"

I can listen to my own boss at work use some of  the vilest words and follow up with, "Excuse my French." I may cringe  inside at his damning of God's name, but I tolerate it. So if you don't  like me wishing you a "Merry Christmas," I'll say, "Excuse my joy." You  may cringe that I celebrate the birth of Jesus, but just tolerate  it.

I cannot be concerned that "Merry Christmas" offends you. If  I'm not careful, the day will come when saying I'm a Christian will offend  you. I'm offended that you're offended. How about that?

When we get  to a point that we can no longer take part in a tradition we hold dear, we  have no choice; we either defend that tradition or we give it up to those  who say NO. That's it . . . period. So, which will it be? I'm not giving  up my "Merry Christmas" joy to anyone. If I know of someone that  celebrates another holiday during this time of year, I will be glad to  wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is and I'll  shout it to the world and wish you a grand celebration.

Just give  me Christmas. To you merchants: Stop being so hypocritical and "filling  your tills" on the back of Jesus! Who do you think is the symbol of giving  at this time of year? It was the wise men bringing gifts to the newborn   Christ-child.

You want your coffers full, but have ordered your  employees to take down all the Merry Christmas signs. If that's the case,  I'll buy gifts at a place that understands my joy. If you're worried about  offending someone, you just did. The most recent Newsweek survey shows  that 82% of Americans believe that Jesus is the Son of God. So, in trying  not to offend a few, you've offended many.

It's okay to jump into  the "Merry Christmas" spirit when it fills your cash register, but let's  call it something else . . . and don't stop giving . . . and don't stop  buying. . . we'll just change the name and you'll never know the  difference.

I know the difference and I'm feeling it greatly. It's  hard not to be aware that townships across our country have actually  banned the singing of Christmas carols because it might offend someone.  And it's not just the religious songs; it's the secular ones too. No more  "Jingle Bells" or "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" because they're  associated with Christmas. Boy, aren't we getting sensitive? If we're not  celebrating Christmas for the hope it gives with the birth of our Savior .  . . there is no hope!

I noticed a few years ago that we changed the  name of Abraham Lincoln's and George Washington's birthday so as to be all  inclusive regarding the Presidents. Hark, if we should recognize anyone as  exceptional. Now it's called Presidents' Day.

Well, if we're going  to be so all inclusive, next month I'll have to refer to Dr. Martin Luther  King, Jr. Day as Civil Rights Leaders' Day. We don't want to exclude great  Americans like Rosa Parks or Cesar Chavez, do we? And to think that Jesse  Jackson and Al Sharpton might be left out.

We might need to change  Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Grandparents' Day to All Parents' Day.  Just lump them all together.

It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? So  what's the difference? My freedom to celebrate Christmas in the tradition  of the Christian religion is as much my right as it is your right to be  offended by it. So what are we going to do? Did anyone hear me . .. what  are we going to do?

Do we defend a person's right to go forward  with a time tested tradition (how about 2000 years?), or do we defend a  person's right to end it all because they're offended? As long as we live  in this great land and have the freedom to express ourselves and what we  believe in, we will always offend someone. If we try to make everything  right for everyone, we won't have anything for anyone.

May you  always have Christmas in your heart!

By Debbie Daniel

December 13, 2004


 

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