We do indeed live in a plural society, a hodgepodge of race, creed, and opinion. The freedom enjoyed in America is truly coveted throughout the world. But such a society is not and should not be an arena for what I will call “warm-and-fuzzy-ism,” which is defined as the movement to make every person, everywhere, feel all warm and fuzzy, no matter what it takes. Recently it has become almost fashionable to contest anything and everything that might be considered the least bit offensive to as little as one or two people, even to the point of being ridiculous. I mean, I find it very hard to believe that there are people who can't sleep at night knowing an 8x10 copy of the Ten Commandments is hanging on a wall at the courthouse.
As “warm-and-fuzzy-ism” extends its ever-widening arc over the citizenry, nothing is, shall we say, sacred. For years a handful of people have embarked on a quest of social equality, claiming the rights of the little man, defense of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, all the while doing more damage to the thing they hold most dear by misinterpreting it.
The so-called “separation of church and state” clause was never meant to keep God out of government, but to keep government out of God. By that, I mean that this separation was designed not to eliminate any and all public religious references, but to prevent a state-mandated religious creed. Yet over the years, and so much the more in recent days, countless attempts have been made to remove all mention of God and Christianity from the public arena. The reason? Someone might be offended.
Oh, my stars! Quick! Someone call the self-esteem police.
I firmly believe every person has value, that each is entitled to their own opinion. But to honestly believe that every little thing that a person finds even slightly objectionable should be run out of the public conscience on a non-denominational, all-inclusive rail is, frankly, the height of absurdity. If you put five people in a room together, within a few minutes you will begin to find disagreements, differences of opinions, in any number of topics. That doesn’t mean you outlaw conversation.
By claiming to defend the beliefs and rights of those who do not agree with “In God We Trust,” “One Nation Under God,” and “Merry Christmas,” by trying to remove said references, are not the rights of those in support of these phrases being trampled under foot?
If “Merry Christmas” has become taboo, then so must references to Ramadan, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Easter. These are religious, you say. They, too, have no place in the modern lexicon of America. Okay. Get rid of them however you want: executive mandate, judicial legislation, religious witch-hunt. But if I must succumb to this ridiculous philosophical tirade, then you must succumb to mine.
I am not a big fan of the heat of summer, and am deeply offended that I cannot enjoy Independence Day without roasting in the July sun. Therefore, I propose to do away with Independence Day. In addition to this, I feel that the rights and self-esteem of those not enjoying America’s liberty are taunted by the celebration of freedom on July 4. So, I move that all outward displays of patriotism and national pride be suspended for the common good.
Feel free to light a sparkler and fire cracker next Independence Day . . .just do it indoors, in the privacy of a dark closet, so as not to offend anyone.
And while we’re at it, I am allergic to some trees. I move to abolish Arbor Day, and remove the disgraceful public display of foliage from all federal and private lands, municipal parks and mall food courts frequented by those of us who suffer so greatly under the thumb of our woodland overlords.
The blind cannot enjoy the beauty of the sunshine as we, the sighted, are able. In an effort to extend the same rights and courtesies to them, I move that we abolish daylight.
And finally, there are many people who will be making their New Year’s resolution to diet and lose weight. To help them maintain their positive image of self-worth, so as not to succumb to the temptations of food and drink, I suggest we do away with all forms of sustenance.
As you can see, this is absurd, as this bit of hyperbole was intended. We live in a big country, and it is impossible to totally level every playing field. Saying “Merry Christmas” is not force-feeding religion on anyone, nor is it when saying “One Nation Under God” in the pledge to our flag, a flag for which so many have bled and died so that we have the right to bring such unreasonable controversies into the mainstream.
You may not agree with me, and I may not agree with you. Get over it. Celebrate the birth of Christ or not, it won’t kill you to hear “Merry Christmas.” Just nod and be on your way. Don’t make a federal case out of it (literally). There are far too many real problems to worry about than this. And besides, with violent crime, hunger and poverty, is God really so terrible that we have to focus on removing Him first?
I will post again around Christmas. Until then, enjoy the season.
And MERRY CHRISTMAS!
© 2005, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the
1 comment:
Welcome to the second age of reason, sans, um, reason. Isn't it interesting that while one side (the religious nutjob right--not you, Chris) tries to force-feed their sect-centered brand of religiosity into the gullets of even the quiet and peaceful observers, the secular, anti-faith nutjob left (that's not me, in case you thought so)tries to reverse force-feed their own brand of religiosity--without religion. So they say, anyway. In all actuality any belief system is inherently a religion for there is behavior built upon that belief system--everybody wants religion of some sort in government, but government, like the Church, just can't agree on the terms--is it only ok to submerse? Or should we allow sprinkling and pouring as well? Whatever, both sides are weakminded hypocrites who put God and Country into a box and let them out whenever it suits their purpose. How insulting to both! Guess I'll shut up now and save this for my own blog--sorry to rant in your space, friend. I will, as a tribute to you, post what I said last summer. You, Chris Keeton, are one of the few Christian zealots I respect. You've always let me rant and have never gotten angry at me because of it. You are a fine example of the Christ-like spirit, the lack of which drove me from the church though I was inches from ministry myself. Damned Paul-ist hypocrites! They are blinded by their own righteousness.
Um. sorry again.
Merry Christmas my friend. Hope all is well on this glorious day (which is probably April 17th, not Dec. 25th, but who cares?)
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