Happy Christmas, yes CHRISTmas!!

It's Christmas for a reason. Not 'Happy Holidays', nor 'Season's Greetings' and certainly not 'Yuletide'! It's CHRISTMAS. I usually go along with the PC frantic society we live in, and have come to try to respect other's views and opinions. Unfortunately, this seems to have become a one way street. What's wrong with celebrating the birth of the Christ? It is widely accepted, that Jesus did live and die in the Bethlehem and Jerusalem area in the middle east. Most other world religions even acknowledge it, so why can't we?

Sometimes I think we are ashamed of the 'Christian' association. I worked with someone, who during an open discussion about Christmas with some other work mates, uttered the unbelievable words, 'let's keep religion out of this'! He was serious! I would go as far as to say he was intelligent, and very clever and even learned. But he didn't want religion getting in the way of the Christmas season!

I accept the whole Christmas thing. The tinsel, the family meal, the giving and receiving of gifts, the singing of the old carols and the reading of the old testament passages, which lead up to the Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus. There was an archbishop on TV recently, who said we should be 'embarrassed' by some of the carols, like 'Away in a Manger'. Sorry, but give that man his P45! If we have people in the established church who are clearly embarrassed by the church's teaching, then he is in the wrong job! By the way, I do not mind, and will even respect those who do not hold to the teaching of Christmas, as relayed in the Bible, but please then do not put up the Christmas tree, make the Christmas Meal, give Christmas gifts, sing the Christmas Carols, or say 'Happy Christmas' just for the sake of it. At least either embrace the whole season of Christmas, or have nothing to do with Christmas. It will still be Christmas whether or not some people decide not to take part in the celebration.

A few years ago, we had the pleasure of having good Pakistani/Muslim neighbours, and every year we exchanged gifts and Christmas cards. They showed more tolerance and respect for this Holy Christian season than some in the church. I fear the biggest threat to Christmas, and indeed the whole Christian ethic and moral value, is from within. There is indeed a 'fifth column' at work which if left unchallenged will result in a lot of our moral fabric being altered beyond recognition. There are some important things in life which you don't miss until they are gone!