Christmas in the public arena?

Merry Christmas. Well, today is the day. We have finally reached Christmas Eve and I would like to pause and do some inventory. You have undoubtedly had occasion to see the various attempts to bring Christmas into the public arena or keep it out. I will make comments on both points of view.

Keep Christmas out. Honoring Jesus through songs or specific decorations that depict him or use his name, well, I can understand where non-Christians might object. This is simply not a God they believe in and so why are they paying tax dollars to honor him? I have to admit it warmed my heart that my daughter’s public high school choir sang all three verses of Silent Night at the holiday concert, but I can also understand how it might seem rather unfair to the practicing Muslim student who wants to sing in choir, but who is forbidden to commit blasphemy according to the Qur'an and sing those words (“Jesus, Lord at thy birth,” etc.) Now I realize the Muslim could just choose not to participate in that song, but it does cause one to wonder why he/she should be put into that predicament in the first place.

Keep Christmas in. Christmas is a part of our cultural landscape and is not only a celebration of the birth of Christ. The vast (80-85%) majority of our citizens do, however, celebrate this birth. It is a noble part of our heritage. Non-Christians would do well to give their fellow citizens a pass, honoring their fellow citizen’s faith as they are proclaiming peace and goodwill, while not having to honor their Savior. Besides, the birth of one who brought cherished teachings, some of which are universally admired (“pray for your enemies, blessed are the peacemakers…”), can be acknowledged and honored, even if you don’t believe Jesus is God. After all, we honor a preacher of that faith, Martin Luther King Jr., quite extensively in the public arena. Ultimately, America is a bastion of tremendous freedom of religion, almost unprecedented in the world community, and it is not logical to think now Christians are somehow attempting to force religion onto non-Christians.

So, what’s the answer? Legally, Christmas symbolism set up by school staff is allowed in our schools as a teaching tool (Supreme Court, 1998). I think teachers who use the symbols as such are being reasonable. At the same time, I don’t think government employees ought to try to actively promote the Christian faith on public time at public expense, whether in our schools or other government institutions. Christians can do this quite well on our own, thank you very much. Christian students are allowed to reach out in school. Christian teachers are allowed to examine Christianity in class, along with other worldviews. Christian government employees are allowed to share their faith privately at work.

In summary, I think all sides of this debate need to take a time out and look at these issues from the viewpoint of those they disagree with. We can keep Christ in Christmas and respect those who don’t acknowledge him as Christ, in a reasonable, moderate fashion.