Christmas Thoughts

Since it is Christmas, I wanted to share a couple of thoughts about it. There has been a constant drum beat for years about Christmas and "political correctness", secularism and "political correctness", Judaism and "political correctness" (we sure do not want to offend anyone), well....you get the idea.

It seems, though, the drum beat has become louder in recent years, ya' know? I mean, when schools start banning instrumental Christmas songs, and the colors of red and green (we are talking the thought police here folks - big time), it is as if we have lost our bloomin' minds.

The neat thing about Christmas is that it has something for everyone. One does not have to be Christian to enjoy the festivities surrounding Christmas. Many secularists, many agnostics, and many atheists would agree that it is a good thing to love and respect others, seek peace, and to live in harmony with their neighbors.

"Love thy neighbor" is one of the ten commandments; but doing so (as great a principle as it is) does not make you a Christian. You do not have to be a Christian to endorse this doctrine and implement it into your daily life.

Likewise, enjoying the caring and the giving of courtesies and gifts at Christmas (that are often absent, unfortunately, in our daily routines) should be something that everyone can enjoy. Seeing others (maybe even Christian, believers) being joyous and giving does not do anything "demonic" to non-believers.

At minimum, enjoy the time off work because of the holiday, and enjoy getting paid to rest up if you should choose to abstain from the "merriment" of giving to others. Go ahead and be a frump, but enjoy the day off. Just don't expect everyone else to sit at home with a frown on their face because that is what you want.

There is an article by a Muslim that appeared in the USA Today titled How this Muslim came to relish Christmas, by Irshad Manji. She seems to be making the same point I am.

Dennis Prager writes on the commercialism of Christmas and touches on some of the same issues in his article In defense of the 'commercialism' of Christmas.

Also, Kevin McCullough writes, A merry Jewish Christmas for World Net Daily.

And lastly, Why A Jew Supports Christian America appears in Front Page Magazine, written by Don Feder.

Now, to sum up this post. I have to be honest and upfront and admit that this blog is not concerned with the run-amok political correctness that paralyzes us and threatens to hurl us back into the dark ages, so WHAT-THE-HELL, HeavyHanded says Merry Christmas to all!