Taking Christ out of Christmas?

With all of the brain washed Christian right wingers crying and whining about Christ being taken of Christmas and declaring that the secular humanist is making war against Christmas this article is very welcome and worth reading and maybe commenting on.

THE BAPTIST STUDIES BULLETIN"Taking the Christ Out of Christmas"By Bruce T. Gourley
'Tis the season for many Christians to complain that Christmas is under siege by a hostile, anti-Christian American culture. Let's forget, for a moment, that American Christians readily embrace the unbiblical consumerism and materialism that characterizes the Christmas season. And, of course, there is the slightly unsettling fact that the history of Christmas is rooted in an ancient pagan celebration later co-opted by Christianity. These annoyances aside, we should get upset that the religious aspect of Christmas is sometimes downplayed by society, and when someone slights our faith, we need to stand up and fight them. Right? Christmas, after all, should be a celebration of Jesus. And the Jesus of the Gospels surely wrapped himself in a human body for the purpose of championing the pure and undefiled among earth's inhabitants, condemning those of other faiths or no faith, and calling down the wrath of God upon the pagan society that characterized the Roman Empire. Thus by demanding that unbelieving individuals and a pluralistic society bow to our wishes―or else!―we honor the spirit of Jesus at Christmas. Right? As silly as it sounds, that is exactly the message that popular Christendom is communicating to American society: we demand our rights right now, and we'll stomp into the ground any who stand in our way, all because we love Jesus and you don't. Let's get real. The biggest enemies of Christmas in modern America are those who claim the name of Christ yet are wandering in a self-righteous wilderness, turning the Bread of Life into stones and hurling holy rocks at unbelievers. Is it possible that somewhere this Christmas season, a follower of Christ will stand up and champion equal rights for persons of other faiths or no faith in American society? Is it possible that somewhere this Christmas season a local Christian church will extend a hand of friendship to a nearby Hindu or Muslim congregation? Is it possible that somewhere this Christmas season a local newspaper's "Letters to the Editor" section will be spared the annual chorus of complaints of "Christ" being taken out of Christmas? This is the time of year in which joy, hope, peace and love are celebrated in songs of faith and the merriment of family and community gatherings. We are able to celebrate the season because Jesus forsook his own heavenly rights and joyfully came to live among and serve sin-ridden humanity. My hope this Advent season is that somewhere in America, at least a few members of the family called Christians, in addition to moving beyond the enticements of materialism and consumerism, will manage to avoid the temptations of the wilderness of self-righteousness and instead live as servants and light among their fellow human beings. Only then will Christ remain in Christmas. (colored text is mine not the author of the article..rcf)
Visit Bruce's personal website.