Reverend Pat Bailey: The "war" on Christmas, part 2 of series

22 Dec Reverend Pat Bailey: The "war" on Christmas, part 2 of series

[click “Play” to listen to the second in the series of interviews with Rev. Pat Bailey]

In his first post/interview Reverend Pat Bailey of Telluride’s Christ Presbyterian Church talked about the myth and magic of Christmas. In the second of his three-part series parsing the holiday, the focus is on the “war” on Christmas, which has a lot to do with the different perceptions Bailey addressed in his first interview.

The news last week was chockablock with scary, seemingly insurmountable challenges to our country, one of which hit Tulsa hard: Could its Christmas parade be saved despite protests against the disappearance of the word “Christmas” from its title. (The name had been changed to The Holiday of Lights parade, which outraged the righteous state senator, James Imhofe for one.) The good news: the parade would go on, albeit without Imhofe on his high horse – at least not the carrot-chomping version.

Supposedly Bed, Bath and Beyond is “for Christmas,” and Foot Locker is “against,” according to The American Family Association, which is very much “for”. 

And in my former hometown, New York, a billboard war erupted after the American Atheists hung a sign showing a picture of a Nativity scene with the message: “You know it’s a myth. This year celebrate reason!” (Bad advice on the face of it given the irrational behavior on Capitol Hill and attitudes about global warming. See Imhofe. And I’ll bet you can list others.) The Catholic League responded with a sign of their own on the other side of the Lincoln Tunnel” “You Know It’s Real. This season, celebrate Jesus.”

Does it really matter to Christians what we call The Tree if we all celebrate the holiday?

What’s in a name?

Click the “play” button and listen to what Pat has to say on the subject.