In their so-called quest to be “receptive to all,” some Leftist groups have taken it upon themselves to seek the removal of any vestiges of religion in general, and Christianity in particular, from American streets and public buildings. As such, across America, some mayors and some school officials often wrestle with the dilemma of how to observe Christmas and other Christian holidays in a culture of "political correctness."
The perpetrators of such removal efforts hide behind words such as "tolerance" and "diversity," claiming that they merely wish to avoid offending people of different faiths.
Welcome in America
As a non-religious person who believes in God, I have lived in ‘Christian' America all my life. Except for a handful of minor incidences of grammar school playground name-calling, I have never felt anything less than welcome in America from the time I could first formulate coherent and lasting thoughts, to this day.
While Christianity has had its growing pains through the ages, and the persecution of Jews and others lasted for centuries, for the last five decades or more, no religion that I've observed comes as close to practicing what it preaches. I have visited 46 states in the union and 81 countries around the world. I've had the opportunity to step into the hallowed halls and shrines of the world's great religions and in many cases have observed first-hand how people's actions and behaviors square with their religious doctrine.
I find Christians to be among the most charitable, understanding, and tolerant people on the planet. In an age of tough choices, they are the greatest supporters of Israel and its right to exist – and of Muslims, Hindus, and religions I can't even name. I am glad I live in a Christian nation and given the options around the globe, wouldn't have it any other way.
Leftist Wannabe Enforcers
The "politically correct" among us, however, loath public displays of Christianity in America. Their agenda is to strip public America of its last vestiges of Christianity, as if somehow, that will make us a better, more open, more tolerant society. It won't. These thought police have decided that America's majority religion and its practitioners are a blight on society.
These wannabe enforcers utter phrases such as "separation of church and state" although these words are not contained in the U.S. Constitution or in any official U.S. document. For the record, they appeared in Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in his effort to alleviate any fears the government would make dictates to the church.
The U.S. Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." This means Congress cannot make any laws regarding religion, and Congress cannot pass any law establishing a state-mandated religion. Public displays of religion, even by a government jurisdiction, depending on the specific context are allowable if it is part of a broader secular holiday display.
Home of the Bland
Public America, stripped of its religious symbolism, forced to endure a meaningless annual parade of lights – instead of a Christmas parade – with its Christian trappings marginalized, is not a place where I want to be.
In a genuinely tolerant and open society, people of any faith are free to celebrate their beliefs. If one particular faith was predominant at the founding and remains so today, that does not preclude others from celebrating their faiths.
From first grade on, when I attended my school's annual Christmas Pageant, I was not offended because eight songs in a row mentioned Christmas, Jesus, or Bethlehem. Then as now, I had options. I could skip going to the assembly or I could attend but not sing along. Or I could do what I chose to do in every instance: attend, not sing along, but be caught up in the merriment of the day.
Tolerance Abounds
Gentile classmates did not expect me or anyone else to forsake my preferences and I did not expect them to modify their festival to accommodate me. The fact that it was a public school mattered little. If I were to move to Indonesia, Egypt, or Turkey, I would not expect any public or private celebrations held there to be changed to accommodate me. Remaining free and being respected is sufficient.
Would any astute American moving to any of those countries expect their societies to diminish their public and private religious celebrations so as to accommodate them? Hardly.
Fellow citizens who are Christian, I and others who are not religious lend our voices to safeguarding America for public and private expressions of Christianity along with those of other peaceful, tolerant religions.
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