The Gospel According to St. Nicholas

An article written by my long time friend and collaborator, David Pope

One of the most unfortunate aspects of modern society is that the most openly Christian holiday on the calendar, Christmas, is rapidly becoming the most secular holiday on the calendar. Media references to the birth of Jesus Christ are seen as a quaint feature of small town radio stations and rural newspapers. An article on the Christian nature of Christmas is much more likely to appear in a small town weekly than in the New York Times. The American Civil Liberties Union and other secular 'progressives' have taken it upon themselves to remove all reference to Christmas in the public square as an unconstitutional blend of Church and State (1); nativity scenes at public schools, post offices and other government facilities are grounds for legal action. The classic hymns of the faith, whether the beautiful "Silent Night", the bombastic "We Three Kings", the melancholy "O Come Emmanuel", or the ethereal "O Holy Night", as part of school Christmas programs are little more than a fond memory for most people. Public school Christmas programs have become "Holiday Festivals" or the even more bland "Winter Festivals". Christian radio stations feel the need to emphasize that they play Christian Christmas music. Heroic efforts by some in the conservative community notwithstanding, even the Christmas greeting is a victim of this secularizing trend. While the traditional "Merry Christmas" is still occasionally seen, it has been nearly completely replaced by "Season's Greetings" and the more modern "Happy Holidays".

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