Earlier this week, Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia redefined the season. Every year, near city hall, the German Christmas Village is set up. After concerns from the city, the organizer felt it was necessary to remove the word "Christmas" and replace it with the word "Holiday". In fairness to Mayor Nutter, he had nothing to do with the complaint or removal. The action was instigated by others. However, the Mayor came to the defense of the action. When asked why he supported the word change he said, "The Christmas Village is not a religious service."
Strange he thinks the word "Christmas" can only be used in a religious service. If you apply his logic that religious terms should not be used except for services I wonder what happens to Saint Valentine's, Saint Patrick's, Easter, and Thanksgiving. The choice of replacement word is interesting also. Holiday means "Holy Day."
The Mayor was right when he pointed out his city is one of multi-faiths. Christianity is meant to be present in the marketplace of ideas. In a culture which promotes tolerance, it is afraid of religious ideas. With Hanukkah attacks in the Midwest and with the yearly trashing of Christianity, one wonders what tolerance means.
The truth is, the Judeo-Christian faith challenges culture. The quest for ethics, values, and meaning of the individual are drained away in a world which pushes away answers in the name of tolerance while wanting the benefits of religion without acknowledging the source.
Christmas means "the celebration of Christ." Remove Christ and you just have a celebration. Fun, but empty and without meaning. The greatest gift culture can receive is content, truth, and purpose. Thus Mr. Mayor, perhaps you were right in reinstating Christmas back into your sign today.
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