The Christmas War and the Evangelical Holiday

John Gibson's latest book expresses exactly what many evangelicals are upset about, "The War on Christmas". Everything from stores expressly denying their employees the right to say "Merry Christmas" to banning Christmas trees. It has caused many in the Christian community to not only protest but to flat out boycott. There is indeed some discrimination going on against Christians in this supression, yet I find a bit of irony in this "call to battle".

It seems to be spreading like wild fire, every couple of seasons more and more churches join the bandwagon and wrestle with the question of whether or not to hold services on Christmas day. It's ironic that so many this year are choosing to cancel services. Due to Christmas Day's falling on a Sunday this year many pastors and church staffs have decided that it is too much of a hassell to conduct service on that morning. It interupts family time and assures a low turn-out. It is amazing to me that these same Christians can be furious about the removal of Christmas from the secular community, yet find no alarm in the removal of Christ from the Sunday morning gathering. While Christians will go to war over Christmas, they will take a holiday from church.

This is simply another indicator of misplaced priorities. If Jesus is the "reason for the season" as so many quipp, then what does it mean to cancel services on Sunday because it is the day we celebrate Christmas? This seems like the most backward stand I have seen from our community and I am, frankly, dissapointed and saddened by it. Let's put the war aside, and let's put Christ back to the center of all seasons!