Christmas is right around the corner.
I just want to say Merry Christmas!
I hate it when all I hear is “happy holidays.” In America, we celebrate Christmas and other religious holidays. I’m tired of atheists trying to take away Christmas and what it means to billions around the world.
If you don’t believe in God, Jesus or Yahweh, Buddha or Allah and his prophet Muhammad, that’s great, but leave those of us who choose to believe in anything we want to alone. For those who say our founders were not Christians, I say look up the Thanksgiving Proclamation from President Washington. On Oct. 3, 1789, a “General Thanksgiving” was set for Thursday Nov. 26. The decree appointed the day to be observed by acknowledging with thankful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God.”
Some say they don’t celebrate Christmas and that’s why they say “happy holidays.” When I was in Kuwait in 1991 and was leaving a few days before Christmas, the Muslim soldiers wished us a Merry Christmas even though they don’t celebrate Christmas.
They knew we did and it didn’t oftend them at all.
When we lived in Germany from 1996 until 2000, I had co-workers who were Jewish and Muslim and neither of them were ofFended by me saying Frohe Weihnachten (that’s Merry Christmas in German). So why do we have to hear “happy holidays” in America?
The best thing about America is we have freedom of religion, not from religion.
You can worship as you see fit; if you want to worship a tree you can. We don’t care. If you want to believe in nothing at all, knock yourself out. We don’t care. But what we do care about is when atheists who make up 10 to 15 percent of America say we can’t put a manger or Star of David or the 10 Commandments up in a classroom or any other public area. That makes us mad. And if you say Jesus said to turn the other cheek, my answer to you is, why are you quoting someone you don’t believe in?
But atheists, be of good cheer. After all, when you ask for a holiday for atheists, a judge in Florida gave you April 1. To quote the judge and the Bible in Psalm 14:1 and 53:1, “A fool has said in his heart there is no God.” Thank you, judge, for giving the perfect day to atheists.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. Muslims celebrated Ramadan a few months ago.
MARVIN BAIR
Rogers
Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/02/2013