A Lake Elsinore, CA resident submitted the following op/ed to The Californian and my local paper was courageous enough to published it on December 23, 2009. Always eager to emphasize the reason for the season, we republish it here. My letter to the Californian concludes this post.
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
“Christmas Holiday Is Special — For Good Reason”
By Celina Tinsley
“What makes Christmas so special? Is it sharing warm memories over eggnog and cookies? The magic of glowing lights on a sparkling Christmas tree? Festive parties where we wear finery and exchange gifts? All these unique joys of the season set the tone, but the reason we celebrate Christmas is to honor the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In response to the secular humanism piece of Dec. 8, why celebrate Christmas without acknowledging its purpose? Whether people accept Christ and submit their lives to him is a personal choice, but he was also a historical figure. The Bible chronicles Jesus’ genealogy, life, death and resurrection. Yet if someone doubts the Bible, there are numerous other historical documents to confirm its accuracy, such as Greek manuscripts, the Babylonian Chronicles, and writings by Suetonius, Josephus, Pliny the Younger, and Lucian. People who would deny the historicity of the Bible should do their research.
History also teaches the importance of biblical ideals to the Renaissance. The invention of the printing press in the 1450s allowed Bibles to be printed and widely circulated, corresponding to the height of the Italian Renaissance. A study of Renaissance masterpieces reveals Christian influence: Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi, Michelangelo’s David and DaVinci’s The Last Supper.
History revisionists who deny the Christian foundations of our democracy ignore American history. This nation was built by Pilgrims who sought to establish a country founded on biblical Christianity. Despite attempts to deny this fact, historical documentation confirms this. The Mayflower Compact explains: “Haveing undertaken, (the journey) for the glorie of God, and advancemente of the Christian faith.” In the 1630s, the first public school and Harvard were both established to teach people to read the Bible and promote Christianity. Attempting to strip the United States of this Christian heritage is a form of discrimination, persecution and repression.
Humanism originally referred to the study of humanities such as language, art and rhetoric and existed in harmony with Christianity. Indeed, much of Western civilization’s progressive ideas can be traced back to the Bible. Can one imagine Shakespeare without Biblical allusions or Mozart’s Requiem without Jesus?
There is a growing revulsion against Christianity. Public schools and government are so hostile that even a legal mention of Christianity or the Bible can land someone in court or create controversy. Consider the powers around the world that disallow freedom of worship. Who would have this nation become like Saudi Arabia, China or North Korea? Capitalism needs choice, including freedom to worship.
Until humanity has the answers to every question in the vast expanse of the universe, I will follow God. He has bestowed the human mind with rational thought to explore his highly ordered universe through scientific inquiry. We should thank God for everything we have, including allowing us to live every day. But thank him most of all for his sacrifice to redeem us through his mercy and grace, which is the only reason to celebrate Christmas.”
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My letter:
Thanks so much for publishing Celina Tinsley’s excellent “Christmas holiday is special — for good reason.” Besides the excellent history lesson, Ms. Tinsley’s musings are a wake up call. Many in America want to deny our heritage and in so doing forfeit the core values that are the foundation of our strength, goodness, and prosperity. That we probably cannot stop the eroding of these values makes each succeeding Christmas season a more intense mixture of joy and sorrow: joy in the blessings of Jesus Christ, sadness that broad swathes of our national society reject His love, grace, and mercy. Pity.
Posted by Jerry Pomeroy in Guest Authors, Holiday Musings