With Christmas right around the corner, many in the public have expressed their annoyance at the spotlight on the "War on Christmas," and particularly at Bill O'Reilly's persistence in denouncing those who disrespect the holiday.
Even the Fox News host's fans think he's warranting the Christmas controversies – such as the much publicized atheist sign that was allowed at the Washington State Capitol near a nativity scene – too much time on his popular program, "The O'Reilly Factor."
"Some viewers have written to me complaining that we're over-covering the Christmas controversies," O'Reilly said on his show this week. "They say the subject isn't really that important."
"Well, they're wrong," he emphatically stated.
He justified his response by explaining the history behind Christmas – not the birth of Jesus story but the political history. In 1870, he explained, Christmas was established as a federal holiday and was meant to unite Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War.
"President [Ulysses S.] Grant realized that Christmas was one of the few things that Americans had in common [and] that just about everybody back then respected the holiday," O'Reilly said.
Today, Americans are once again divided, the news host noted, but this time over social issues such as marriage.
And he accuses secular-progressives of assaulting traditional beliefs and institutions, with the help of media and large funds.
Although they have made gains over the past decade, O'Reilly believes secular progressives "remain frustrated because religious Americans still far outnumber them and the religious Americans are standing in the way of a truly secular country."
"Thus, religion itself has to be diminished," O'Reilly further explained. "And what is the biggest religious display? Christmas."
"That's why you're seeing all the nonsense."
Some of that "nonsense" includes retailers promoting "Happy Holidays" over the words "Merry Christmas" in ads and greetings by employees.
The more prominent Christmas controversy this year, however, is atheists trying to display their own signs on public property, alongside Christmas displays. And a few states, including Washington, have allowed it.
The sign at the Washington State Capitol states, "There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens our hearts and enslaves our minds."
Dan Barker, co-president of Freedom from Religion Foundation which is behind the atheist sign, told Fox News that this time of year is "not a Christian tradition" but a "human tradition" and that a nativity scene at the capitol "insults" those who are not Christian.
Washington governor Chris Gregoire's decision to permit the atheist sign next to a nativity scene drew complaints and sparked controversy. Last week, Washington state officials placed a moratorium on permitting any more holiday displays at the Capitol until they rework their policy on displays.
"[I]t is inconceivable that Ulysses S. Grant, believing he finally had a slam-dunk issue in which to unite a fractured country, could have foreseen the social civil war we have today," O'Reilly stated in a Thursday commentary. "Sadly, we are no longer one nation under God. But those of us who truly understand the spirit of Christmas, the simple message of good will toward all men, understand that Ulysses S. Grant was on to something. Christmas should be a time of peace and understanding. It's sad that we now have to defend that."
RSS
When Christ is shut out of government you get what we have here in America today.
A government that gives it's authority to the killing of four thousand babies everyday through abortion.
You have a government that lends it's support and authority to the homosexual agenda.
You have a government that does not represent a large marjority of it's people.
Shut Christ out of this government and you have a government that is attempting to silence a large portion of America called the Church.
No, and a thousand times no, When America shuts God out of government and society America will be shut down.
And worship any god you please, But don't attempt to shut Christians down.
artm,
I am being honest. Putting words in other people's mouths, as you are doing, is dishonest. I don't care if you worship Jesus, Zeus, or Wotan. Believe it or not, this is not about you. In fact, it is not even about Christmas. This persecution bit is getting really tiresome.
Nobody cares if you celebrate Christmas or what you worship. The rest of us are simply sick of Christians taking for granted that everyone is celebrating the same thing they are, or that they should. Most of all, we are sick of our government taking the same position. Nobody cares if you put crosses or mangers or donkeys in your yard. We just don't want our government, which is supposed to represent all of us, to do the same.
wfsmd, those secular Folk who gripe about Christmas couldn't care less about santa, ot presents, It's Jesus that turns them off.
Christmas is about Jesus. It's about the Birth of the Son of God, for some reason that is offensive to many people.
You say you don't want religion endorsed by the government, That's a cop out, your not telling the truth, you don't want Jesus worshiped in America. Be honest.
homoousia316,
I think you hit the nail on the head.
artm,
Wow. I found someone as paranoid as myself on the other side! I can assure you that secular folk do not care if you celebrate Christmas. They just don't want religion endorsed by their government.
I rec'd this email this morning...thought I's share it.
*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet.....
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the
Christ-mas Season!
Don't worry, If the Democrats have their Liberal way, there wan't be a " Christ-Mas " or any public mention of Christ,
Just gay marriage,silence in the Church, Abortion on demand, and a Card that allows you to function in this country.
I know, heaven forbid that our leaders actually talk about something RELEVANT, like the tanking economy, deteriorating foreign situation, or rapid depletion of energy reserves. No, there's something much more important at stake here, which is whether we call it a "Christmas tree" or a "holiday tree." What a joke. When the conservatives can't think of anything else to say, they just whine, whine, whine that people different from them exist.
O'Reilly just loves to bang on his high chair and watch his ratings go up. The man should be conducting his newscasts in a diaper.
Christmas is just a small part of the problem. There is an affort in America to silence the Church, and to take every vistage of Christ out of the public square, and out of the political arena.
To answer the question the article's title asks, "Yes."
O'Reilly needs to let it go. Go take your meds Bill.
for me the Battle over the term," Christmas " is not about Santa, or Gifts, It is because of Christ that people want it done away with.
For millions of Christians Christmas, Celebrates the Birth of Christ, I believe that is the problem for many people.
They don't want Christ to be mentioned, do away with Christ in Christmas, and there would be no problem.