On Christmas Day, in the Morning
Frederick Clarkson printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Thu Dec 18, 2014 at 04:44:54 PM EST
In recent years at Christmastime, I have posted a response to the preposterous-but-malevolent claims broadcast on Fox News and elsewhere that there is a War on Christmas. Slightly revised and updated -- FC

Christmas has at least as many meanings as there are people, whether they celebrate the holiday or believe in any of the story, or not. It affects us all. There is hardly a more defining day in all of our culture, and it embraces the best and the worst of what we have become as a people.

In that regard, it is sad that the Religious Right and the dour propagandists at Fox News annually revive the repulsive anti-Semitic tradition begun by Henry Ford:  Falsely claiming that there is a War on Christmas.
As Chip Berlet reported here at Talk to Action in 2007:

Here is a gem from the past:

"And it has become pretty general.  Last Christmas most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated Someone's Birth."

Where and when did this appear?  Take a guess. Bill O'Reilly?  Wrong. Again. World Net Daily?  Nope... read on... Here is some more of the text:

"Easter they will have the same difficulty in finding Easter cards that contain any suggestion that Easter commemorates a certain event.  There will be rabbits and eggs and spring flowers, but a hint of the Resurrection will be hard to find."

Still not clear?    

"Now, all this begins with the designers of the cards.  And even in this business one comes upon that same policy of declaring Anti-Semitic everything that is Christian.  If Rabbi Coffey says the New Testament is the most Anti-Semitic book ever written, what must be the judgement on an Easter card that is truly an Easter card?"
Getting an inkling?  How about this text?
"There has not been any 'persecution' of the Jews in the United States and never will be any, but all that the Jews have had to carry in the way of misunderstanding has been the result of the leadership which has misled them into paths of bloated ambition, instead of substantial human achievement."

Year? 1921. Source? One of the nastiest antisemitic tracts ever published in English: The International Jew:  The World's Foremost Problem, Chapter 36.

Originally published as an article, "'Jewish Rights' to Put Studies Out of Schools," THE DEARBORN INDEPENDENT, issue of 19 March 1921. Collected in: Henry Ford and the staff of the Dearborn Independent, The International Jew:  The World's Foremost Problem. 1920-1922, Vols. 1-4.  Chapter 36: "Jewish Rights" to Put Studies Out of Schools.

I have always been a little surprised that as a society we do not do a better job in response to the Fox News-led war on Christmas meme. (Although Bill Berkowitz took it on -- twice -- this year.) (The bogus and related meme that liberal secularists are trying to drive people of faith from public life and religious expression from the public square was even internalized by elements in the Democratic Party for awhile, and this undoubtedly confused the issue.)

But what I really want to highlight is that even within the alleged cabal of the secular liberal media -- there is a quarter century public radio broadcast tradition that honors and celebrates the holiday in a remarkable and joyous fashion.  My local NPR affiliate, WFCR - FM (Five College Radio, operated by the University of Massachusetts, and Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire, and Amherst Colleges) joins in the annual airing of the Christmas eve BBC broadcast from King's College, Cambridge of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Former WFCR classical music host John Montanari wrote

No two hours in New England Public Radio's entire yearly schedule are as eagerly anticipated as are 10:00 to noon, Eastern Standard Time, on the 24th of December.  That's when one of the oldest continuing traditions in broadcasting, dating back to 1928, is renewed for new and old audiences alike. We could or would no more not broadcast A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols than we could or would forestall the lengthening of days following the winter solstice.

Like all beloved traditions, "Lessons and Carols" remains comfortingly consistent, while also constantly refreshing itself with new elements.

It is aired nationally on many NPR stations by American Public Media.

I'll be listening when it is re-broadcast:  On Christmas Day, in the morning.



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On Christmas Day, in the Morning | 11 comments (11 topical, 0 hidden)
The same old tired "War" (5.00 / 1)
Who was it who said that, "if there is no news, then make some?" The mighty "warriors" to preserve Christmas use either gross exaggeration, misapprehension or misidentification to make their points.

What is antisemitic is the war on Judaism by those who want to turn them into Bible believing Christians. If you can't kill the person, just kill their religion. A similar game only without guns, poison gas and ovens. Much cleaner. Yet the despised UN lists doing that as a real form of genocide. Cultural genocide, but still listed as.

by Nightgaunt on Mon Dec 22, 2014 at 05:55:58 PM EST


Phooey (2.00 / 1)
There is a war on Christian belief, and the wicked fascist Henry Ford did not have to tell us, we experience it every day. But here I was thinking that it was Gentile as well as Jewish opposition! And there are these guys like Leonard Cohen, who sometimes have such Jesus Christ-positive things to say. Oh, well, you learn something new every day. The ironies are too many. One is the irony that you only accuse us of being anti-Semitic, crowding us in falsely with Ford, etc, because you know that we are the ones who don't want to be called that. No one else cares anymore, because antisemitism is the new cool, and in that mindset, no one minds being called an antisemite. Only us, but who needs powerless friends like us? And there is the irony of that attack on believing Christians for being so mean awhile back as to deny that Mitt Romney's Mormonism was Christianity. No matter that Mormonism has a different god, a different savior, a different gospel and salvation, a different whole cosmology. What right have we to withstand all of that? After all, all that's important is that we be painted with the brush of slippery slope to "Dominionism". The irony: you neglected to notice (or care?) that Mormon scripture itself prophesies Mormon dominion, a Mormon America. Those of us unfortunate enough to receive this newsletter, subscribed because we were against Dominionism: we fear it, and those of us who are here who believe in Jesus, felt that we had to get dragged into this, to tell all that we could that this is evil and that it does not come from our Lord, who said Hos kingdom was NOT of this world, or else His followers would fight. But the fact the charismatic Dominionists say that we need to take over Seven Mountains (of culture) and sit on them, is evidence that we have nothing in agreement with them, and that they are actually enemies of Biblical faith--just like you are. Lastly, I have unsubscribed from this 20-30 times, I bet, yet you ignore my requests, in order to harass me with this garbage. PLEASE honor my requests and quit sending this to me!

by mcfirefly on Fri Dec 19, 2014 at 01:41:06 PM EST
There is no war, mcfirefly (5.00 / 2)
and although site administration is episodic these days, I think I have figured out how to make sure you do not get any further mail from us.

As for your broad brush claims about the writers here at Talk to Action, it is a lot easier to make claims like yours when you have no facts.

Many Christians, including Christian ministers, have published here over the years. Some are evangelicals. We all value religious pluralism and disagree with those who do not. We have been clear as a Christmas bell about that since the very beginning.

Judge not, that ye be not judged, mcfirefly. And then have yourself a Merry Christmas surrounded by a Happy Holiday season.

by Frederick Clarkson on Sat Dec 20, 2014 at 07:45:41 PM EST
Parent


Sorry for your oppression (5.00 / 1)
Mr. McFirefly -- I personally am glad that you are happy in your faith.  I know many Christians who are.  They are good people.

Now -- I wish that you would afford those who do not believe as you do the same courtesy that I have extended to you.  You subscribed to Talk 2 Action because you are concerned about dominionists.  So am I.  So are many people who know of them.

But I am also concerned about persons who demand that fine definitions be made among the various groups that identify as "Christian," and yet seem so vehement against those who may deliver messages that they don't like or with which they disagree.

For the record, I am Wiccan, or Pagan, if you will.  I am very happy with my religion, too.  Because of Hollywood and other misdirection (some done--as in the case of Christians--by some self-described Wiccans that I would cross the street to avoid!), you probably don't know much about my actual religion, but it is one of a positive path.  I'll leave it there.

Christmas is basically an overlay over out Yule -- but that's okay.  We, too, believe our child of promise, or god of the waxing year, is born at this time, so it makes sense that early Christians decided that there was a good fit.  And much of the imagery in Christmas--Stags, holly, ivy, mistletoe, Christmas trees -- come straight from (I won't say OUR traditions) traditions that pre-date Christianity.

Also, I for one love the religious Christmas songs.  They are great music, and again, many of them -- especially ones from the British Isles -- are more Pagan than Christian in their imagery.  That's okay, we can share.

I am aware that Christianity is a proselytizing religion, and that you folks really do believe that yours is the only way.  That's where we diverge.  Unfortunately, there are personality types attracted to formal structures like organized religion who are nasty (inquisitions, etc.)  It's not YOUR fault, but neither should you be complaining that Talk 2 Action should only be reporting on sects you don't like!  As a member (for 40 years) of a minority religion, I am used to being tolerant of what others think.  Some of it has to do with their own emotional age and their backgrounds, and adhering to a particular set of beliefs (or brand of beliefs) is all they can do at a particular time.

Could you please do us the honor of acknowledging that there are those of us around who have beliefs that aren't the same as yours?

Merry Christmas and Happy Yule to you!

by coralsea on Sun Dec 21, 2014 at 10:48:01 PM EST
Parent



Addendum (none / 0)
But thanks, guys, for the instructive video on Morningstar. I still send people there if I can find a URL. It is truly helpful, and we thank you.

by mcfirefly on Fri Dec 19, 2014 at 01:55:12 PM EST

Logic? (none / 0)
1. Henry Ford was an anti-Semite.
2. Henry Ford talked about attempts to remove references to Jesus at Christmas.
3. Therefore anyone who is concerned about removal of references to Jesus at Christmas is an anti-Semite.

Really? If you accept that type of reasoning, what about the Democratic convention in 2012 where restoring "language from the 2008 platform that identified Jerusalem as the capital of Israel" failed three times in voice votes? Huffington

You can also count me among those who follow your site because of concerns about Dominionism. I was officially voted out of my previous church for voicing concerns within the denomination about the unethical marketing of the affiliated elementary school. God help us all if people like the leaders there ever get into positions of real power.

by RalphDaveWestfall on Mon Dec 22, 2014 at 06:45:43 PM EST

There is no war on Christmas (5.00 / 1)
but indeed, the idea that there is one was invented by Henry Ford and was an outgrowth of his antisemitism.
Adopting such shrill rhetoric polarizes us, instead of drawing us together as a people of many faiths.

This is not to say that there are not plenty of bumps along the way. It is not always easy.  

My personal wish this holiday season is that more of those who feel that their Christian faith is being marginalized or maligned, to consider those Americans of minority faiths and those of no faith, and see how they see the world. There are few enemies of religious freedom among them -- and a whole lot of allies.  

by Frederick Clarkson on Mon Dec 22, 2014 at 08:58:33 PM EST
Parent

Another Logic Issue (none / 0)
Hi Frederick:

Even if "the idea that there is one [a war on Christmas] was invented by Henry Ford," deriving any conclusions from the source is an example of the "genetic fallacy." See the Wikipedia page on that.

FWIW I've made that error myself in the past.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays.

by RalphDaveWestfall on Tue Dec 23, 2014 at 10:55:27 PM EST
Parent

My point was different (5.00 / 1)
Those who are continuing to wave the (fake) bloody shirt of the war on Christmas are, wittingly or unwittingly, carrying this ugly tradition forward.  Prior to Ford, no one was saying that there was a war on Christmas.

This is something for people of good will to consider, if, that is if they wish others to consider them to be people of good will.

Even where there are the normal tensions and disagreements of a democratic and religiously plural society, for some people to say that there is a "war" on their sacred holiday, is an act of high hyperbole, and generates only hate, suspicion and fear -- pitting people against one another at a time when Christians are looking to their favorite time of year, a time of peace and goodwill.

My holiday wish is that people of goodwill will snap out of it.  There is no war on Christmas. And all of our Christmases will be merrier and our holidays happier, if the rhetoric of "war" can be ratcheted down during the season of peace.

by Frederick Clarkson on Wed Dec 24, 2014 at 12:12:26 PM EST
Parent

Not so (none / 0)
"carrying this ugly tradition forward"

Oh come now, Frederick. This isn't a tradition. And nobody is carrying it forward. It's simply a reaction to the obnoxious efforts of a noisy claque of atheists who want to censor all references to longstanding, genuine traditions out of public view. If you want the resulting objections to stop, address the root cause.

BTW did you read the explanation of the genetic fallacy?

by RalphDaveWestfall on Thu Jan 08, 2015 at 06:46:27 PM EST
Parent






Hello (none / 0)
The War on Christmas is a ridiculous claim that is broadcast on Fox News and other conservative media outlets. Kobe Bryant There is no War on Christmas, and the claim that there is one is simply a way to stir up fear and division among people. The War on Christmas is a made-up problem that does not exist.

by isabelladom on Sun Nov 06, 2022 at 10:52:59 PM EST

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