Let’s Abolish Christmas
by Gary DeMar
12/24/2007

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The Christmas season brings out the best and worst in people; it also brings out the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). In fact, Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the FFRF, states, “The state shouldn’t have a Christmas anything. It’s not supposed to observe religious holidays.”1 I wonder if she really believes this. I bet she doesn’t, or if she does, she won’t act on her consistency because the majority of Americans would tar and feather her.

Let’s see how serious the people at the FFRF are when we force them to live consistently with their claim that the State should get out of recognizing religious holidays, especially Christmas. Here’s what I propose. All government employees should no longer be able to claim December 25th as a paid holiday because to do so would be an endorsement of the Christian religion. Not only does the State recognize the birth of Christ on this day, it pays for millions of people to recognize the birth of Christ. Abolishing this government subsidy in support of a religious holiday would also mean that public (government) schools would also have to stay open on December 25th. The schools could not hide behind the “Winter Holiday” smoke screen. Students would have to come back on December 25th as a way to show that the State is not endorsing a religious holiday.

In addition, to be consistent, all government employees should have to work on Saturdays and Sundays. Allowing government workers off on these days is an endorsement of religion. Saturday is a religious day for Jews, and Sunday is a religious day for Christians. Public schools should also be opened on Saturday and Sunday because they are observed as religious days. We don’t want to give the impression that government is endorsing religion by giving these days off. I believe we could eliminate all the controversy every Christmas by forcing these anti-Christian legal groups to be consistent. Here’s my proposal: “If you really believe what you claim, then go all the way. Go to court and stop the State celebration of Christmas by mandating that all government employees must work on December 25th.” The majority of Americans would rebel. And that would be a good thing.

Please, if you’re an anti-Christmas Christian, please don’t email me to tell me that Christmas is a pagan holiday. I’ve heard the arguments for years. Celebrating the birth of Christ is not pagan.

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