When did we become a society in which wishing someone a "merry Christmas" is an act of valor?

Ah the Christmas season! That wonderful time of year when the elites dispatch thousands of lawyers to stamp out all traces of what the holiday means to us faithful whilst (and at the same time) flailing us with our own beliefs to donate more and more cash to their favorite charities. Such hypocrisy is bested only by our own wimpiness in buying the sham.

Yes, we should give to the poor, yes Christmas time (winter) is a peak time of need that we believers need to be aware of and to respond to in a Christian manner. What we don't need to do is stand idly by while this greatest of holidays gets destroyed more and more with each passing year until nothing is left but a societal obligation to donate to the right causes.

Twenty years ago it was common to question the "commercialization" of Christmas. Next thing I knew, it became "X-mas." This year, it seems to have morphed into "The Holiday." Sounds like something from a bad sci-fi book — the-day-whose-name-cannot-be-mentioned. Are we really that far gone?

The same people who demand that we respect Ramadan, and not offend the sensibilities of Muslims, are offending the heck out of us Christians. These people hate Christ so much that the very mention of his name has been deemed harmful. One wonders where these people come from.

I went to an office party where the hostess stood and wished us all a "merry-er-happy holiday."  I stood up and loudly wished her a "Merry Christmas" to funny stares and hateful glances. A co-worker late congratulated me on my bravery.

Who is he kidding? When did we become a society in which wishing someone a "merry Christmas" became an act of valor? Did all the Christians all turn and run from the holiday scene? Did we lose the battle when the Christmas Season became the Holiday Season? Did X-mas slay Christmas?

No, we did. We the people let this happen. We allowed the PC crowd to dictate that our Christ is BAD and must be stamped out of the public lexicon with all dispatch. It seems that Osama Bin Laden enjoys more public support than Jesus — especially at this time of year (pray for your enemies, etc..) and We have let those who hate us use our beliefs against us until we feel compelled to ignore our truths and embrace those of others. Can't say "Christmas" ya know! People will stare!

Well? Let them stare. I enjoy Christmas, the celebration of the virgin birth of the Christ child — that child who would die a painful, horrible death on the cross for me, and my sins. The Christ who came to us out of love and faith asking us only to believe in him and we would be saved. And we are afraid to mention his very name in public??? See Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, then ask yourself since he gave so much, why we cannot bare to utter his name.

We cannot put the "Christ" in "Christmas" because Christmas IS Christ. It IS the birth of hope, of love, of peace.  This is HIS day. Christ's day. The very least we can do is proudly utter his name.

I don't wish anybody a "Happy Holiday." I wish them a "Merry Christmas." I know that archeologists and historians believe now that Jesus was born in March of April, but December 25th is the day we celebrate his birth. And in so doing, we engage in acts of charity (the more charitable of us do so anonymously and do not seek to recoup at tax time).

To shy away from the name of my savior is to shy away from him as well. I cannot bring myself to do that.  I give to charities and causes that I deem appropriate, not necessarily the "correct" charities. I give to my family because it is far better for me to do so than the government. My beliefs tell me so.

Jesus the Christ was born to us. That is fact. We chose to celebrate this miracle on the 25th of December for whatever reason — pagan holiday, Roman holiday, is makes little difference to me. A day for rejoicing in the gift that God has given us is a day to stand up and rejoice. And I do rejoice with a glad heart knowing that God is good to me, and mine.

And if anybody gets offended by my use of the name "Jesus" or "Christ" then that isn't my problem. Maybe their lack of faith is like an alcoholic's initial resistance to AA. Someday the seed I plant may bear fruit — but I gotta plant it first. How many of you will join me in wishing the world a "Merry Christmas?"