This week saw the outside Christmas display erected at He of We’s. Display and erected may be a little ambitious for what is out there. A few small trees and some white lights bunched behind a primitive painting of the Nativity. Fortunately those expounding separating our state from our church haven’t wandered down He’s street where the birth of the Son of God is being celebrated en masse.
It’s the time of year for pretty trees and bright decorations, for Nativities from living to foam, for carolers and revelers. It’s also the time of year many Americans get crazy over political correctness. Yes there are still corporate memos distributed that say if you want to extend holiday greetings during the holiday season then those are the words you should use, “Holiday greetings.” But exactly what holiday is it that we are celebrating…Black Friday?
This year things are looking up for those who recognize the four freedoms include freedom OF religion (versus freedom FROM religion). A move is actually being made even by some politicians to recognize that the country was built on Judeo-Christian values and that we should start celebrating them. This includes a push to have the country’s motto displayed at public buildings including schools right there next to the country’s flag. It’s getting a little response from the anti-God groups but nothing like making sure we say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.
The motto itself is encouraging. It’s not from the 1700’s when everybody included God. It actually wasn’t adopted until 1956 when the country was coming out of back to back wars, revving up for another one, and needed God. It was about that same time, in 1954, that the words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. It was a time that America wasn’t afraid to recognize a Supreme Being.
What is that motto, anyway? It’s funny, we make sure it’s on our money, we just don’t talk about it much. In God we trust. It seems simple enough, especially at this time of year. After all, if not God, then who?
Now, that’s what we think. Really. How ‘bout you?
(Two years ago we wrote our first controversial post, not from our perspective but some thought so. We thought it was a very thoughtful and meaningful. We held off publishing it for a few weeks so we wouldn’t add to the holiday fuel of Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas. It’s still a good read. It’s a long read but we invite you to travel back in time with us and see why some truths are still self-evident. “We Hold These Truths,” is from January 13, 2012 in Uncategorized.)