As we approach the 25th of December, it's a time to think of what Christmas means to us. Does it have any religious meaning or are we too focused on our own interpretatio
The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, recently spoke out about the increasing secularisation of British modern society and its affect on the way we live our lives. And with Christmas just around the corner, the question is not what we are doing to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but whether we should even mark the occasion.
In December 2003, the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, Scotland, banned a Christmas CD because they felt that the mentioning of Jesus could offend non-Christians. Christmas cards depicting religious scenes have also been banned for the same reason. And in 1659, Christmas itself was banned in Boston and anyone celebrating it was punishable with a fine, due to a law which lasted for over 20 years.
But what is Christmas really about? Traditionally – and religiously – Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, the welcoming of the Lord and the Saviour of mankind. It is about remembering what happened on the night in the manger and thanking God for giving us his Son.
In our modern society, though, Christmas is about receiving (and giving) presents, having time off work or school and eating and drinking without having to worry about the responsibilities of getting up early the next morning. This has marked the shift away from the real meaning of Christmas. The lights, which represent the star of Bethlehem which the three wise men followed, are now just brightly coloured lights we decorate our houses, houses and gardens with; Christmas carols have generally been replaced with pop jingles; the Christmas trees, which are originally thought be of Pagan origin, are now ornamental in the corners of our rooms; Santa Claus is no longer Saint Nicholas (from the Dutch ‘'Sinterklaas') but is a burly man who gives us what we want – as long as we are good enough during the year. The real meaning of Christmas is disappearing.
It’s not just Christians who have raised their voices in protest against the banning of Christmas. People from all different faiths have spoken up in defence of Christmas and said that banning religious symbols is nonsense and doesn’t offend them. But in some ways it’s more than just this. By banning, or changing the mean of, Christmas, we are not only losing a tradition but we are losing the meaning of the whole festival. This time of year isn’t just an excuse for a holiday but is a time for rejoicing.
Even though we now live in multi-cultural countries, we mustn’t forget our roots. Christmas and Easter are still the recognised holiday periods around which whole countries’ working and education patterns are based. Religion has an influence on politics and the environment around us – just think of the church spires, stained glass windows and other symbols we can see in our daily lives.
So even if we do live among different religions and cultures who don’t want to celebrate Christmas, it’s important we don’t forget why billions of people around the globe do want to remember this time – the birth of Jesus. For this reason and this reason alone, it’s important that society isn’t interfered with too much and that it definitely isn’t secularised completely.
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