Question of the Week: Do you think America is taking Christ out of Christmas?

By DUANE NOLLEN
The Oskaloosa Herald

December 12, 2005 11:09 am

— Thirty-eight people responded to the Question of the Week posed last Monday on the community forum at oskaloosaherald.com.
I posed the question: “How well do you think Iowa will do against the Urban Meyer-coached Florida Gators?
Of the 38 voters, 6 — 15.79 percent — said “They’re going to blow them out”; 18 — 47.37 percent — said “It’ll be a close game, but they’ll pull it out. Remember LSU?”; 9 — 23.68 percent — said “It’ll be a close game, but they’ll take this one on the chin”; and 5 — 13.16 percent — said “They’ll get blown out.”
The Question of the Week poll is not scientific and only reflects the opinions of those Internet users who have chosen to participate. The Question of the Week is just another way the Herald’s readers can voice their opinions about issues that affect them.
This week’s Question of the Week will deal with political correctness, commercialism and the Christmas holiday.
In the name of the All Mighty Dollar, many retailers began decking their halls with Christmas merchandise right after Halloween. To me, it just did not seem right to be peddling Christmas gifts when Thanksgiving was still about a month away. I know with gas and heating oil prices on the rise that many retailers wanted to get a head start on the Christmas shopping season, and being a supporter of free market economics, I know that makes sense. But, it also demeans two holidays important in America’s Christian tradition — Thanksgiving and Christmas. I may not go to church as often as I should, but to me Christmas is more than just a time to wallow in mere materialism. It is a time to be thankful for the birth of Jesus Christ and to celebrate family togetherness — because you never know if everyone will be around for Christmas next year.
Going hand in hand with the overly commercial trend of Christmas is the politically correct thought police doing its best to purge Christmas of Christ.
In schools, students can’t have Christmas parties, they’re “holiday parties.” At stores, no one wishes you a “Merry Christmas,” it’s “Happy holidays.” A store chain banned Salvation Army bell ringers and kettles from its premises.
What is America coming to?
So as not “offend” anybody with a religious holiday greeting, here’s my secular holiday wish for you all: “Have a happy Outback Bowl Day.” (Go Hawks!)
The Question of the Week: “Do you believe America is taking Christ out of Christmas? Yes or No?”
People can vote on the community forum at The Herald’s Web site, oskaloosaherald.com, from Monday to noon on Friday. Then, votes will be tabulated and published next Monday.

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