The past few weeks have been filled with stress. There are final exams, a lame duck Congress that fails at doing anything, Wikileaks may shut down, the list goes on. However, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma has been doing a very nice job of keeping my stress in line by saying some incredibly stupid and hilarious things about the so-called war on Christmas.
I am an atheist, which means I do not believe in God or religion or whatever. I'm also very arrogant, which leads to my atheism. I do not like the idea of someone controlling my destiny, or the idea of fate. My whole attitude on the matter is "Screw it. I can make my own choices. I've got control over my life."
All the same, I do enjoy the, as they call in it England, Festive Season. I blast the Christmas stations on the radio, to sing along with Bruce Springsteen and mock Josh Groban, cut down a Christmas tree every year with my dad and sister, wear light-up Reindeer antlers without shame, and bake and consume copious amounts of holiday cookies.
I'm not going to object to the gas station having Christmas lights or the store having a Santa. Santa is not a religious object. He is an object of a consumer-based society educating its children that gifts are the most important thing. and oh my God, i can't believe I just said something like that. I am both amused, shocked, and disgusted with myself. Santa is awesome, if a little creepy. I'm not going to object to some kid believing in the impossible. I spent years believing the giants would win a World Series.
No, the "Christmas" displays of lights and Santa and reindeer don't get to me much, other than being incredibly tacky and usually quite hideous. Two things get to me during the holidays. The "War on Christmas" the right wing loves so much, and overtly religious displays.
Christmas is not the only holiday in December. You've got Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, the list goes on. So why does the right-wing call it the war on Christmas and say atheists hate Christianity? We really don't. We don't believe, but we do not hate.
What I personally hate is how only one holiday is recognized in the month of December. I'm half Jewish and half Christian, and identify as neither, but I'd like to see all my holidays get fair representation. If you have a Santa on public property, put up a menorah or a Star of David. Or at least just avoid religion all together and do snowflakes. On private property, do whatever you want, but don't make me look at it.
People never complain about the war on Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or the Winter Solstice. It's always the war on Christmas. Why? I think we are living in a Christian nation, and that makes me uncomfortable. Yes, there is no state religion. Yes, there is a separation between church and state. Is it enforced? No. England, which has a state religion, has less overtly religious displays than in United States, which does not.
So, to Jim Inhofe and all those fundies out there who see a war on Christmas, we atheists do not hate you. We don't hate the holidays, because who honestly hates bad music and tacky decorations and egg-nog and lots of food?
What we hate is how the Christian right is trying to force their beliefs down our throats while silencing all other religions.
Wait. How is that different from the rest of the year?