Merry Christmas---Or Not

When I was in grade school we had a school prayer and  said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning.  Although I remember why that stopped, I couldn't remember exactly when.  The pray was stopped, but we still recited the pledge every day and sometimes sang “My Country Tis of Thee”.  We still celebrated Christmas and sang carols in the halls.  It never occurred to me there was anything wrong with it.

Almost all the stores were closed on Sundays and holidays.  Going Christmas shopping on Thanksgiving was never even considered.  It's not so much that I have a problem with that.  It just seems unfair to the store employees that would like to be home sharing Thanksgiving with their families.

In those days Perry was predominantly a Christian community.  We went to church on Sundays and release time religious education once a week.  But with Christianity there are many denominations---Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Presbyterian, United Methodist, Free Methodist, Episcopal, and Full Gospel---and that's not even all within a few minutes of downtown Perry.  That's the beauty of the first Amendment of our Constitution.  It gives everyone the right to practice their religious beliefs in their own way---or not at all.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Ratified December 15, 1791”

The law doesn't say you can't say a prayer in public, or display a nativity scene on your lawn at Christmas.  If someone doesn't share your belief, they should at least respect your right to express it.  Considering how commercialized and materialistic Christmas has become with all the advertizing and gift buying, the whole reason for the holiday is almost buried in the back ground. People who don't share the religious beliefs that are the reason for the holiday, don't need to take offense if someone says Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays.  Whether or not one believes, when some one says Merry Christmas during the “holiday” season they are wishing you well.

In the doctors' office where I worked at Highland Hospital, one doctor was Catholic, one was Jewish and another was Hindu.  On Christmas the Jewish doctor covered for the Christian doctors, and the man from Katmandu said he liked all the holidays and enjoyed the Christmas festivities. We wished each other Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah and had Christmas decorations in the office.  No one took offense.

So if I wish you a Merry Christmas and you don't believe, that's your privilege.  I am simply exercising my right to free speech and religion.  You have a nice day anyway.

Chris Myers