This was an email forward that I received this week. Somebody wrote up about the war on Christmas and religious persecution using "The Night Before Christmas" and changing the words. I was just going to write a normal blog ranting about all the things I disagreed with about it but then, while talking to a friend about it, got the idea to do the same thing but as a rebuttal. So below is the original email that annoyed me to no end and then below that is what I wrote.
Original:
Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying nor taking a stand.
Why the PC Police had taken away
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-Pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,
not Happy Holiday !
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!
If you agree please forward, if not, simply delete.
Rebuttal:
Twas the month before Xmas and that time of year
For some Christians to bother anyone who would hear:
"You're ruining Christmas with your "Holiday" trash
Just stick with Merry Christmas and we'll no longer clash!
Put Christ back in Christmas and we'll have a swell season
Christian or not, there is only one reason!"
"They've taken our faith!" they exclaimed with a clatter
"We can't talk about Jesus or the things we think matter!"
While the truth really is that we all have free speech
and our government doesn't control what you preach.
You're welcome to say what you want in your church
In private, to family, that's a reasonable perch
But to complain that publicly-paid institutions
Won't bow down to your "Christian" rights resolutions
Is a misunderstanding of Church and of state
And how they're separate; I'll illustrate:
In exchange for permission to believe what you want
and the freedom to practice all the faith that you flaunt;
your religion has no say, (and this isn't a flaw)
in deciding the things that should or shouldn't be law.
Now Muslims, now Hindus, now Buddists and Jews
Atheists or any other stand that you choose
Don't they get a vote, shouldn't they get a say
In how we all celebrate this pagan holiday?
The real meaning of Christmas, from when it first started
Is all about Mithras and from that we've departed
Each year he is actually re-born in December
He's the Sun God and I hope you'll always remember
On the shortest and darkest day of the year
He returns to us and for that we can cheer
The return of long and warm days to come
Due to Mithras each day growing some
So please join me in joy of this festival season
And remember Mithras is the true, ORIGINAL reason
Please all people, join together in enjoying warm houses, food and drinks in this cold weather, being a little extra generous to your fellow man and understanding that nobody has the monopoly on this holiday.
Please wish everyone you meet some form of good will statement that conveys your wishes for joy and peace.
Happy Holidays! Merry Mithras Day! Seasons Greetings! Merry Christmas!
