Tuesday, November 29, 2011
264 - The Holiday Above Every Holiday, Part 1
Spirituality Column #264
November 29, 2011
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)
The Holiday above Every Holiday, Part 1
By Bob Walters
“Names don’t matter” is not a famous quote but it certainly is a common, criticism-avoiding and politically correct sentiment in modern society.
Call things whatever you want, we say. “Be open-minded.” Don’t be tied down to “old” or “traditional” names for things. Be free and express yourself however you want. Certainly we wouldn’t want to offend anyone so let’s not call people “names.” But hey, “What’s in a name?” (Romeo & Juliet, II ii), anyway? And we all can recite the time-honored schoolyard taunt rebuttal, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never harm me.”
Yet … “names don’t matter” is the exact opposite of current social convention. Nothing in modern society matters more than names. Need proof? Just try calling Christmas “Christmas.”
You’ve likely noticed that we are currently amid the “Holiday Season”: Season’s Greetings, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, holiday music, Santa Claus, presents, school “holiday” shows, winter break, and all that. Yep, it’s the holidays, and it’s all legal.
The official federal holidays we celebrate in this “Holiday Season” are Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, another one on December 25th, and New Year’s Day on January 1. This leads me to write the following joke:
“Can you name the 10 official U.S. Federal Holidays?”
“Nobody can! Because you can’t say ‘Christmas.’”
Yep, 10 official U.S. holidays. I looked it up. They are listed in Title 5 of U.S. Code Section 6103. The 10 federal holidays, exactly as they are recognized and named by the United States government, are: New Year’s Day, the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Washington’s Birthday (official name – really – not “President’s Day”), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and, ahem, Christmas Day.
On Thanksgiving Day, names don’t matter. Leading up to Christmas Day, it seems, nothing else matters. As in, “Please, shop ‘til you drop and celebrate ‘til you pop but don’t call it Christmas!” At least … not in public.
Am I insensitive? On occasion – especially this occasion, Christmas – I suppose so. And yet, who is being insensitive? We strive mightily in current culture to be sure we don’t offend – with names – any person, any thing or any idea.
But it’s OK to offend, and even ignore, the name of Jesus Christ.
We’ll talk about that here over the next few weeks, without whining.
Clue: Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is heading toward Philippians 2:9. And in the spirit of helpful Christmas shopping hints, look for Walters’ book “Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary” at Lulu.com, ISBN 978-1-105-13454-8.
November 29, 2011
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)
The Holiday above Every Holiday, Part 1
By Bob Walters
“Names don’t matter” is not a famous quote but it certainly is a common, criticism-avoiding and politically correct sentiment in modern society.
Call things whatever you want, we say. “Be open-minded.” Don’t be tied down to “old” or “traditional” names for things. Be free and express yourself however you want. Certainly we wouldn’t want to offend anyone so let’s not call people “names.” But hey, “What’s in a name?” (Romeo & Juliet, II ii), anyway? And we all can recite the time-honored schoolyard taunt rebuttal, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never harm me.”
Yet … “names don’t matter” is the exact opposite of current social convention. Nothing in modern society matters more than names. Need proof? Just try calling Christmas “Christmas.”
You’ve likely noticed that we are currently amid the “Holiday Season”: Season’s Greetings, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, holiday music, Santa Claus, presents, school “holiday” shows, winter break, and all that. Yep, it’s the holidays, and it’s all legal.
The official federal holidays we celebrate in this “Holiday Season” are Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, another one on December 25th, and New Year’s Day on January 1. This leads me to write the following joke:
“Can you name the 10 official U.S. Federal Holidays?”
“Nobody can! Because you can’t say ‘Christmas.’”
Yep, 10 official U.S. holidays. I looked it up. They are listed in Title 5 of U.S. Code Section 6103. The 10 federal holidays, exactly as they are recognized and named by the United States government, are: New Year’s Day, the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Washington’s Birthday (official name – really – not “President’s Day”), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and, ahem, Christmas Day.
On Thanksgiving Day, names don’t matter. Leading up to Christmas Day, it seems, nothing else matters. As in, “Please, shop ‘til you drop and celebrate ‘til you pop but don’t call it Christmas!” At least … not in public.
Am I insensitive? On occasion – especially this occasion, Christmas – I suppose so. And yet, who is being insensitive? We strive mightily in current culture to be sure we don’t offend – with names – any person, any thing or any idea.
But it’s OK to offend, and even ignore, the name of Jesus Christ.
We’ll talk about that here over the next few weeks, without whining.
Clue: Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is heading toward Philippians 2:9. And in the spirit of helpful Christmas shopping hints, look for Walters’ book “Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary” at Lulu.com, ISBN 978-1-105-13454-8.
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