We’re heading into the holidays. Soon you will start hearing Christmas music in the stores. Listen to it closely. Most of it will be secular. Santa, Rudolf, snow, and so on. What you won’t hear this Christmas is Christian Christmas music……..The First Noel, Silent Night, The Little Drummer Boy. This is also happening on TV. Watch the Hallmark channel. They run a series of Christmas shows……pretty much year round. But, the themes of these shows are “the magic of Christmas” or romances set around the holidays……lots of Christmas trees and snow. But, Christ is not a big part of the Christmas shows that are aired on TV.
Why?
Because, as Christians, we have been run out of the public forum. A small minority of vocal atheists have complained so much that businesses and the media have intentionally excluded our music. This is no accident. In a word, these businesses, not to mention our own government actively discriminate against us.
Recently, I was staying at a resort. There was a singer performing in the lobby one Sunday evening and she chose a set of Christian themed songs. It was so nice to hear this music……..my music……in public. But it was so unusual that it was remarkable. Then I realized that……as a Christian…..throughout my country……I have been subjected to anti-Christian bias. The idea of “separation of church and state” has grown into the concept that Christians are not allowed any place in public to be heard. It’s ok for us to talk to each other in church……..but in public we are expected to sit down and shut up. I once read a book on Christianity by an ex-president and he said as much.
I’m not asking that every song and every show sound like a church service. But, it would be nice if we were not completely excluded either. It would be nice to hear a religious Christmas song every now and then at the mall.
In a way, Christians are being treated the way blacks and gays were treated when I was young. You never saw a TV show about a black family. You never heard a song about a gay person on the radio. Fortunately, the treatment of blacks and gays in the media and in the public forum has improved. Maybe it’s time to allow Christians a place back in the public forum as well. Equal billing would be great.
So……… I’m going to say thanks when I see or hear a business or the government publicly recognize me as a Christian. And I’m going to go out of my way to support businesses that play Christian christmas music this winter.