Sermon On The Blog: The Enemy Of Mine Enemy In This Phoney "War On Christmas"

Many a war has been won or lost because of alliances forged with strange bedfellows.

The alleged War on Christmas is no exception.

The "faithful" pray for the God of Abraham to smite the infidels (aka "money-grubbing" merchants) --whose non-denominational battle cry is "Happy Holidays"-- and their secular foot soldiers (aka "shoppers") who respond in kind. And the "faithful" also donate generously to those who raise the cross and march into the Godless first-amendment fray. But what of the internal "war" between religious moderates and their extremist brethren?

Moderate Example:

Brent Walker, executive director of the Washington-based Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has said...

"But often it's quite appropriate to wish another 'happy holidays' or 'season's greetings.' It's just a matter of good manners and common courtesy. If I am talking to a person whose religious affiliation I do not know, I will employ the more general greeting. And the same goes for merchants who have advertised goods to Americans of many religious traditions who may or may not celebrate Christmas."

Extremist Example:

According to Bill O'Reilly, the true meaning of Christmas depends on using colored lights instead of white lights.

Think I'm kidding? Watch the video.

So what's an atheist "Good will toward everybody" type to do? Align him/herself with the moderates?

According to The New Humanist, that's exactly what we should do:

After the most recent attempted suicide bombings in Britain, national newspapers carried a full-page advertisement by Muslim organisations condemning the bombings and dissociating themselves from them. What are we supposed to say? “You’re just as bad”? That would be madness. They need our encouragement, and we need their help.

We have problems enough in the world. The threats of climate change, global poverty, war and repression and intolerance can never be countered unless we are prepared to work together on the basis of a shared humanity.

Hm. So atheists and the "I don't give a fat figgy pudding" set are supposed to fight extremists along with those who hate both gays and O'Reilly equally? With those who want judges to control a woman's reproductive system? With those who would call you un-American because you would defend the US Constitution to the death but would deny them their 10 commandments monuments displayed on public property?

Looks like a slippery "we'll deal with you after we've finished dealing with them" slope to me.

Thus endeth today's sermon.

Go forth today and ponder your answer to this all-important question:

At which end should the faithful break their eggs: at the big end or at the little end?

Just think about it before you answer.

I mean it, damn it!


Best bar bet in the world: Delilah didn't do it.
Judges 16:19-- And she made him (Samson) sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head.