By Matt Friedeman
December 12, 2005

(AgapePress) - Chalk me up as someone not overly dismayed about the use of "Happy Holidays," a verbal trend that is not days, but decades, old.

Far more provocative was this excerpt from President Bush's comments at the lighting of the National Christmas tree: "Each year, we gather here to celebrate the season of hope and joy -- and to remember the story of one humble life that lifted the sights of humanity. Santa, thanks for coming. Glad you made it."

Those fulminating over "Happy Holidays" -- apparently political and religious conservatives -- went a little mute on the Bush remarks and the lack of anything "Jesus" or "Christ"-honoring on the White House Christmas card.

The American Family Association does have a point, however. It is a bit disconcerting that Ridgeway Elementary School in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, recently sponsored a "Winter Program" featuring a secularized version of "Silent Night":

"At the same time the school has changed the religious songs to secular," says a lawyer now involved, "their so-called 'Winter Program' has included decorating classrooms with Santa Claus, Kwanzaa, menorahs, and even Labafana -- a term I'd not even heard of until this year." Labafana, he says, is "apparently a Christmas witch." (See related article)

Unquestionably, instances like these are dismaying. But let's face it, Labafana, "Happy Holidays", and Santa replacing Jesus are hardly 2005 issues. This sort of thing has been going on for years in public life. And while we can blame the rabid secularists and the liberal behind every bush, we may as well admit it -- this is really the fault of evangelicalism. It is our fault.

While many of our churches decline to hold services this Christmas Sunday, it might give us a little time to reflect on how many of us have shared Christ with a friend or associate in the last month. Or, how many of us compassionately reached out to the hungry, the poor, the disenfranchised, the unborn, the imprisoned, the elderly this week (something Jesus apparently considered a requirement of those heaven-bound cf. Mt. 25:31-46). How many of us have called legislators to impact family-friendly (or unfriendly) legislation at our state capitols or in Congress? How many of us have given above our church tithe (if we even do that, and surveys suggest very few of the "faithful" do) to causes that are on the cutting edge of the culture wars in this nation?

Et cetera.

The truth is, we too often love to tackle "Happy Holiday"-type issues because in all likelihood it diverts attention from the truth of our collective lives. We are evangelicals without evangelism, Christians without compassion, saints without sanctifying presence, holy ones without an urge to spread wholesomeness.

It is our fault, this secularization of culture. It might behoove us to address that root cause before intensifying our efforts against "Holiday" trees.