The American Family Association has issued an action alert calling for a boycott of GAP stores because of their limited use of the word Christmas in seasonal advertising. Many readers know from Christmas seasons past that I generally favor greeting others with a warm "Merry Christmas!"
But I'm not so sure I want to jump on the AFA bandwagon here. Putting Christ back into Christmas is one thing, a good thing, but I'm not easily convinced that working to insure he's is embedded in the commercialization of his holy birth is deserving of our energy. Profit, consumerism, waste, overspending and self-indulgence are certainly not the reasons for this season. Any distance we can put between the religious celebration of Christmas and its crass commercialization is a healthy "gap" in my book.Images: ChristianShirts
-ConcordPastor
I would be interested to know why the American Family Association has targeted (no pun intended) the GAP stores. Most, if not all, of the chain stores for the last several years have replaced "Merry Christmas" with "Season's Greetings," "Happy Holidays," etc., in their advertising and holiday decorations. While Christians might bemoan this, there are many of other faiths, and none, who probably welcome the change to more inclusive language. As we become an increasingly diverse culture, sensitivity to other traditions becomes a natural byproduct of changes in our demographics.
ReplyDeleteRosemary
Although I make it it a point to say "Merry Christmas",I don't believe that boycotting a store or hanging signs (Jesus is the reason...)will do any good. We live in a world ruled by consumerism and "preaching" directly to this issue seems futile. More important,IMO,as Catholic Christians, we need to be grounded in Advent that we might give witness, peace and hope to others. Now there's a challenge! Jesus is the reason for our faith, for our church. Maybe before we try to correct what's wrong with "the season", we should first take a look at our own selves and decide what we really believe. Jesus is always with us,for every season. Open our minds and hearts and give witness to his abiding presence among us. That is accomplished with how we live, treat others, not so much by boycotting stores or hanging signs.
ReplyDeleteI do not support the good intentions of the Knights of Columbus who hang signs on churches stating that "Jesus is the reason for the season" or "Keep Christ is Christmas". What do they think we are doing in our churches?!
While I have not been commenting as often, I do keep up with the posts in my reader.
ReplyDeleteThis particular post and its thoughtful comments which I am just seeing now, are a reminder of why this blog is so important to the Catholic conversation on the internet.
Thank you CP, Rosemay and Anne!
Fran