One Small Step
We've been discussing this blog for several months. When first approached by our webmaster, I thought it would be a great opportunity to explain how we go about our business.
Why we cover certain stories and not others and what goes on behind the scenes. I still think its a great idea, but now I'm being asked to actually post... and suddenly the idea of it, seems alot better than the actuality of it.
So this first blog is but a small step toward what I hope will be a continuing dialogue with our viewers and an opportunity for you to comment on the news of the day.
Recently we ran a story by Jeff Lennox about retailers and their use of "Merry Christmas" or "happy holidays." We wondered if political correctness had taken Christ out of the holidays as some organizations would have you believe. It turns out, at least in East Tennessee, no. Nearly every retailer we called answered with "Merry Christmas," dispelling the apparent myth that local storeowners were worried of offending non-Christians.
Turns out, it wasn't the non-Christians who were offended. We received an e-mail on our website commenting on our story. Here's part of it.
"Dear Sir, ....The fact is that there are Christians who don't celebrate Christmas - for religous reasons. We most definitely believe the Scriptures that tell of Christ's birth, but a short investigation will reveal that His birth could have been nowhere around December 25th. That was the time that celebrated the birth of the pagan sun god. It was the Roman Saturanlia and other countries called it other names... ...We believe observing the traditions of Christmas is idoltry, forbidden by the first two commandments of the big Ten.. Also in Deut 12, God instructed Moses to command his people not to worship Him the way the people of the land worshipped their gods. Now that is why we don't celebrate the December Christmas. We have a Biblical Holday in the Fall that celebrates the first coming of Christ and looking forward to the second... ...So we go about our business, minding our own business, not trying to press our religion on other people - but do we get the same respect. No! We and our children have received much persecution because of our beliefs. One little girl told my son in the fourth grade - 'If you don't believe in Christmas, you don't believe in God.' ...OK, you say, What is your point?' The point is that i am glad we live in the USa where we have religous freedom at least to a point. I just wish someone would jmake the point that there are Christians who do not keep Christmas and that not everyone who does not follow these practices are pagans. We neither want anyone to wish us a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday. If they do, we don't get mad, becuase Iknow they mean well. We wish we didn't have to contend with either. When Mr Falwell sues a city for not calling a Christmas tree a Christmas tree you wonder where this thing is going - how it will affect us who are Christians. Will they claim we are not Christians and try to force us by law to observe the season. God forbid! "
Interesting e-mail. I never thought about Christians who don't celebrate Christmas, but there it is.. The Patterson clan is gathering for the holidays in the Smoky Mountains.
There are five brothers and sisters and we've rented a big cabin this weekend. We'll either have a great time..or kill each other... or both. The holidays always bring such huge expectations. It's impossible to meet them, but the Pattersons are going to try.
This will be our first Christmas without either of our parents. Our mom died in 1987. Our dad passed away this year in March.
I guess that's why we rented the cabin. Better now than never. Life is short.
