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Christianity Today, December, 2007 |

Tidings

Do They Know It's Hanukkah?

There's more than one "happy holiday" for Christians this season.

Ted Olsen | posted 12/03/2007 08:49AM

The Christmas wars have changed focus in the last few years. There are still the reruns of fights over displaying nativity scenes, stars of Bethlehem, and less religious displays like Christmas trees ...

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Linda

Posted: December 12, 2007 2:37 PM

I am tired of everyone telling Christians they can't say Merry Christmas in the last couple of years and this article continues the P.C. theme. It's P.C. instead of J.C.! How about some tolerance for the Christian tradition from Secularists, Buddists, Jews and others for a change since our culture is so "tolerant." Isn't this why we are buying presents? Have some guts and speak up you Christians. Get radical or get eradicated by a pagan cultural tsunami!!

Ali Goold

Posted: December 12, 2007 8:21 AM

In response to some of the more negative comments made....I thought that this was a really thoughtful and interesting article. I don't think it was about 'putting us in the mood for Christmas'. Instead, reminding us of the kind of Messiah that we believe in. Jesus never forced peoples hand. As a Scot (which is still a part of the UK!), we don't have the same national debate about whether to say 'Merry Christmas' or not - but Christmas is largely a secular celebration these days, with very little thought for Jesus. So please don't be thinking that Britain is better just because we still utter the phrase 'Merry Christmas'! Also our scoiety does give a lot of thought to other religions. In public schools, our teenagers study religion form a neutral standpoint, whilst also studying a variety of moral issues. 50% of this is Christianity whilst the other half is about learning what other religions believe. The focus is not to proselytise but to inform.

Isukapati vidyanadh

Posted: December 11, 2007 6:17 PM

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Anonymous

Posted: December 11, 2007 4:58 AM

I am very tired of the "Merry Christmas" issue. I say Happy Holidays in the store I work in because many of our customers are not practicing Christians--they include Buddhists, Pagans, Jews, Atheists, Christians, and I want to respect them all as God's children. The greatest spiritual problem with Christmas is the commercialism, not sharing the winter solstice season with other religions. I am a practicing Christian, but I do not appreciate any attempt by my fellow Christians to try to force their concept of the winter holiday on others. I was relieved several years ago when Happy Holidays became the appropriate response to one and all. Now we have the war on those of us who want to respect other's paths during the winter season. I do not understand the lack of respect for others.

Koopalo

Posted: December 10, 2007 7:11 PM


The whole point of the greeting is to spread love and warm wishes, people! Isn't that what the holidays are all about?

John Okoye

Posted: December 09, 2007 9:12 PM


Well said; If a man denies Christ before men, Christ will deny him. Men will deny Christ and fighting them won't change their minds, Loving them might.

Audrey

Posted: December 07, 2007 7:59 PM

Just saying "Happy Holidays" feels like a denial of Christmas. But, it is also an indicator of respect to the belief of others. Jesus told the people what they should do in order to gain the eternal life with Him. He didn't insist that people do things His way, He gave them the option to believe or not believe. Saying "Merry Christmas" indicates my wish for others to rejoice in what God has done for man, but it is not telling them that they have to celebrate Christ's birth. Jesus chose His fights. He chose to tell the people of God's love for them, that God wanted to give them eternal life, and what they had to do to obtain this eternal life with God. He didn't start a war against the Roman empire because of the way the Romans were treating the Jews. No, He was with the common people constantly telling them of His love. Shouldn't Christians today share our joy of God's love and leave the warring to non-Christians? As God leads, "Merry Christmas," and "Happy Holidays."

JW	Posted: December 06, 2007 12:49 PM


Happy War on Christmas, Baldenburg. Remember, You're either with Chrismas or you're with the terrorists!

Wayne

Posted: December 05, 2007 1:56 PM

He's not saying that Christians celebrate Hanukkah. He's saying that Jesus -- who, remember, was Jewish -- did celebrate it. Hanukkah, in English, is "the Festival/Feast of Dedication," and had been around for almost 200 years before Jesus was born. That is the holiday that Jesus (who was Jewish) was celebrating in the story recounted in John 10, above. So, Christians don't celebrate Hanukkah. But Jesus himself did -- and that's where the essayist is drawing his "Christian lesson" about Hanukkah.

Mark Borok

Posted: December 05, 2007 1:00 PM


http://www.theonion.com/content/node/31367

Mike	Posted: December 05, 2007 12:49 PM


As Ted observes, insisting on "Merry Christmas" is often accompanied belligerence and partisanship. Is that the right spirit in which to celebrate Christmas?

Chris

Posted: December 05, 2007 12:23 PM

I don't have a problem with people saying Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah or whatever. My problem is that Merry Christmas has for some reason become taboo, yet retailers expect me to go to their stores and buy Holiday Gifts for the people on my Holiday List, and food to feed my Holiday Guests, who will come to my Holiday Party, and admire my Holiday tree, trimmed with Holiday Ornaments and Holiday Lights(TM). My kids participate in a Winter Program at school which for some strange reason must take place in December. Why not hold the thing in January when we are all less busy and in need of a diversion if it has nothing to do with Christmas (or Hanukkah)? Why not put winter break at the end of the semester rather than partway through the second quarter in public school? Why not deliver mail on December 25? Someday the secularists will discover that "holiday" means "holy day" and it too will become taboo. But by then I will have opted out altogether.

Agree with Beth

Posted: December 05, 2007 10:35 AM


You are 100% correct in everything you say! Happy Hanukkah !!

Beth	Posted: December 05, 2007 2:21 AM

Awesome article! I'm an ex-pagan in love with Jesus and I don't think I'll ever do Christmas again. It's too remeniscent of my old pagan ways. It comes from Saturnalia and the rebirth of Mithras the Sun God, along with a handful of other pagan gods and traditions, because of the winter solstice and the fact that the days start getting longer after (around) December 21-22, as well as the fact that the pagans worshiped nature. (See Jeremiah 10:2-5) It's too much paganism, commercialism and misinformation as far as I'm concerned - tricks of the devil. Straight up: the Christmas tree is a giant fallic symbol, Santa Claus was invented to sell Coca Cola and Jesus wasn't even born in December. I wonder how He would really feel about being associated with such things? For me it's like Bible Tarot cards. You can put Biblical faces on them and call 'em what you want but they're still Tarot cards. So tonight I lit my menorah and thanked God for sending Jesus to fulfill the law.

elizabeth

Posted: December 04, 2007 10:43 PM

tonight we sang the songs and lit the candles and celebrated the first night of hanakkah. and when we were done, my grandchildren and I put the angel on top of the tree. a mixed up family? no -- my Messiah celebrated Hanakkah, and so do I - and even though we know Jesus was not born on December 25th, I am not such a pruist that I am not willing to have His birthday party then. (although the true Hebrew actually celebrates the anniversary of ones death more than their birth) thank you for a different way of thinking about forcing everyone to acknowledge Christ --- I pray for my brothers and sistes that they will find the messiah, but I know forcing them to wish me merry Christmas will certainly not win them.

Pastor GL

Posted: December 04, 2007 2:51 PM


Thank you John Hagee, I mean Ted, to keep Zionism and Judaizers in the Incarnation event. Hanukkah is a noteworthy historical observation, but to Christians part of a different gospel, now obsolete.

Lutheran Chick

Posted: December 04, 2007 1:26 PM

I hope CT doesn't fire Ted. I love his articles and this is one of his best. No one is forbidden to say "Merry Christmas." If you don't like the rules your employer has established, get another job. Or go out on your lunch hour and wish everyone you meet a "Merry Christmas." It IS a free country ... which means we can all worship in whatever way we choose and celebrate the holidays we want to celebrate. But to those who want to worship as real Americans worship, perhaps you should consider the religions of the Native Americans.

Baldenburg

Posted: December 04, 2007 12:53 PM

It is indeed asking a lot to insist non-Christians say 'Merry Christmas'. But not quite as irritating as forbidding Christian employees from saying "Merry Christmas". Presumably non-Christian foreigners can reconsider whether they are best served by coming to Europe or America, and imposing their ways on the native cultures under the guise of 'tolerance'. As for the indigenous atheists, it seems enough of them prefer celebrating Christmas replete with trees and gifts so as to mute any criticism to expressing them an enjoyable time while doing so. Best, Baldenburg

Lester Wright

Posted: December 04, 2007 11:36 AM


Let's all write CT so they will fire Ted and make Dwight happy for Christmas. Hey scrooge, what do you think, will life be better for you then? It's a free country or should we debate that? Say what you want and stop woorrying about whose a jew, athiest, muslim or christian. Has the world gone completely mad. Merry Christmas!!!!!!

cyberlizard

Posted: December 04, 2007 7:24 AM

my wife and I are celebrating chanukah this year (in exchange for christmas - in part). Christians should look at the spiritual aspect that can be gained... the rededication of the temple could be the rededication of a persons walk with God. Cleansing of the temple, this could be seen in living a holy life. The burning oil/candle could be seen as re-igniting our fire, the candle's not going out (until the 8th day) could be seen as the start of a fresh week of creation, and our new birth or the fact that our God provides miraculous provision in our lives. So I think it is great... I mean you have to admit that at least chanukah gets a mention (if only briefly) in the bible, which is a lot more than christmas. That said though, my wife and I will be picking up all the feasts - but let everyone remember that celebrating the feasts adds nothing to our righteousnes but helps us in focusing on Yeshua the Messiah... the reason for the season!!!

John	Posted: December 04, 2007 6:23 AM


I have absolutely no problem with saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" or even "Happy Holidays" if you are unsure of the persuasion of the person you are talking to. But it is quite a stretch to try to put Jesus into Hanukkah.

Ted Voth Jr

Posted: December 03, 2007 9:25 PM


Thanks for a Christ-like approach to the 'War on Christmas', a cynical, hypocritical political ploy by the Pharisees of our day…

John McKinley

Posted: December 03, 2007 6:23 PM

After I read the account of the triumph of Judas Maccabeus and his band of brothers unwilling to allow their culture and way of life to be swallowed up and desecrated, I had an appreciation for the celebration of Hanukkah. The Syrian desecration went far beyond the temple. It appears in some of the accounts that I've read make it clear that the goal of King Antiochus IV & the Syrians was the annihilation of the Jewish people. The revolt of the Maccabees preserved the Jewish nation, thus preserving the line through which our Savior would be born. So, I have come to wish the Jewish people that I meet a very happy Hanukkah and I also say "thank you". When they ask why I thank them, I share with them the stroy of the Maccabees, the birth of our Christ and (as compassionately as possible) the Gospel.

Roger - Australia

Posted: December 03, 2007 5:36 PM

Ted Olsen seems to have swallowed the modern pluralist version of Pilate's quip 'What IS truth?'. The issue is not forcing non-believers to say something against their personal beliefs, but the restriction of Christians in expressing freely something that is very basic to our own belief system in a country that values and champions free speech and freedom of religion. Last time I looked, America was still predominately a Christian country with Christian traditions. Even in Australia, a far more proudly secular nation than the US, recent attempts to 'ban Christmas' have been howled down by both non-believers and believers alike, all who respect that Christmas is a tradition that needn't be thrown out to protect the over-zealous sensitivities of the vocal minority. If we as Christians still believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is transcendent truth, we should have no qualms about celebrating this Christian festival in Spirit and in truth, while still respecting those of other faiths.

Dwight

Posted: December 03, 2007 5:04 PM


Gee Ted, your smug little article really put me in the Christmas spirit. You should visit Britain at Christmas. It's an all out Christmas celebration all over the country. They don't worry about giving equal time to other religions. I'm a little tired of your articles. I hope they replace you soon.

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