MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, NO MATTER YOUR RELIGION
The holiday is a meaningful part of our country’s history, Calvin White writes.
I’m not a Christian. And I don’t believe Jesus was the son of God because if there is such a universal factor as God, it seems far-fetched that “he” would have a son. (A daughter, maybe ... I’m joking.) But, theology aside, what on Earth is driving this attack on Christmas?
In my school district, there’s been a dictum telling schools to avoid using the word Christmas and to downplay anything religious. Now, this bizarre thinking has been building for several years, but isn’t it time to give our collective heads a shake and say “enough.” Schools, particularly, should be paragons of sagacious thought.
In Canada, absolutely our schools should be celebrating Christmas wholeheartedly. To heck with holiday concerts and solstice cheer. Christmas carols, including the Christian-themed ones, are good for us, even necessary. The open and full celebrating of Christmas is an integral and meaningful chunk of our history and of what Canada is.
For generations, it has been celebrated the same way because it brings everyone together and it makes us happy. This is not to belie the lived reality of too many of us who have struggled and still struggle during the holiday due to family issues, but the concept of Christmas is a positive. It is a delightful habit that we say Merry Christmas to each other. Christmas carols are uplifting; that’s why so many artists have made Christmas albums. Giving presents and wanting to give presents creates endorphins.
This is all a Canadian tradition. To parse it now and tsk-tsk that it has religious origins and is deeply religious for some, that this is somehow inappropriate in a multicultural, multi-faith nation, and thus conclude that it needs cauterizing, is limited and weak thinking. Are Canadians who are Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Jehovah’s Witness, or Baha’i complaining and asking that the Christian-originated celebration be altered? There is not a shred of evidence that they are. I think everyone who immigrates here does so expecting our traditions to be continued.
What rationale concludes that singing a song about the birth of Jesus or putting up a nativity scene disrespects non-Christians? On the contrary, joining in with the Christian part is a strengthener of unity. Joining in does not mean believing. Travellers to India relish the Diwali and Holi celebrations. Shivaratri, the Hindu celebration of the god Shiva saving the world, is a positive experience for any non-Hindu. Why wouldn’t a non-Muslim be delighted, honoured even, to be invited to an Eid feast after Ramadan?
But public schools are secular, and they must not show any religious bias! There is no place for religion in our schools! We can argue this as though it makes sense and, perhaps, elevates us morally. But it’s contrary to the mission that education needs to embrace. Schools should be offering many opportunities for students to experience the important celebrations of all the world’s foundational religions.
We are all made stronger and wiser by becoming more familiar with the beliefs and religious practises of others. That’s how to break prejudice and build understanding, how to build the “us” and “we” of our society. And to turn our backs on the traditions and customs that have so long inhabited Canada is to disconnect with the vortex of what we are.
Our various First Nations traditions, long overdue for respect, are now thankfully becoming more commonplace in our schools and public gatherings.
The singing of Silent Night absolutely does not equate to proselytizing. It’s an uplifting song with a compelling and memorable melody. Hearing it and singing it is an act of joining, of inclusion. It indicates we value others’ beliefs and traditions. That’s how nations find solidarity, not by erecting dos and don’ts. Secular hopefully implies inclusion and recognition of the beliefs and traditions of others.
How absurd it would be for schools to halt breakfast or lunch programs during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan for fear of “disrespecting” Muslim students’ beliefs? They would not expect us to. Should we stop having mock political elections in our schools or stop standing for O Canada to show our Jehovah’s Witnesses how we don’t want to “impose our beliefs and values” on them because they don’t believe in voting and prefer not to stand?
When my Muslim and Hindu friends say Merry Christmas to me, I don’t announce that I’m not Christian. I smile and give them a hug, and reply “same to you.”
We are all made stronger and wiser by becoming more familiar with the beliefs and religious practises of others.
CALVIN WHITE