to write an anti-Christmas column that becomes fiercer every year while remaining, in essence, the same. The core objection, which I restate every December at about this time, is that for almost a whole month, the United States—a country constitutionally based on a separation between church and state—turns itself into the cultural and commercial equivalent of a one-party state.
This vitriolic message climaxes as he addresses the topic of Christianity and the inspired Word of God, followed by his "solution" to Christmas for the cultural landscape of this nation:
Suppose we put the question like this: Imagine that conclusive archaeological and textual evidence emerged to prove that the whole story of the birth, life, and death of Jesus of Nazareth was either a delusion or a fabrication? Suppose the mother had admitted shyly that, in fact, she had fallen pregnant for predictable reasons? Suppose we found the post-Calvary body?
Serious Christians, of the sort I have been debating lately, would have no choice but to consider such news as absolutely calamitous. The light of the world would have gone out; the hope of humanity would have been extinguished. (The same obviously would apply to Muslims who couldn't bear the shock of finding that their prophet was fictional or fraudulent.) But I invite you to consider things more lucidly. If all the official stories of monotheism, from Moses to Mormonism, were to be utterly and finally discredited, we would be exactly where we are now. All the agonizing questions that we face, from the idea of the good life and our duties to each other to the concept of justice and the enigma of existence itself, would be just as difficult and also just as fascinating. It takes a totalitarian mind-set to claim that only one Bronze Age Palestinian revelation or prophecy or text can be our guide through this labyrinth. If the totalitarians cannot bear to abandon their adoration of their various Dear Leaders, can they not at least arrange to hold their ceremonies in private? Either that or give up the tax-exempt status that must remind them so painfully of the things of this material world.
Merry Christmas Mr. Hitchens, and God bless you!
Now compare those remarks to this video message taped years ago from then-President Ronald Reagan and you decide which captures the heart of charity and love this Christmas. Click Here For Video
3 comments:
Well, what Mr. Hitchens laments we delight in. But he can rest a little easier realising that people have been unaffected by all the Christmas carols for so long. Christmas raises many sentiments but I don't think more genuine converts are made for Christ in December than any other month of the year. The department stores are not exactly on an evangelism campaign.
John,
thanks for the post it only solidifies my personal resolve to preach Christ. Hitchens makes a couple statements on which I cannot resist but to comment. First he wrote essentially without the literal bodily resurrection of Jesus, “. . .we would be exactly where we are now. All the agonizing questions that we face, from the idea of the good life and our duties to each other to the concept of justice and the enigma of existence itself, would be just as difficult and also just as fascinating.” This is simply an ignorant, statement. It is ignorant because it denies the facts that Christianity has made a tremendous positive impact on the world (see D James Kennedy’s “What if Christ Would Have Never Been Born). There have been some who have named the name of Christ who have done horrible things but this was in the vast minority. So, would we be where we are now apart from the influence of Christ, I think that only one who is incredibly ignorant of history would make such a claim. Second he wrote, “Dear Leaders, can they not at least arrange to hold their ceremonies in private?” This would be no easy task, natural revelation continues to preach, and we could by no mean keep it silent. Also, to not preach Christ would be to deny His instructions to use. Finally, despite Mr. Hitchens’ request the gospel is that preserving agent, the message through the work of the Holy Spirit is the only thing holding back our world from destroying itself. So, for the benefit of Mr. Hitchens we must continue to preach! And now a song for Mr. Hitchens,
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
God bless us every one - Matt
Josh, I agree. In a secucular culture, evangelism is not occuring no matter how many stores pipe in Christmas songs exaulting the incarnation of Christ.
Matt, you make three great points. As I read Hitchens' musings on the hypothetical arguement of proving the resurrection was a hoax, I found his conclusion to such a discovery as completely naive. 1 Corinthians 15 addresses this in detail, but v. 19 summarizes nicely: "If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." I am thankful this Christmas I do not seek the pity of Mr. Hitchens!
Post a Comment