"You Don't Have to Believe"

Darth Vader, Dracula, Goldfinger, Snidley Whiplash and Ming the Merciless are all well known villains of screen and literary fame; to Bears fans, the Green Bay Packers are our favorite villain. We go to movies and boo the bad guys and villains with gusto. We give cat-calls to opposing teams in support of our athletic teams with vigorous chants and insults. It's fun to cheer the heroes and curse the villains in all those venues. We all like the "Good Guys", and we all love to hate the "Bad Guys". We like the virtues of those heroic characters in movies and novels; and we all think the "home team" is more virtuous than the opposition. At times, some teams and people are demonized to help us feel better about ourselves. We all contain the elements of villain and hero within us; and none of us want to admit to the villain part.

We are now entering the Christmas season; we are now, once again, seeing the beginnings of the "Christmas attacks" by those who resent Christianity. I'm sure I will hear from Bill Maher sometime during this Christmas season; he is certainly one of the most vocal of the Christian haters in America. Rosie O'Donnell is another Christian hater and I'm sure her perverse opinions will be displayed again. Now, the American Atheists are being heard from with a string of billboards demeaning Christmas. "Season of Reason" and "It's a Myth!" are featured on some of these road signs. Oddly, I never saw a sign from those atheists about Islam. Why don't those haters attack the Muslim faith with the same vigor with which they vilify the Christian believers? Is it possible that you can say anything you like about Christians, but Islam is off limits when it comes to any type of criticism?

I've never heard of a price being put on the heads of anybody who drew a cartoon about Jesus, or a television show being afraid of posting "satirical" visions of Jesus. We have a double standard in this nation when it comes to our attitudes about Islam and Christianity. As a Christian, I'm offended when I see those disrespectful portrayals of my Savior, yet as an American, I understand the free speech principles that are involved. Oddly, Mohamed is totally above any type of "satire" or criticism in the same forums which so freely vilify Jesus. Where is the ACLU when this "hate speech" is directed against Christianity?

We all want Santa Claus, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman during the Christmas Season; yet, we don't seem to want the Jesus part of it. I believe America needs a history lesson: Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus! If you don't believe in Jesus, then don't celebrate, you have no need to; He's not a Savior you believe in! If you don't have the marbles to criticize Islam, then don't criticize Christianity either. Oh, by the way, for those of you who believe in Jesus, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!