Prayer or Plastic
Monday, December 17, 2007
In December three major world religions celebrate holidays commemorating hope for the poor and oppressed and emphasizing family and community.
You'd hardly know it, however, due to the overwhelming commercialization of winter holidays, Christmas in particular.
Contrary to what conservative "culture warriors" have alleged, Christmas is not being pushed out of the public square; rather, it has been co-opted by the marketplace.
Recently, several religious leaders have banded together to stop the "war on Christmas," but this year, the "enemy" isn't "secularists" protecting the boundary between church and state, but a consumerists ideology which identifies store-front displays and big-box store employee greetings with the true spirit of the holiday.
Read on for more on what these religious leaders are doing to bring the seasonal focus back to its true origins and suggestions for holiday giving.
Catholics in Alliance for the Common good leads a coalition of religious leaders in drafting an "Open Letter to Christmas Culture Warriors" challenging the pundits fighting the so-called "war on Christmas" to re-direct their efforts away from preserving the superficial expressions of Christmas celebrations and back to the "good news for the poor" which was at the heart of the message of Jesus.
The interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives is promoting a $100 Holiday amongst its extensive constituency, calling for less consumption, gifts of service rather than goods, and ecological and social responsibility.
In addition, a group of largely Evangelical leaders and organizations have joined together in an "Advent Conspiracy" challenging Christians to, "worship more, spend less, give more and love all."
Both efforts emphasize living out the beliefs and practices central to Christianity rather than contributing to retailers' bottom lines.
Below are some concrete actions to help re-claim Christmas from commercialism:
Sign on to the statement of support for the Christmas campaign
Encourage your church to join the Advent conspiracy
Participate in an alternative giving program.
