Alternate name for Christmas tree upsets some groups

~ Local ministers say Christians, not stores, should spread the Gospel.

Some national retailers sell Christmas trees as "holiday" trees. That has created a firestorm of protest from some national Christian groups, including the American Family Association.

But several local ministers say it's the job of Christians rather than retail stores to spread the Gospel.

Lowe's, a home-improvement retailer, says it will stop using the "holiday" moniker and once again use the word "Christmas" in connection with the trees. The retailer's change of heart came in response to public criticism.

Cape Girardeau businesswoman Carolyn Kempf sees the trend of renaming Christmas trees as "holiday trees" as another example of political correctness.

"As a person of faith, I find it horrifying that it is no longer, after 2,000 years, proper to have Christ in Christmas," she said.

Kempf, who operates a travel agency, said she will boycott stores that advertise "holiday" rather than Christmas trees.

She views the "holiday" debate as part of a larger moral issue. "Our society is moving toward trying not to have a moral standard," she said.

The Rev. Ron Watts, pastor of La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, said the nation has become more secular.

"We shouldn't be surprised when things like this happen," he said.

Dennis Hastert, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, this week advised federal officials to refer to the decorated tree on the Capitol lawn as a Christmas tree rather than a holiday tree as it's been called in recent years.

In Boston, city hall refers to the city's official Christmas tree as a holiday tree. But the city's mayor told reporters that the Canadian spruce tree from Nova Scotia is a Christmas tree.

The decorated trees are Christmas trees, Watts said. Avoiding use of the word "Christmas" misrepresents the holiday both to Christians and to the nation, he said.

Whether "Christmas" is used or not, Watts said the focus shouldn't be on how stores advertise merchandise.

"In the end, our job as Christians is to live up the name of Christ. It's not the job of the stores," he said.

Jim Matthews, pastor of the Cape County Cowboy Church in Fruitland, said the decisions of retailers to sell "holiday trees" demonstrates how far the nation has drifted away from the Christian beliefs prevalent when the country was founded.

But he won't blame the government or business for the erosion of faith. He said churches need to do a better job of promoting Christian values.

"We need to be looking at our house more than their house," he said.

The Rev. Scott Moon of Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau said the issue is part of the whole commercialization of Christmas.

Stores, he said, aren't attempting to celebrate the holiday. "They're attempting to increase their profit margin," Moon said.

He refuses to get up caught up in the word debate.

"I wish that the energy people are spending on the holiday tree could be used to alleviate poverty and violence and bring peace," Moon said. "We need to pay attention to what really is important."

mbliss@semissourian.com

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