LETTERS: MERCHANTS SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE REASON FOR THE SEASON IS CHRIST

To the editor:

Now that Christmas 1994 is well past and Christmas 1995 lies well in the future, I have a message for merchants.

With extremely few exceptions, most stores desiring to make a profit out of the celebration of the event of the ages, the birth of Jesus Christ, were craven cowards about identifying with it in any way. When challenged, the excuse invariably was, "We don't want to offend anyone." As a Christian, I am offended.

I'm offended by the hypocrisy of merchants who want my money but want me to accept their version of the day with jingle bells, baubles and a grotesque display of several figures of Father Christmas. The whole scene is paganistic fakery.

I have traveled in India, Thailand, Pakistan, Japan, Egypt, Jordan and Israel. All openly displayed symbols of beliefs I do not share. I took no offense, and there was no concern that I might be offended. I doubt there are many here of other faiths who are unduly offended by our recognition of the birth of Christ. I'm afraid the ACLU has brainwashed our merchants.

I am aware that Dec. 25 is an arbitrarily selected date and that Christ probably was born sometime in the early spring. Even the year may be questioned. That is really beside the point. The tremendous fact of history is that God came into this world in human flesh, died on the cross to redeem lost sinners and, as will be celebrated in a few weeks (I hope more appropriately), rose from the dead to occupy the eternal throne of heaven. That deserves far more recognition than our merchants have been willing to render.

My one New Year's resolution: Next Christmas season I will not spend a dime with any merchant refusing to recognize the true meaning of the day. I'll just send checks to my family to be spent in Florida, Texas and North Carolina.

C.H. BOLLINGER

Marble Hill