Clausmas

No other religion allows their holy holidays to be as bastardized as Christianity. And because many Christians conform to the worldliness of commercialism or have altogether abandoned essential aspects of their faith, Christmas has become unrecognizable from its divine mystery.

Look around you as you walk down any street in America past the ongoing orgy of consumerism in overcrowded shopping malls and comprehend that none of the thousands of bright flashing lights decorating the many homes has anything to do with the holiness of Christmas.

Even the churches partake by being covered with garnishing lights, while inside, there usually stands an ornamental tree. And understand that everywhere you turn, you will witness the idol known as Santa Claus, which has become central to the modern meaning of Christmas and has displaced the birth of Christ.

Santa has taken on many of the characteristics we used to attribute to God. And in a cunning secular switch, we have taught our children that the fat man in the red suit is omnipotent and knows all of our good and bad activities. He punishes and rewards based on deeds.

Since gifts are obtained from Santa through good works, an element of entitlement carries over into the real world.

With Easter, the risen Lord is replaced with the Easter Bunny. And Easter is no longer focused on the forgiveness of sin or the defeat of death but on chocolate candies, Easter egg hunts, and beautiful Sunday dresses.

You would never find Jews sharing their religious holidays with the Hanukkah Santa or Rosh Hashanah Bunny. But if Christianity ever created a new holy day, rest assured the secular world, with the support of Christians, would commandeer it for itself.