An Open Letter Regarding Christmas
Dear CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, Discovery Channel, History Channel, Etc.
Well, it's that time of the year again - Happy Holidays/Season's Greetings season!
Twice a year (the other being Easter) you good folks of the news media flood us with wonderful stories about Christianity. You know -- touching stories about how Jesus wasn't born on December 25th; how Jesus may not have been born at all, or if He was, how stories of His exploits have been greatly exaggerated; stories about how the Scriptures were written hundreds of years after the time of Christ; stories about how Jesus didn't rise from the dead; stories about how look-alike Judas took His place; stories about how Jesus had a wife; ad nauseam, ad infinitum.
Naturally, as highly respected reporters, you appeal to the best and most reliable sources such as the Gospel of Thomas. These extra-biblical manuscripts were all admittedly written hundreds of years after the time of Christ, and therefore even more reliable than the actual Scriptures, which were written within a very short time after the resurrection. You also turn to the best scholars and writers in the world, like Bart Ehrman (who says half of the New Testament was forged), Christopher Hitchens (who now knows better), Robert Funk and John Dominic Crossan (The Jesus Seminar), Being the completely impartial news medias that you are, you rely on these sources and ignore the views of Christian apologists who disagree with you, like William Lane Craig, Lee Strobel, Hank Hanegraaff, Gary Habermas, J. P. Moreland, Gretchen Passantino, Francis Beckwith and numerous others.
Additionally, other than using it in a derogatory fashion, you have joined countless retailers to carefully avoid the word "Christmas," choosing to replace it with "Holidays." Naturally, you have no problem whatsoever referring to other religious holy days by name, but must avoid the word "Christmas," lest it offend those who don't observe it.
This writer has a suggestion for the news media this Christmas season. We Christians already know Jesus wasn't born December 25th. We never said He was. Christmas is about commemorating His birth, regardless of the actual date. We're already familiar with the fine scholarship promoted by the liberal scholars. Our faith shouldn't be shaken by such ramblings.
Rather than appealing to the non-Christians who eagerly soak up the writings of the Bart Ehrmans of this world, how about doing some articles by the conservative scholars listed earlier in this letter? Just for laughs? Let them present their arguments for the reliability of Scripture. Let them refute the arguments of the liberal "scholars." Again, just for laughs. And, just for laughs, why not occasionally use the term "Merry Christmas" this year? Just to show us you don't play favourites, okay?
Thank you!
Bob Hunter
