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As the dust settles on another Christmas season, a stark reality has emerged: what was meant to be a festive celebration of our Christian faith and values became, for many, a battleground.
Yes, this past holiday season, the very act of celebrating Christmas and acknowledging the birth of Jesus Christ sparked an all-out assault on those who dare to uphold this sacred tradition.
It wasn't just about cultural sensitivity or legal quibbles but about the survival of our most fundamental freedoms.
Down in Texas, a tale unfolded that might have seemed ludicrous had it not been so profoundly disturbing.
The Canyon Independent School District initially lumped the Bible in with pornography, banning it from school libraries under a new state law aimed at shielding our children from explicit material.
Thankfully, the righteous indignation of the Panhandle's church-going citizens rose like a beacon of hope, reversing this misguided policy and demonstrating the power of a united community.
But in the face of such absurdity, one can't help but wonder, whatever happened to common sense?
In Washington State, an elderly woman was muzzled by her senior living complex and forbidden from uttering "Merry Christmas" in her community newsletter.
In Texas, it seems displaying a sign with the name "Jesus" is now considered a neighborhood blight, as a homeowner faced demands to scrub her yard of such expressions.
At Walter Reed Military Medical Center, the season's spirit was under surgical strike: they ejected the Baby Jesus from its lobby, replacing tidings of comfort and joy with a sterile dose of secularism.
Equally astonishing, a Virginia realtor was branded a harbinger of hate speech for merely sharing Bible verses on homosexuality and echoing a message from Franklin Graham.
Meanwhile, in a perverse twist of public display, when the Satanic Temple erected a "nativity" scene adorned with the demonic figure Baphomet near the New Hampshire State Capitol, the local mayor bizarrely championed this blasphemous exhibition.
How has Christianity, the bedrock of Western civilization, been relegated to the status of contraband while overt Satanism receives a mayoral stamp of approval?
Further north, in Wisconsin, a children's hospital rejected donations from a charity because the word "blessings" suggested a religious connotation.
Brecken's Blessings, founded to honor the memory of a child lost too soon, intended to deliver toys and joy, not theological statements. The hospital's initial refusal, overturned only after public outcry, reveals a troubling sensitivity to the mere shadow of faith.
And let's not overlook Oregon, where Christmas trees were banned in schools. This decision, purportedly in the name of inclusivity, excluded a cherished symbol of joy and tradition celebrated by millions, irrespective of individual faith.
However, perhaps the most chilling episodes this past Christmas season were the lethal attacks on Christian schools.
Places that should be sanctuaries of learning and growth became scenes of unthinkable tragedy.
The shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin and a Seventh Day Adventist Church school in California were a horrific reminder that our battles are not merely rhetorical or cultural.
Tragically, they are sometimes literal fights for survival in what should be the safest places.
Each of these stories—from the ludicrous to the tragic—paints a broader picture of a war not just on Christmas but on Christianity and the foundational values of our nation.
This past season, we witnessed an erosion of the right to celebrate our faith and express our beliefs without fear.
This isn't merely a matter of policy or politics; it's a fundamental question of our freedom to live out our faith openly and to observe our most joyous traditions without intimidation.
So, as we reflect on this recent Christmas season, let's recognize the stakes have never been higher.
Moving forward, let's resolve to defend our rights, our traditions, and our faith.
It's time to declare that we will not be silenced or intimidated; we will celebrate our heritage and freedoms with as much fervor as Christmas itself.
Merry Christmas, belated yet heartfelt, to all—and to all a call to remain vigilant and courageous in defending our freedoms.
Martin Mawyer is president of the Christian Action Network, which he founded in 1990. Located in Lynchburg, VA, CAN was formed as a non-profit educational organization to protect America’s religious and moral heritage. He is the author of several books, including You Are Chosen: Prepare to Triumph in a Fallen World [ [link removed] ].
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