Let’s suppose Jesus came back today and at his first press conference one of the reporters grilled him with a simple evaluation of history.
“Jesus, looking back at the 2,000 years since your last visit, would you have preferred that people remembered your name or your message?”

I’d venture to say that he would opt for his formula of love and peace over a commemoration of his name. In fact, throughout the gospel accounts, Jesus adamantly chastises those who pay lip service to their faith and forget to practice it. He scolds the Pharisees and likens them to “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27, New International Version). This description fits some of our Christmas practices of decorating the outside of our homes, streets and stores and forgetting to fill the inside with compassion and care. Fighting for the right to publicly display a manger scene while at the same time closing down the shelters for our homeless is yet another version of the whitewashed tomb.

Jesus’ power was much more than a simple name. He was Love Incarnate, and for me, that event is truly a holy (holi)day. It’s Christmas for me, but unless I can keep that love alive and working in my life, I can give it any name I want and it won’t mean a thing.

In the Armenian Orthodox Church, the original date of Jan. 6 is remembered as Christmas. For me, it drives the point home even harder.

Just like the name, the date too is secondary to the message. In other words, Christ is born on Dec. 25, Jan. 6, May 11 or Aug. 18, that is, any time Love is born.

FATHER VAZKEN MOVSESIAN
Armenian Church Youth Ministries
In His Shoes Mission

It’s kind of funny that there even is a “Holiday Tree Lighting,” if it has no purpose. I mean, who would think to make a big deal out of lighting a tree unless the idea came from somewhere? Hmmm, let’s see, perhaps the fact that decorating a tree for Christmas has been part and parcel with the Christian celebration since before Martin Luther, and everyone knows that’s what it’s for?

Before I was a Christian, I used to date a Jewish gal whose home looked as Christmasy as mine, but she would refer to her Christmas Tree as a “Hanukkah Bush.” Did it have some place in the Hebrew Feast of Dedication? Hardly. Did she know it was a Christmas tree? Of course, but Christmas is as American as apple pie, and even if someone hasn’t embraced the Babe in Bethlehem, there is no doubting that it is because of that One born in a manger that evergreen trees get decorated with Nativity ornaments and Advent lights. Why not call a spade a spade rather than dancing around the truth by calling it something else? If there was a community Hanukiah lighting, should it be designated the “Season’s Greeting Candelabra”? Perhaps the Thanksgiving Day Parade could be renamed something innocuous like “Grateful Procession” so that America may soon forget about the historic significance of that holiday as well?

Nobody cares except those to whom it means something, and if someone shows up to watch a December tree-lighting event, they ought to be able to handle its significance. Yes, the secular progressives are the curmudgeons of truth and tradition, and they are so culture-destroying that I believe there is going to be a righteously indignant backlash. If there isn’t, then America deserves its worldwide reputation as vapid and godless.

THE REV. BRYAN GRIEM
Senior Pastor
Montrose Community Church

Islamic teachings for me inspire a love of seeking and understanding the truth.

This issue highlights the beauty of American pluralism. Conservatives want to retain a traditional Christian approach while liberals want to be more sensitive to inclusiveness of other faiths. It is useful to examine all sides to gain a more nuanced understanding. The battle of words, “Christmas” versus “Holiday,” is more generically a battle of our approach toward American pluralism. Are we a “melting pot” creating new traditions as reflected by Glendale’s civic ceremony of its annual “Holiday Tree Lighting”? Or are we a “salad bowl,” accepting and celebrating all religious traditions in their original form? I’ll opt for calling this ceremony a “Christmas Tree Lighting.” I am not fond of euphemisms that hide obvious realities.

I was thrilled to see a religious symbol in the public sphere at the local Ralphs grocery store in La Cañada Flintridge — an artifact of a Hanukkah Menorah displayed in full view near the checkout aisle. I would not want this artifact called a “Holiday Menorah” for the sake of inclusiveness. As American religious pluralism evolves, we adapt by adding new religious practices for recognition to the “American salad bowl.”

A perfect realization of the “American salad bowl” happened at the home of La Cañada Flintridge residents Loren and Philippe Hartley, for their “Annual Christmas Cookie Dough Ornament Party” this past Saturday night. In the invitation sent to my wife and me, they wrote, “we need a really fun Muslim piece in our tree.” At the party, for our ornament, my wife, Nahid Ansari, crafted a green crescent and star representing the Muslim contribution to the Hartley family Christmas tree (and, of course, I undeservedly shared in her artistry.) The friendly neighborhood Christmas party with a great interfaith spirit does not get any better for religious pluralism.

In our marketplace of ideas, we need to find a better understanding of the truth as the pendulum swings on both sides of the center of an issue. The Koran teaches Muslims to seek the middle ground in community affairs and to avoid polarization of entrenched partisan viewpoints, “And thus God has willed you to be a community of the middle way . . . . ” (chapter 2, verse 143).

In this issue, the solution, in my view, is a balanced approach that recognizes the importance of the Christian tradition in its authentic form while being inclusive and sensitive to the minority religious traditions. This is America at its best.

LEVENT AKBARUT
Islamic Congregation of
La Cañada Flintridge

We live in an ever-increasing multiethnic society. We are still the great American “experiment.”

That experiment involves living with others who may not share our particular religious values and/or traditions. It is each citizen’s duty to be sensitive to another’s sensibilities. Now do I believe that Christmas is under attack? No. Heck, no. But our country does seem to be rising in numbers of people who see themselves as victims.

The latest group would seem to be those so-called Christians who think it’s their religious duty to squawk whenever the word Christmas is replaced with a word like holiday. Look, I know and you know that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” so why bellyache if businesses or others wish us a Happy Holiday as opposed to a Merry Christmas?

I know some Jewish families who have Christmas trees in their houses, and some of them even joke and say those trees are Hanukkah bushes. I’ll bet there are even some (shudder!) atheists who have fir trees in their houses, and I’ll bet they have gifts under them, too. To me, the question is really a nonissue. Those who try to make it an issue are totally without the Christmas spirit of peace on Earth and goodwill toward all mankind. I hope you have a happy, meaningful and peaceful holiday, whatever you choose to call it. Merry Christmas.

THE REV. C. L. “SKIP” LINDEMAN
Congregational Church of the Lighted Window
United Church of Christ
La Cañada Flintridge

Scientology is an inclusive religion. Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “Scientology is the science of human affairs, which treats the livingness and beingness of man and demonstrates to him a pathway to greater freedom. Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, universes and other life.”

The Scientology choir is performing a “Holiday Magic” concert. The title was chosen because it allows the concert program to include Jewish songs, Christmas songs, sacred music and traditional carols. Being nondenominational, Scientologists celebrate many traditions, especially this time of year.

For now, the use of inclusive terms such as “holiday” for community events is a step forward. We are on a pendulum stemming from the political correctness of the last decade. This has created the appearance that it is offensive to accurately speak of religion, race and culture in anything but broad terms. I believe that a higher level of tolerance and understanding will usher in the next swing of the pendulum for cultural respect, and we will soon be able to pray publicly and celebrate each of our faith traditions in a meaningful way without the fear of offense or disregard for another’s beliefs.

Praise be to Allah, Alleluia Adonai, Glory to God, Blessed is Baha-U-Llah. May every voice shout out the praises of the season with joy.

CATHERINE EMRANI
Volunteer Minister
Glendale Church of Scientology