Christmas, NOT X-mas

December 29th, 2006 | 12:47 pm

Recent article from our newsletter by Chris Hurn . . .

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Like many, this is my favorite time of year — as much for the Holidays and “attitude adjustment” many people seem to go through, as for my exhaustion soon to be relieved. I"m usually exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally this time of year from another full year of mostly highs and the occasional low. It"s a favorite time because I know I"ll soon be recharging my batteries and I know the True meaning of the season and what"s coming . . .

But due to our fears, our lack of understanding and our fundamental nature, we as a society, seem to have driven most spirituality and talk of religion OUT of our culture in recent years. I think the old, knee-jerk reaction about NOT talking about politics or religion in public has actually damaged our culture. Mature people can maintain their civility when discussing those topics . . . in fact, I would argue our democracy and our economy depends upon the frequency and depth of discussions on these very topics.

While we"ve become too concerned with “hurting others" feelings,” our voter turnouts have plummeted, our societal knowledge of politics and business have slide, and we seem adrift, rudderless with little to no moral compass. It may be simpler and less offensive to some just to take the “Christ” out of “Christmas,” but it"s hurting us culturally. We may have a secular government, but our country was founded by Judeo-Christian principles which we"ve veered too far from. It"s perfectly compatible for business (and even politics) and religion to co-exist. Capitalists and Judeo-Christians aren"t the enemy, the enemies of capitalism and Judeo-Christians ARE the enemies.

Sure, Oprah might talk about it every once in a while. And Dr. Phil can conjure-up a line or two, if you translate his cowboy references and decipher what he"s really saying. Even in our celebrity-obsessed world, Hollyweird (err, wood) celebrities sometimes can be spiritual and/or religious. Of course, it conveniently coincides with the premiere of a movie that they just happen to be in, but . . .

For the average American, I don"t think too many of us are as truly spiritual or even as religious as perhaps we once were. Witnessing the rabbidness with which some have tried in modern times to separate Church and State, I think as a culture we"ve lost track of how truly religious and spiritual even our Founding Fathers really were. I think it"s sad most people today probably think miracles are things that only happened thousands of years ago . . . certainly NOT in 2006.