Project: Say ‘Merry Christmas!’

(Together Alveda, Dean, Day and I are promoting the letter I’ve written below to Pastors. Join us by sharing the letter far and wide.)

Dear Pastors,

Brothers and Sisters, Merry Christmas in the mighty and matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, let us remember the reason Christ was born and the price He paid for the sins of the world as the Holy and Spotless “Lamb of God” slain before the foundation of the world. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, lived and died that the world would have a second chance at eternal life in Heaven.

Lifting up the name of Jesus in the public square, especially this time of year has and is the practice of billions around the world. December 25th (“Christmas Day”) has been a federal holiday in the United States of America since June 28th, 1870, when Congress created the original four holidays (“New Years Day”, “Independence Day”, “Thanksgiving Day” and “Christmas Day.” Indeed, celebrating “Christmas”, the birth of Christ, is as American as it gets.

As Christians let us reject the trend to substitute “Happy Holidays” for “Merry Christmas.”

As Christians let us remember the admonition of Christ Himself in Luke 9:26 and boldly proclaim “Christ is the reason for season” by saying “Merry Christmas” as we consecrate His holy and miraculous birth in the language of our everyday lives.

Is saying “Merry Christmas” demanding that non-Christians convert to Christianity?

No! Of course not.

Just as someone in the Jewish faith who says “Happy Hanukkah” isn’t demanding that Christians or non-Christians convert to Judaism, neither are Christians who say “Merry Christmas” demanding that non-Christians covert to Christianity.

When we Christians greet the world with “Merry Christmas” we are openly expressing to the world that we believe in Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. Not only is the public expression of our faith in Christ encouraged in the Bible, it is one of the fundamental freedoms we have and enjoy as Americans.

So let us reject the trend to say “Happy Holidays” or any other substitution for “Merry Christmas” and both faithfully and fearlessly say “Merry Christmas”.

May God richly bless you and yours.

Walter B. Hoye II is the founder and president of the Issues4Life Foundation, the founder of the California Civil Rights and the Frederick Douglas Foundations of California, and proponent of the California Equal Rights Amendment.

The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Black Community News.