Thank You for Supporting a Common Good Christmas
Although the Christmas season is over, the Spirit of the Season lives on in all of us who by our actions and words focused on the common good during this holy season. We heard from hundreds of people across the country who applauded our message featured in an “Open Letter to Christmas Culture Warriors” that ran in several newspapers. Hundreds signed onto our support statement saying that it was time to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, and even more of you saw or heard representatives from the Christmas Campaign debate this issue with Bill O’ Reilly on television and radio.
In 2008, we hope that the Christmas message of peace, forgiveness and goodwill continue to resonate even more strongly, and that we continue to seek ways to end poverty and stop the war.
A Happy and Blessed New Year from all us at ChristmasCampaign.org.
The Christmas Campaign
Why a Christmas Campaign?
In recent years some media pundits and "culture warriors" have waged a vocal campaign against a so-called "War on Christmas." Targeting department stores, local governments and school systems for replacing Christmas with "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings," Bill O'Reilly and John Gibson of Fox News have led the charge against what they call a "secular progressive agenda" determined to drive religion out of the public square. William Donohue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights warns of "cultural fascists" bent on destroying Christmas.
The real assault on Christmas, however, is an excessive consumer culture that has turned a holy season into a celebration of commercialism and materialism. By focusing our attention on shopping malls and the consumerism that accompanies Christmas, this misguided campaign further distracts us from the real message of the holiday.
What You Can Do
This celebration of individualism at the expense of a broader concern for our neighbors is at odds with message of Christmas and that of the Gospel: to promote human dignity, bring good news to the poor, and work for the common good. Join us in restoring the authentic message of Christmas by signing our Statement of Support. Our site also includes ideas for socially-responsible giving in this Christmas season.
About the Campaign
The Christmas Campaign is a project of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good with support from Faith in Public Life. Catholics in Alliance is 501(c)(3) non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the fullness of the Catholic social tradition in the public square.