MERRY CHRISTMAS: A Rallying Cry

The more I look back at the history of America's three "Great Awakenings" the more I believe we are living in the beginnings of a fourth "Great Awakening." The term "Great Awakening" refers to those times when Christians and Christian beliefs caused our democracy to change directions. America did not become a theocracy ... that is a country run by theologians, mind you ...but the Great Awakening did cause we-the-people and our government to adopt certain cultural or moral standards.

Look at America the past 40 years or so and you will, for instance, find a litany of Supreme Court decisions that used the religious clauses of the first amendment to do things like take the 10 commandments out of our courtrooms, or take prayer out of our schools, or ban nativity scenes on public land. The courts adopted Jefferson's "wall of separation" idea as part of the constitution, which it is not. But Christmas, at least for two decades, has been a particular target for the "politically correct" and "multi-cultural" types. Their argument was that it should be illegal to promote Christmas because that was tantamount to promoting Christianity. Our liberal-leaning courts began to agree. So local and state governments crumbled. And schools succumbed. And then retail stores. Well, for the past few years the courts began to reverse some of their anti-Christian decisions. And now many major retailers are joining in. And wouldn't it be ironic ... and appropriate ... if the rallying cry of America's Fourth Great Awakening would turn out to be ... MERRY CHRISTMAS.

This is Gordon Sawyer, from a window on historic Green Street.