By LAWRENCE P. GRAYSON
Christmas is the single most significant religious, historical, and cultural event in world history. The Son of God assumed our human nature, came into the world, redeemed us from the guilt of our sins, and provided teachings for the way we should lead our lives.
Christian beliefs, which formed the thinking and values of America’s founders, were reflected in the Declaration of Independence, in the way the government was organized, and in the nation’s laws and ordinances.
As the people were of many different Christian denominations, the state and religion were made separate, but complementary. Religion would form the virtue and morality of the people necessary in a republic, while the government protected the right of individuals to practice their religion freely and for churches to carry out their mission of worship and evangelization.
As society has evolved, it has been infected with secularism, a religious-like movement to remove all references to God from public display and consideration, and force individuals and organizations to violate their religious beliefs through government coercion.
But how far has secularism eroded the religious roots of the nation? Like a canary in a coal mine, the manner in which Christmas is celebrated is a bellwether of secularism’s toxicity in American society. The trend in presidential Christmas messages issued annually over the last 75 years is one prominent indicator of the change.
On Christmas Eve 1941, with America having been plunged into war just days before, Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked:
“How can we put the world aside, as men and women put the world aside in peaceful years, to rejoice in the birth of Christ?” He continued, “Looking into the days to come, I…do hereby appoint the first day of the year 1942 as a day of prayer, of asking forgiveness for our shortcomings of the past, of consecration to the tasks of the present, of asking God’s help in days to come.”
Three years later, with war still raging, he said: “[W]e will celebrate this Christmas Day in our traditional American way — because of its deep spiritual meaning to us; because the teachings of Christ are fundamental in our lives.”
Harry Truman, in 1949, stated: “We miss the spirit of Christmas if we consider the Incarnation as an indistinct and doubtful, far-off event unrelated to our present problems. We miss the purport of Christ’s birth if we do not accept it as a living link which joins us together in spirit as children of the ever-living and true God.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower, in 1953, spoke of the importance of prayer: “As religious faith is the foundation of free government, so is prayer an indispensable part of that faith. Tonight, richly endowed in the good things of the Earth, in the fellowship of our neighbors and the love of our families, would it not be fitting for each of us to speak in prayer to the Father of all men and women on this Earth, of whatever nation, and of every race and creed — to ask that He help us — and teach us — and strengthen us — and receive our thanks.”
In 1962, John F. Kennedy noted: “We mark the festival of Christmas which is the most sacred and hopeful day in our civilization. For nearly 2,000 years the message of Christmas, the message of peace and goodwill towards all men, has been the guiding star of our endeavors.”
Jimmy Carter, in 1980, spoke globally: “Together let us thank God for all the blessings He has given us and ask Him to sustain and strengthen us as individuals and as a nation. Let us also offer our prayers for those who live where there is strife, hunger, persecution, or injustice.”
Ronald Reagan, in 1981, was more nationalistic: “Tonight, in millions of American homes, the glow of the Christmas tree is a reflection of the love Jesus taught us. Like the shepherds and wise men of that first Christmas, we Americans have always tried to follow a higher light, a star, if you will. . . . At times our footsteps may have faltered, but trusting in God’s help, we’ve never lost our way.”
George H.W. Bush, in 1990, proclaimed: “[O]ur Savior’s . . . Incarnation radically altered the course of human history by challenging men and women to live according to the will of our just and merciful Father in Heaven. Today, Christ’s
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