Merry (secular) Christmas

I think we need to recognize that in America there is a SOCIAL and a RELIGIOUS definition for certain institutions, and that the two have not been historically, nor should they be continuously, directly related.  Christmas is a good example.  Religiously, it's about Mary, the baby J, Magi, stars, salvation, etc.  But in today's America, Christmas is more about personal consumerism, family, economic booms, job vacation, and college football.  I probably missed a few other major definitions, but the point is that the Religious Christmas has nothing to do with any of this, but we cannot discuss Christmas in America today without giving these equal, perhaps even greater consideration than the religious element that "started it all."

I'm not joining in on the Christ- vs X-mas debate.  That's just semantics.  I'm talking about the underlying beef, which is that atheists celebrate Christmas and Christians become hyper-materialistic.  'Tis the season?  

Obviously, the way I'm framing this discussion I want to talk about other issues under the same umbrella, primary among them the question of "gay marriage," or as I like to call it, "marriage."

I could rant for days about the absurdity of even having a debate here, but what's germain to this subject is that, like Christmas, marriage has a Social (and in the US, legal)  definition which is not identical or exclusive to its Religious definition.  Again, atheists get married, often even in churches.  Isn't it a bigger problem for a Pastor to knowingly united 2 people whom he knows don't really believe in God than to unite to other people (who happen to look the same naked) who Do believe in God, Christ, and all that?  I mean, if they believe, and belief in modern America is between a believer and his Lord, then shouldn't the Pastor just do the deed and get out of the way?  If lightning's going to strike (immediately or in the afterlife), it won't hit him unless he's standing between the two, right?

Again, the point is not the argument, but the realization that the existence of an argument is predicated by the incorrect assumption that 'Marriage' can have only one definition, only one use, and only one social-legal-religious construction.  

Just to reiterate using simple iconographies.

Santa = Social Construction

Christ = Religious Construction

Or better, offensive amateur web video.

That's why we don't need to lie to our children about how Santa was one of the original 3 Wise Men.

Weber the Grinch

::(lame) Texpatriot