I know, strange thing for a secular freethinker to say, but looks like there really is a “war on Christmas,” but not from folks like me.
Two anti-Christmas, anti-Christian and frankly anti-Christ photos pretty much wrap the package of where we’re at right now:
Two United States Representatives who represent the worst of American leadership (and parenthood), flaunting their worship of a God of Guns and their contempt for the Prince of Peace.
As I see it, this is the antithesis of the meaning of both Christ and Christmas, blowing away “Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward all” and a Blast of Blasphemy at the Man and his Message.
Oddly enough, I think freethinkers can lead the way in exposing this blatant hypocrisy and defending the goodness of a holiday already buried in too much tradition, ritual and consumerism.
(Read more of my thoughts on this in the chapter “Saving Jesus?” in my book Was Jesus a Humanist?)
Friendly Freethinker 
In general, the undereducated “white”people of this country appear to be on a downward spiral in regards to critical thinking. or even thinking in general I believe that this is partially because the internet does not provide a sufficient means of “separating the wheat from the chaff” for those inclined to short “sound bites”. There is less time to ponder and think. Capitalism has contributed to this of course but it is still better than totalitarian regimes. If only there was a way to teach people to slow down, ponder, and reason away from all the distraction. Meditation.. Is there some way to get children to learn meditation ???
I sense truth in what you say, Joseph.
The pictures are beyond tragic…abyssfully absurd. They remind of of the Christian leaders of the past promoting the 2nd Crusade, the German and French Religious Wars of the 16th century, 30 Years War–all claimed in the name of Christ. How can half of Americans, again, so invert all that Jesus emphasized? Thanks for standing up against this horror.
Yes, indeed, Daniel, we need to speak out and stand up against this violent side to religion.
You know Chris, If these gun totting Christians were friends of yours (distant) and you asked them why this type of oxymoronic photo, they would say, we are doing a “righteous portrayal” of our rights and beliefs. The blindness of self-righteousness is something I think about a lot in myself and certainly in others. They think what they are doing is morally right and this goes to a part of the brain associated with self-identity and automatic beliefs. These do not come under scrutiny. We evolved to make a self just like our beliefs and explanations of causality. So if you like guns, hate government interference and go to church, it is a packaged identity very hard to de-construct. It is what Kahneman the cognitive theorist calls “coherence” or putting it all together to make sense. It is hard, very hard to break people’s sense of coherence which biases most things they see and do. But for you and myself, we will have a different view of Christmas….some Christ in it to a point of history but trying to do loving and giving things with family and friends (unless your football team loses its key game). Wishing you and yours a most cheerful and delightful holiday season. 2022 holds some promise.
Thanks for this, Marty. The “blindness of self-righteousness” says it all. Glad these “representatives” are not our neighbors, though I know there are some nearby with their bullets of belief.
I hope the same for you and your family this Solstice/Christmas season.
This is really horrible and surreal, Chris. I hadn’t seen these before.
❤
David