Guest Voices: christmas


Posted at 05:18 PM ET, 12/28/2012

‘Rise of the Guardians’ fantasy-adventure film: A secularist tale
By Angelo Stagnaro
Movie addresses important issues such as hope and fear, altruism and narcissism, says author.

By Angelo Stagnaro  |  05:18 PM ET, 12/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Rise of the Guardians: A Secularist Tale; secularist; Angelo Stagnaro; Christian; Guillermo del Toro; Dreamworks Productions; legends; Santa Claus; Easter Bunny; Tooth Fairy; Sandman; Jack Frost; children; Man-on-the-Moon; Boogeyman; Pitch Black; Fearmonger; Christians; Christian motifs; Christmas; Easter; Jesus Christ; Christ

Posted at 12:55 PM ET, 12/24/2012

Pastor to spend Christmas in Iranian prison, imprisoned for his faith
By Jordan Sekulow and Matthew Clark
Pressure must be placed on the Iranian regime to release Saeed Abedini, say lawyers.

By Jordan Sekulow and Matthew Clark  |  12:55 PM ET, 12/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Christmas; pastor; Iranian prison; persecution; convert; Islam; Christianity; Jordan Sekulow; Matthew Clark; Youcef Nadarkhani; American pastor; Saeed Abedini; ACLJ;

Posted at 11:59 AM ET, 12/24/2012

So this is Christmas . . .
By Katrina Lantos Swett
The promise of the season remains elusive for many Christians and other persecuted groups.

By Katrina Lantos Swett  |  11:59 AM ET, 12/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Katrina Lantos Swett; Christmas; Christians; Bethlehem; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; Jesus; Christ’s birth; U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; religious freedom; persecuted

Posted at 11:40 AM ET, 12/24/2012

Despots, detention and an immigration Epiphany
By Stacy Martin
The Wise Men symbolize a proclamation of light in the midst of darkness, says refugee advocate.

By Stacy Martin  |  11:40 AM ET, 12/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Stacy Martin; Christmas; Jesus; Mary; Joseph; Three Wise Men; immigrants; refugees

Posted at 11:22 AM ET, 12/24/2012

Twenty new little stars: Christmas and the vulnerability of children
By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
God’s vulnerability reveals what we need to know when tragedy strikes: you are not alone, says theologian.

By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite  |  11:22 AM ET, 12/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Obama; gun; guns; gun control; gun control; massacre; Newton; Connecticut; shoot; shooting; shootings; shooter; Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite; Sandy Hook Elementary School; politics; christmas; Jesus

Posted at 10:59 AM ET, 12/24/2012

Why (or how) should Muslim Americans ‘celebrate’ Christmas?
By Faheem Younus
Serving mankind is a part of a Muslim’s faith, says author.

By Faheem Younus  |  10:59 AM ET, 12/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Christmas; Faheem Younus; Muslims; December; Muslim youth; Muslims; Islam; Isa; Jesus; Christianity; Merry Christmas; Happy Holidays; birth of Christ; Muslim Americans

Posted at 10:03 AM ET, 12/24/2012

More than Santa to the troops
By Arthur Pace
Pray for military stationed around the world, says a chaplain who helped troops and 9/11 survivors.

By Arthur Pace  |  10:03 AM ET, 12/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  christmas; christmas 2012; merry christmas; Christmas; Arthur Pace; Art pace; chaplain; military; troops; holiday; holidays

Posted at 07:14 PM ET, 12/12/2012

Christmas in Vermont
By Marion L. Usher
Family therapist reflects on holiday tradition that cements love amid a Catholic and Jewish family.

By Marion L. Usher  |  07:14 PM ET, 12/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Christmas in Vermont; Catholics; Jewish; Jews; Judaism; Christmas Eve; Vermont tradition; Christmas; families; family; Vermont; love; rituals

Posted at 06:21 PM ET, 12/11/2012

Unwrap the gift of health this holiday
By Keith Wommack
Nail up the mistletoe, grab a kiss or two for your health’s sake and don’t forget the love, says columnist.

By Keith Wommack  |  06:21 PM ET, 12/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Unwrap the gift of health this holiday; kisses; hugs; families; family; love; togetherness; health; National Institutes of Health; holiday season; mistletoe; medicinal; Danny Deza; love; God; spirit of Christ; Christmas season; Keith Wommack; Christian Science

Posted at 06:08 PM ET, 12/11/2012

The ‘War on Christmas’: A holiday tradition for all
By Herb Silverman
Atheists use this seasonal opportunity to support diversity, says secularist.

By Herb Silverman  |  06:08 PM ET, 12/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  War on Christmas; holiday tradition; Herb Silverman; Christmas; atheists; nontheists; secularists; Christians; Christmas wars; winter solstice; Jesus; holidays; religion; non-religion

Posted at 05:05 PM ET, 12/11/2012

Christians need to look beyond individualism this holiday season
By William Paul Young
We forget that every facet of the Christmas story is communal and relational, says author.

By William Paul Young  |  05:05 PM ET, 12/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  William Paul Young; Christmas; holiday season; Christians; Facebook; communal; community; family; families; holiday; Christmas; The Shack; Cross Roads

Posted at 02:22 PM ET, 12/11/2012

The secret to winning the Christmas wars
By Margaret Feinberg
Maybe it’s time to put down the ammo and call a permanent truce on Christmas Eve, says author.

By Margaret Feinberg  |  02:22 PM ET, 12/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  The secret to winning the Christmas wars; Margaret Feinberg; War on Christmas Is Over; war on Christmas; Christmas clashes; Happy Holidays; happy holidays; Merry Christmas; Happy Hanukkah; Happy Chanukah; Christmas; Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God

Posted at 01:01 PM ET, 12/10/2012

A holy impatience: Supreme Court must right a great wrong on marriage
By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
Now is the time for the court to act, not wait when it takes up same-sex marriage cases, says theologian.

By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite  |  01:01 PM ET, 12/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite; Advent; Christmas; same-sex marriage; gay marriage; Supreme Court; marriage equality; gay; lesbian; bisexual; transgender

Posted at 10:47 AM ET, 12/10/2012

Surrounded by the magic of Christmas, can we make Hanukkah memorable?
By Marion L. Usher
Food can contribute to creating significant memories, says a family therapist and college professor.

By Marion L. Usher  |  10:47 AM ET, 12/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Marion L. Usher; Hanukkah; Chanukah; Christmas; Festival of Lights; families; interfaith couples; interfaith families; www.JewishInterfaithCouples.com;

Posted at 02:23 PM ET, 12/05/2012

Former minister: ‘We atheists love this time of year like everyone else’
By Dan Barker
In the American public square, there is room at the inn for all of us, says an atheist activist.

By Dan Barker  |  02:23 PM ET, 12/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Charles C. Haynes; Christmas wars; atheists; religious symbols; public property; December dilemma; all Americans; nonbelievers; stay home for the holidays; Christian groups; Nativity scenes; public spaces; Christians; Damon Vix; holiday displays; nonreligious displays; Santa Monica; Winter Solstice; Freedom From Religion Foundation; Christian; Christian Church; Jesus; Jesus Christ; pagan sun gods; Savior; saviors; messianic Jews; Romans; Saturnalia; New Year; Dies Natalis of Sol Invictus; Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun; new year; reason for the season; shortest day of the year; lights; food; gifts; fun; music; family gatherings; return of the sun; evergreen; supernatural; birth of a god; beliefs; freedom of speech; freedom of religion; Protestantism; Puritans; Christmas; Roman Catholic; faith; Catholics;

Posted at 03:57 PM ET, 12/04/2012

Scrooges on Capitol Hill: Republicans hold middle-class tax cuts hostage
By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
GOP counter offer is reminiscent of the Charles Dickens classic, says a Chicago theologian.

By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite  |  03:57 PM ET, 12/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Scrooges: GOP holds middle-class tax cuts hostage; Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite; Bob Cratchit; Scrooge; Scrooges; Christmas; fiscal cliff; fiscal cliff 2013; what is the fiscal cliff; tax cuts; sequester; supercommittee; super committee; bush tax cuts expire; when do bush tax cuts expire; deficit; automatic cuts; automatic spending cuts; obama tax cuts; default; debt ceiling; credit rating downgrade; social program cuts; defense spending cuts; defense program cuts; defense contractor cuts; us deficit; us budget; warren buffett; deficit reduction committee; middle class; middle-class Americans; sluggish economy; Congress; President Obama; Obama; President Barack Obama; Republicans; GOP; tax cuts for the wealthy; tax cuts; Ebenezer Scrooge; Charles Dickens; A Christmas Carol; Bob Cratchet; OccupytheBible

Posted at 06:44 PM ET, 11/27/2012

In Christmas wars, it’s all or nothing
By Charles C. Haynes
Atheists are employing a new strategy to challenge the presence of religion in the public square.

By Charles C. Haynes  |  06:44 PM ET, 11/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Christmas wars; atheists; Christians; Santa Monica; Santa Monica, Calif.; Damon Vix; christmas; christmas 2012; christmas cards; christmas gift ideas; christmas poems; christmas recipes; merry christmas; after christmas sales; christmas trees;christmas songs; Nativity scenes; church groups; park; U.S. Supreme Court; Supreme Court; judges;; churches; dueling displays; religion in the public square; religious messages; in public parks; government buildings; atheist groups; religious symbols; Establishment clause; First Amendment; Christian groups; anti-religious messages; public forum; religious expression; Chanukah; Hanukkah; Winter Solstice; Charles C. Haynes

Posted at 11:06 AM ET, 11/23/2012

Where are so-called ‘family’ organizations on Black Friday? Not where they should be.
By Ross Murray
Groups critical of LGBT community are silent on the meaning of Thanksgiving lost to shopping frenzy, says a GLAAD official.

By Ross Murray  |  11:06 AM ET, 11/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Ross Murray; LGBT; lesbian gay bisexual transgender people; family organizations; Black Friday; Thanksgiving; GLAAD; The Naming Project; LGBT youth; giving thanks; shopping; retail holiday; faith-based camp; War on Christmas; black friday ads; black friday 2012; black friday sales; black friday deals; black friday 2012 ads; Target black friday 2012; Best Buy black friday 2012; Wal-Mart black friday 2012; black friday 2012 sales; black friday sales 2012; black friday 2011 deals; shopping; holiday shopping; family-oriented holiday; America; American; malls; pseudo-holiday; holiday shopping season; Sears; Toys R Us; Thanksgiving Day; football; food; meals; family meal;

Posted at 10:15 AM ET, 03/05/2012

Keep Santa, Easter Bunny in their place?
By Linda K. Wertheimer
Do the jolly old elf and his furry friend really belong in public schools?

By Linda K. Wertheimer  |  10:15 AM ET, 03/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  easter, easter bunny, santa, christmas