Speaking of atheists, it is obvious such idea came from them. In the USA, atheists revolt when the government invests money in streets’ decoration at Christmas time and manifest for the removal of Christmas cribs from squares. They claim (again) that all this means lack of respect for people who do not celebrate the birth of Christ or that are absolutely anti-Christian.

Interestingly enough, these same American atheists do not get upset when resting on Sundays (Christian’s “holy day”), nor when enjoying the great Christian Thanksgiving holiday. They also seem to forget that if they enjoy the benefits of being born in a prosperous country it is due to the fact that the founders of America were the Puritans, that is, committed Christians whose biblical ethics about work, education, family, property, government and society laid the foundation for much (if not all) of what the USA are today.

Actually, even American independence owes much to Christianity. In fact, the Puritan ministers were the ones who preached the independence ideal, setting people’s minds on that goal and decisively contributing so that America ceased being a mere British colony. What is more, the fact that the US hosts the biggest and best Universities in the world is also due to Christians. They funded Harvard and Princeton! Definitely, if there is anyone in the world who has reasons to celebrate the birth of Christ, this person is the American citizen, whether atheist or devout.

As all that is bad, the trend of reproaching the words “Merry Christmas” has now got to Brazil. Nowadays, teachers in our schools are also teaching students not to use the old expression, all in the name of “respect”.  But the whole thing goes further. Unbelievers also aim at symbols of Christianity. A few days ago, a student of the Federal University of Pernambuco complained at the Christmas crib put at the entrance.

She wrote in a social network: “I wonder why there is a Christmas crib at the entrance of UFPE. Are we all Christians, is that so? Well, I am not a Christian and I don’t care at all about Christmas. Will the image of Yemanja be there in her day too?

In face of this girl’s rage against Christian faith, two questions arise: would she, in an emergency, accept being bailed out in Santa Casa, a Christian hospital? If victim of war and hunger, would she refuse help from the Red Cross awaiting atheist rescue? The answer she got on the network was quite smart. Someone told her “Universities were a Christian invention. Nothing could be more fitting than a tribute in honor to the faith that gave rise to them. Your revolt is against a religion that allowed you to take a degree today by creating universities back then. When Yemanja worshipers create an university or a better institution, you go and put her statute there”.

Well, all this illustrates how much antipathy unbelievers hold against Christianity. Our creed is the most hated in the world, no doubt! Not even against the most cruel and dull sect man oppose with such vigor and perseverance. Everywhere we see efforts of evil ones to lessen the impact of the person of Christ and his message. They make everything possible in order to erase even the smallest reminder of Christ from men’s mind.

As for us, with or without cribs, we keep Christmas message alive as well as the blaze of happiness it lit in our soul. Much unlike unbelievers, it gives us joy, renews our hope and fills us up with peace. “The Redeemer has been born” – we sing smiling – a star rose up in the Eastern sky, the people walking in darkness have seen a great light, the dark and thick curtain has been torn apart and death began to die. Thus, let the whole world pull an ugly face, mutter their fake hurt feelings and make up their deceptive scruples… On our part, we taste the sweetness of the faith given to us. And filled with joy, we keep wishing the lost ones to meet the savior, finally having a “Merry Christmas”.

Pr. Marcos Granconato

Strength and faith

Soli Deo Gloria