Opus 2012-1, Discernment Watch: Why No Complaints?

As you all know many writers have many concerns about the celebration of Christmas on December 25, or January 6 if you are Orthodox.  The date is arbitrary, no question about that.  It coincides with the winter solstice and the Roman Saturnalia, among other events.  It is shrouded in pagan symbolism, such as Christmas trees. 

Now my question:  Why don’t we have the same complaints about New Year’s Day?  I am sure that the roots are just as arbitrary.  It is just as rooted in paganism as Christmas.  It is a time of excess and commercialism.  Why not the same groundswell of dissent?  Maybe it is out there and I just missed it.

I can think of two possible reasons, both a reflection of the spiritual battle we are in.

First, it is not a religious holiday, at least for Christians.  It may be spiritual for pagans.  For believers it is purely cultural.  Since we do not pretend it is Christian we do not pontificate against it.  Since we do not spend a lot of time attacking the pagans we don’t make it a big point.  We look at it as a road-marker to stop and contemplate.  It is a pause to think.

Second, it is not a religious holiday.  I know that is the same but for a different reason.  Christmas, however you want to attack it, was established by the church to celebrate a moment in history where God broke in and began the march to the cross.  It may have been influenced by pagan symbols and corrupted by greedy children lusting for toys, but the purpose is to celebrate the incarnation.  For that reason the pagans, heathen and atheists of the world have an inbred hostility to it.  They must do all they can to either destroy it or dilute it.  Since New Year’s Day has none of those associations they are happy to let it meander without malice.

Enjoy the day.  You can still say “Happy New Year” without being attacked.  If you want to make it stealth, then you could sneak in the “B” word and make it “Blessed New Year” or start of with the standard and say “Blessings” instead of “good luck.” 

Have a Blessed New Year serving the Blessed One.

homo unius libri