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Christmas trees celebrating Satan and child mutilation at a Christmas tree festival is quite the fitting example of how spiritual forces of darkness are real and at work in 2023. But we as Christians must act as jolly combatants in this war by standing firm in our faith and resisting all attempts to desecrate our sacred holidays.
The war on Christmas came early this year.
The Christmas season is meant to be a time of joy for Christians worldwide as we celebrate the birth of the one true Savior of the World, Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, in the moral cesspool of public life in 2023, it has already been marred by a disturbing development in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.
Fox News reported that the National Railroad Museumโs annual Christmas tree festival in this tiny village outside of Green Bay absurdly included entries from the Satanic Temple of Wisconsin and the Bay Area Council on Gender Diversity this year โ despite being billed as a โfamily-friendly event,โ
The Satanic Templeโs tree is adorned with red lights, pentacle baubles, upside-down crosses, and an ornament reading โHail Santaโ (a play on their often-repeated phrase of โHail Satan) in a perverse mockery of the Christian holiday.
The โGender Diversity tree included pink-and-blue-colored trans flags and ornaments with sayings such as โProtect Trans Kids.โโ
If Satan worship and the celebration of child mutilation now count as festive Christmas family fun, Christians clearly have some spade work to do in recovering the true meaning of Christmas. Not to mention โfamily.โ And โfriendly.โ And โfun.โ
While liberals might try to claim such displays are simply โprotected speechโ under the First Amendment, itโs painfully clear that this is not about inclusivity or diversity โ itโs about the deliberate desecration of a sacred Christian tradition.
Christmas is a Christian holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Itโs a time for Christians to reflect on the love, sacrifice, and salvation that Jesus represents. As it is written in Isaiah 9:6, the โreason for the seasonโ is nothing less amazing than the birth of Christ, our Savior and King:
โFor unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.โ
Yes, the First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion. However, it was never intended to allow the mockery or perversion of religious practices. The Founding Fathers, most of whom were devout Christians, would likely be appalled at the idea of Satanism being protected under the banner of religious freedom. Frank DeVito at The American Conservative makes a compelling case that Satanism shouldnโt be understood as a โprotected religion.”
He writes:
โThe First Amendment states that โCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.โ The argument was simply that, at the time the First Amendment was ratified, the definition of the word โreligionโ clearly did not include Satanism. Therefore, under basic originalist principles of constitutional interpretation, Satanism should not be protected as a religion under the First Amendment.โ
First Amendment considerations notwithstanding, this incident is not just an affront to Christians; it ruins Christmas for children and families. Christmas is a time of innocence and wonder for children. Itโs meant to be filled with true stories of the Nativity, tall tales about the jolly old elf we call Santa Claus, and the spirit of giving, even as we realize we have already been given the greatest gift in the world, the Son of God incarnate. To see these symbols twisted into a celebration of Satanism at a Christmas tree festival is deeply troubling โ and telling: This ainโt your grandmaโs Christmas time in America anymore.
Some people, and even some Christians, poke fun at the idea of a โwar on Christmas,โ which in recent years has been embodied by Starbucksโ โHappy Holidaysโ cups. The deeper truths, though, are no laughing matter.
Every inch that we cede to the Christmas-hating secularists and Satanists is ground lost in the greater battle to bring all of our society under the good and just rule and reign of Christ. And the Bible warns us about the dangers of false prophets and misleading teachings. In 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, it says,
โAnd no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.โ
Christmas trees celebrating Satanism and child mutilation at a Christmas tree festival is quite the fitting physical example of how spiritual forces of darkness are real and at work.
As conservatives and Christians, we must stand firm in our faith and resist these attempts to distort our beliefs and desecrate our holidays. We should be jolly combatants for the cause of Christ in the war for Christmas. We must remember the words of Ephesians 6:11-12,
โPut on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devilโs schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.โ
Thereโs no need to pretend that Satanism is protected by the First Amendment. And thereโs no cause to let these God-haters destroy the most wonderful time of the year. So, this season, letโs continue to celebrate Christmas in a way that honors the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us remember the true meaning of Christmas and not allow it to be overshadowed by those who seek to pervert it.
The Church must be involved in public discourse and influence. Thatโs why we write โ so our readers can be equipped to understand and pursue righteous change in the world. For more timely, informative, and faith-based content, subscribe to the Standing for Freedom Center newsletter.
