CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES: On behalf of the Christian Democratic Party, and not wishing to delay anyone, we wish everyone God’s richest blessings at Christmas. It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and that is so dear to us. But even those who are not of the Christian faith can rejoice in the emphasis upon love and peace in the world. We trust you all have every blessing at this Christmas time.
In its 2004 report entitled “Australian Social Trends” the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that nationwide 68 per cent of Australians declared their affiliation with Christianity. For those people, of course, Christmas is very important. I wanted not only to wish members of the House God’s richest blessing at Christmas time, but to ask you to ponder the thought of a Christmas without Christ—because Christmas without Christ would mean that the very heart, core, or essence of Christmas would be removed. Yet, as honourable members may be aware, through talkback radio and in the major press during the past fortnight, that is an issue that faces so many of us.
A Christmas without Christ would mean that the message of Christ based on love, faith, and hope would be left to one side. What would the focus of Christmas be without Jesus Christ? Would we call it National Human Day? Would that appease so-called secular society? Would Love, Peace, and Reconciliation Day take precedence? Or perhaps we could have a National Tolerance Day for those who prefer to be politically correct? I have no hesitation in saying, as people have been saying all week in the press and on radio: If there were no Christ in Christmas, no Christmas prayers, no Christmas carols, no nativity scenes, there would be nothing to Christmas at all.
It might come as a surprise to some but there is a grieving trend in our so-called secular society—which is not as secular as we think—to erode the Christian tradition. The Melbourne Age, for example, reported that in government departments, city councils, and State schools the name “Jesus” is a banned word and even “Christmas” is giving way to “festive season” or “holiday season”. Local councils have opted for Christian-free festivities and Christmas cards. I raised the issue with the New South Wales Health Department, which wanted a non-Christian Christmas card. The spirit of secular Christmas is summed up by banners one can currently see in Melbourne. The banners in the streets say, “Celebrate Melbourne”.
That is almost an oxymoron. Although comical, it is a true depiction of the focus of secular society. All that is left is the festival of “you and me” consumerism, with no meaningful grounding. It is disappointing to see some moves towards the secularisation of Christmas behind the guise of religious tolerance and political correctness. Honourable members may have noticed in the newspapers recently that the major religions that are non-Christian in Australia have emphasised the fact that they wished there would be a truly Christian Christmas in the same way that we celebrate the Festival of Lights at Deepavali and so on.
For humanists, atheists, agnostics, and other non-believers who profess tolerance towards others, it is not so remarkable that there is such intolerance towards a Christian Christmas. However, I am absolutely delighted to wish all of my colleagues in the House God’s richest blessings this Christmas time. 09 December 2004.