Warring Holiday Billboards

War On Christmas Spreads To Lincoln Tunnel - Heard this story on NPR today. I thought it was a fun piece, well done. Both sides got to express opinions. And I'm pleased to note that so far (at least, based on what I've seen), the whole argument between the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" factions seems to be lower-key and less rabid than it was a year ago. Maybe both sides are painfully aware that we have bigger things to beat each other up about...

Anyway, here are my thoughts on the competing billboards.

The American Atheists put up a Nativity scene with the words, "You know it's a Myth. This Season, Celebrate Reason." (Nice picture, by the way. The Magi, the star, the manger. Looks a lot like a Christmas card.)

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights countered with "You know it's Real. This Season, Celebrate Jesus." (They have a nice picture, too.)

I have no problem with any of these statements. Celebrate reason? That seems like a good idea; it would be nice if there were more of it in the public discourse. Celebrate Jesus? Sure. Christmas is one of the religious holidays observed at this time of year. In the Christian calendar, it's all about the birth of Jesus. I think it's entirely possible to celebrate Jesus and reason at the same time.

Real? Mythical? I'm not sure those terms are mutually exclusive.

In my decades of reading, writing and pondering the nuances of the English language (and the other languages it has borrowed from along the way), I've learned that "real," "true," and "factual" don't mean precisely the same thing. And I grit my teeth when I hear some pundit or politician say that an opponent's statement is "pure fiction," when they really mean to say it's a pack of lies. Because "lies" and "fiction" aren't synonymous either, though they may have characteristics in common. I've read works of fiction that express profound truths. I'll bet you have, too. Sometimes, fiction feels truer than fact.

And what about "myth"? As I see it, a myth is one of the big stories. It might be based on factual events, or a story that somebody made up. Chances are, it's a bit of both -- and because it strikes some universal chord, over time the story has taken on larger-than-life meaning, sent echoes through the ages, influenced a culture, or taught us something about how to live our lives.

If that's what a myth is, I'd say the Christmas story qualifies. That doesn't necessarily mean it didn't happen. I'll leave that argument to the Catholics and atheists. I don't count myself as a member of either group. But if somebody wants to say "Peace on Earth," I'm all for that.