Letters to the Editor

Xmas perfectly acceptable

In "Rants" from Sunday, a reader made the comment "Mixing religion and politics secularizes the first without sanctifying the later. It puts the 'X' in 'Xmas.' One reason we separate church and state."

Though putting the "X" in "Xmas" has, unfortunately, been adopted by people who want to secularize Christmas, the use of Xmas is nearly as old as Christianity.

The Greek word for "Christ" is "chi," and the Greek letter "chi"' is represented by a symbol similar to the letter "X" in the modern Roman alphabet. For many Christians this abbreviation is perfectly acceptable and is used in a way not intended to be secular or disrespectful.

HELEN BRELL

Signal Mountain


'Tis the season to recycle, too

As we approach this joyous time of year, I hope everyone is enjoying the true meaning of this special holiday season.

Gathering around friends and family to celebrate yet another year come and gone, it is easy to find ourselves thankful for the wonderful people we are surrounded with.

I hope that in addition to the obvious blessings, we all take a moment and respect the environment by responsibly disposing of our waste once the gifts have been opened. It only takes a minute to designate a bag for wrapping paper and other paper products that can be easily dropped off at one of our many local recycling centers.

I know this type of behavior is not much of a concern for many, but this is a wonderful opportunity to set a good example and begin 2011 with a new outlook.

JESSICA HUBBUCH

Hixson


Let's not forget reason for season

It's Christmas time. Let's recall that the reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of the baby born in poverty who died also in poverty.

His life does not resemble the national deity who preaches the gospel of success and selfishness. The national deity drives a BMW, wants to use government to make us pray to it and preaches values concerning homosexuality, anti-abortion, guns, and the free market never mentioned by Mary's son. This national deity is mammon. He is nailed to a cross dangling around the neck of an elephant.

As for us Democrats who do not have the belly to resist the national deity, who pander to it for votes, I would urge us not to think ourselves holier than its adherents. We have not resisted a narrative about this country and about reality that is as false as the golden messiah. We have allowed billions of tax dollars poured into wars and nation building to be called democracy while tax dollars to help our own are maligned as socialism.

Maybe we should all stop pretending we care about the message of Mary's son, and plunge on into greed, consumerism and the almighty dollar.

Maybe not.

IAN CLAUDIUS SMITH

Signal Mountain

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