Merry Christmas-The American Inquisition

Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas. Glad Noel. Happy Hannukah. Blessed Be. Happy Kwanzaa.

I keep getting these 'Keep Christ in Christmas' and 'Don't Be Ashamed of Merry Christmas' emails. It reminds me of the following quote:"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Mahatma Gandhi

It's funny-my Jewish friends and family do not feel the need to force Chanukah blessings on me.
My pagan/wiccan friends do not shower me with Merry Meet or Blessed Be anytime of the year.
My buddhist friends continually wish me happiness and enlightenment, but not on any particular season.
My atheist and agnostic friends do not bombard me with questions or accusations.
Some how, we all acknowledge each other, no matter what time of year, with open arms.

So why the American Inquisition? The message I'm getting is "You go into those department stores and wish them a Merry Christmas!! Let them know you are a Christian, by God!! Do you want Jesus to think that you are ashamed of Him?"

I don't think of it as political correctness, although I don't think that's a bad thing. But wouldn't you rather someone think of you as a follower of Christ because of how you show kindness and understanding rather than your loud shouts of 'Merry Christmas' or your manger pin on your sweater or your fish family on your car bumper? We are supposed to be a land of religious freedom. Not whoever got here first gets to dominate. Sort of defeats the reason many of our ancestors came here, doesn't it?

I want to live so that people come to me quietly and say, "Hey, what is it in you....." And I can say, "Well, there's this amazing guy...*blushes*...that I am crazy in love with...let me tell you about him. Let me tell you how much he loves me and loves you, too. Let me tell you about how not only he can heal you and all your broken pieces, but wants to use you and your broken pieces to show others how he loves them." And if people are not asking me about about Christ, then I'm not doing it right.
I know that I struggle with my faith daily. I struggle with the religion I practice. But one thing I do not struggle with is my love for Christ. I am a full-out Jesus junkie. I wanna be like Mary and just sit at his feet listening to every word he says. And, I want to tell everyone I meet this holiday season, "Peace be with you." And they will know who I am because of what's in my heart, not what comes from my mouth.