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January 18, 2020 by Susannah

Politically Correct: A Slippery Slope

When I started working at the University of California as a secretary, the Christmas holiday motif was pretty much intact. Toward the end of December there were Christmas trees in the hall and an annual “Christmas Party.” The party included a professor dressed up as Santa Claus and Christian hymns, a.k.a Christmas carols. We also exchanged gifts. It was great!

Then one year, Christmas started to change. A memo went around just before the holiday season banning Christmas trees in the hall. A year later, the Christmas party became a holiday luncheon. Santa was not there and neither was the music I loved so much.

The year after that the holiday part of the party disappeared altogether and I was invited to join the staff at an End-of-the-Semester gathering at a Chinese restaurant. The pot stickers were great, but when I asked the coordinator if I could bring some bright red poinsettias as decorations she said, “That would remind people of Christmas and this is not a Christmas party.” That is when it hit me. Celebrating Christmas at work was not going to happen anymore. It was no longer politically correct.

My first reaction to all this was to get indignant. “Why shut out Christmas,” I said, “Can’t we just include the other religions as well. We’ll just make it a Chanukah/Christmas party.” This idea was rejected and after pouting for awhile I let the whole thing drop.

Soon after the Christmas party was banished, I began becoming self-conscious about being a Christian. I took all the Christian symbols off of my bulletin board. Down came the fish engraved with the words, “I love Jesus,” and the card that read, “Jesus loves me, this I know.” Then I discreetly hid my Bible away in a file drawer—out of site. Next, I stopped mentioning my faith when talking to people. When someone asked me what I had done the weekend before, I did not mention that I had spent part of my time at church or that I had participated in a church function.

Eventually, my vocabulary changed and the Sabbath became Saturday so no one would ask me what I meant by the “Sabbath.” This kind of avoidance got worse over the years and before I knew it I had become a closet Christian—all in the name of not wanting to offend anyone at work who was of another religion or had no faith at all.

If this was the end of the story you might say: “No harm done. After all, I was just being sensitive to the feelings of others.” But I must confess, it got worse. One day, I was having a conversation with one of the Jewish professors and somehow the subject turned to religion. Then, to my surprise, I heard myself referring to Christianity in the abstract as if it had nothing to do with me. “Christianity is an interesting religion,” I said, “but who knows if they are right about Christ being the messiah. Perhaps he was just a teacher.”

I was immediately aware of what I had just said. The blood drained from my face and I quickly excused myself. As I walked away, I began rattling off rationalizations for why I had denied my faith. “I was just trying to avoid offending him,” I told myself. “This is a place of business. My faith has no place here.” But praise the Lord, I didn’t believe a word I was saying to myself and as I walked back to my office I felt a great sadness fall over me.

Back at my desk, I opened my filing cabinet and found the Bible I had tucked away under a pile of papers. I quickly opened it to the story of Peter denying Christ. As I read the words I got even sadder. Finally the story ended: “And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75 RSV) I quietly closed the Bible and laid it on my desk as my own tears began to stream down my face.

As I thought about it later, I came to the realization that I had gone from being discreet about my faith at work to being self-conscious and then, finally, ashamed. I had also become too dependent on the validation of sponsored events like Christmas parties and a day off from work on Good Friday to give me permission to speak about my faith and announce who I was and what I believed. Finally, I realized I had a serious problem with “people pleasing” and wanting to fit it.

This was a turning point for me, and I knew I had to do something. I began by praying. I asked God what I should do to be true to my Christian faith at work. The answer came back in the form of a deep-seated desire to find the middle ground between tolling the bell and being invisible. And what does this mean in practical terms?

It means being willing to talk about my faith whether I am with other Christians or alone in the proverbial lion’s den. It means taking my faith out from under the bushel and putting that fish back on my bulletin board—and a Christian screen saver on my computer for added measure. It means sprinkling my vocabulary with Christian words like faith, Christ, Lord, Sabbath, charity, church, vespers—words that might invite someone to ask me about my beliefs. It means inviting people to my church when I sense they are hungry for the love of the Lord.

It means giving up the need to blend in if I have to give up being me to do so. It means having my own little Christmas party at my desk even if my supervisor won’t let me have a tree.

Matthew 26:75 (LEB)

And Peter remembered the statement Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times,” and he went outside andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went”) has been translated as a finite verb wept bitterly.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Matthew+26%3A75…
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Filed Under: Devotionals, Member Writings, Susannah's Corner

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Christ the King

Christ the King

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  • Feb 29, 2020
  • #2
Political correctness is incorrect

I read your article. Schools here have been doing the same thing.

After reading about your conversation with the Jewish professor immediately thought this is one of those moments where Peter denied knowing Jesus. I know i have been guilty of it many times before without even realizing at the time.

Good on you for acknowledging what you had done when u did it.
 
JohnDB

JohnDB

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  • Feb 29, 2020
  • #3
I used to keep my faith somewhat silent...or at least I thought that I did. (I didn't)

Today, nothing could be further from the truth.

Uniqueness is respected in our society...I am unique. An individual with an identity unique to myself.
As Christian ideals and morals are a huge part of my identity I can't deny them. Nor should I. No more so than denying that I am a male over 50 years of age (should that ever become politically incorrect)

And even if others don't share in my faith, they respect mine. They might test me on them to see if I will waiver...but I know better than that. There's a lot at stake for me to waiver on my principles.
And it comes with my commitment to knowing who I am...and that I am loved by God. What does it matter if someone hates me for my religion...even though I don't hate them. They are the prejudiced ones.
 
humble soul

humble soul

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  • Feb 29, 2020
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I am not PC. No way. Long live dinosaurs!
 
Bull of the Woods

Bull of the Woods

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  • Feb 29, 2020
  • #5
I don’t tend to be bothered by the fact that unbelievers don’t believe, or that the part of the world opposed to God is not much in favor of God.
We are aliens. Our nation is an international one that transcends earthly establishments.
Isn’t it ok if there is a difference between what believers do and want to do and what unbelievers do?
I can worship and celebrate with my family and Christian friends.
I can’t imagine Paul feeling a need to help the Galatian Christians or Ephesian Christians sorrow over the fact that the other Galatians or Ephesians aren’t celebrating Christ with benign parties or saying Merry Christmas in the market squares.
 
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