I avoid politics because of how it affected me in college. In fact, I do not watch CNN or FoxNews or any other news program. I filter my news through cross-referencing CNN stories with the BBC and Al-Jazeera. I’ve been known to listen to NPR, but don’t tell anyone. I may lose my relationship to God because I’m not a Republican.

I also listen to Focus on the Family on Christian radio. I’ve even read a couple books by Dr. Gibson. However, a few days ago, I hear yet more about “the war of Christmas” and how one school district allows the display of Labafana(sic), the Christmas Witch. Oh no, is the school district combining Wicca with Christmas? Are they being inclusive to the neo-pagans within the school district? Is the end of the world coming as we know it?

No. Not only did AgapePress and the Liberty Counsel not do their research, they spelled her name wrong. All over the internet and blogosphere, there’s an outcry of how bad ‘secularists’ want Jesus out of Christmas and they quote this story. Mr. Staver of the Liberty Counsel made the comment now echoed all over FoxNews and Christian radio. It’s picked up and good Christians everywhere start praying for the state of Wisconsin.

For the record, here is the story of La Befana. It’s similar to the “Fourth Wise Man” stories and is certainly no worse than Santa Claus. Unlike Santa, though, the story of La Befana mentions Jesus and his birth. In a sense, it is more Christian than Santa (unless you equate Santa to Saint Nicholas).

Also for the record, the War of Christmas officially began in 1922 when Henry Ford wrote the International Jew. In Chapter 7, is the first mention of anti-Christmas celebrations. If there are earlier mentions, please let me know. Later, in the fifties and sixities, the John Birch Society blamed the Communists for ruining Christmas. They were extreme enough that Sen Goldwater distanced himself from them. Now Bill O’Reily claims that George Soros and Peter Lewis are funding this war on Christmas as well as other vast left-wing conspiracies.

Thinking about it, I’m sorry I brought the whole thing up. Lunacy in the name of God is not reserved solely for the ICoC subculture. Ugh.