Let Them Know It's Christmas Time

[jeweledvixen]

On the way home from WalMart, I had the radio on and, of course, they were playing the occasional Christmas song. I don't mind them at all. As a matter of fact, I really like Christmas carols. Then Feed the World came on. I didn't even notice until they got to the line, "Do they know it's Christmas time at all?"

Suddenly it hit me how arrogant and disrespectful that song is. There are 7.7 billion people in the world and only 2.3 billion of them are Christians. "Feed the world, Let them know it's Christmas time." Really? Why do they need to know it's a holiday that they probably don't celebrate?

I realize that the song was done as a fundraising collaboration and that it was extremely successful. But why did religion have to be dragged into the mix? What about the other ⅔+ of the world's population that don't celebrate Christmas? What about the Jews, the Muslims, the Buddhists, the Hindus, the Shintos, the Native American religions, etc? What about the Atheists?

I don't know, for some reason it just struck a nerve with me. Feed the world, but don't put a religious spin on it. Those you feed may not appreciate it. They may very well have their own religion. Give them the food they need without strings attached.

Comments

[proseac]

Not that this helps, but I highly suspect that neither the authors of that song nor any of those involved in recording and/or distributing it gave any thought whatsoever to the religious aspect of Christmas.

[jeweledvixen]

You're probably right. Christmas has become so commercialized that it's pretty much lost its religious significance for a lot of Christians. Still, they should have stopped to think before writing a song that has religious overtones. Religion is a very touchy subject for a lot of people.

[merzibelle]

proseac is likely right on what the people writing the song thought. Personally, I never liked it. It was blah and a good third of the time I never even notice it's playing unless someone around me comments about it. It definitely didn't have 'staying power' with me.

[jeweledvixen]

Yes, I agree that the writers were thinking about the spirit of Christmas instead of the religious aspects. I never really like it either, but it never struck me what the song actually said until yesterday. I'm probably being too sensitive, but it still seems a bit arrogant and thoughtless to me. :/

[merzibelle]

It is a bit arrogant. Kind of like all those groups who require the homeless and hungry to listen to preaching of some kind before having a bed for the night or a meal. Those too irritate me.

[jeweledvixen]

Yes, right along those same lines. Why should feeding the hungry come with strings?

[dragonheart]

I personally think it was meant more in the vein of the spirit of Christmas - or the spirit of giving. Whether you celebrate Christmas for religious reasons or secular reasons - it is about giving.

[jeweledvixen]

I agree that the writers were thinking about the spirit of giving at Christmas time when they wrote it. It just struck a nerve with me. It seems to me like typical American arrogance that they assumed the whole world celebrates Christmas. If they had said something like, "It's Christmas time in America, so let's all give so we can feed the world in the spirit of our holiday" it wouldn't bother me so much.

Blah, I know I'm not stating my feelings clearly and that I'm being too sensitive, but it just bugs me the way the song is worded. Sorry.

[proseac]

I've thought some more about this, and it strikes me that the song was aimed at North America and Western Europe, NOT at the people who were suffering. Like it or not, the majority of people in those countries celebrate Christmas as opposed to any other religious celebration at this time of year (or at least they did at the time the song was released).

I think the artists were simply trying to tug on Western heart-strings to get people to open their wallets. (Very sad that that's what it takes, but that's a whole other post).

[jeweledvixen]

I agree with you to a point. I agree that the song was aimed at North American and Western European Christians, trying to get them to give to the poor around the world. But they added the lines, "Do they know it's Christmas time at all?" and "Feed the world, Let them know it's Christmas time." Those lines are talking about the poor they want to feed. The writers feel they need to know it's Christmas time.

I know you and most of my friends here are Christians and I don't want to offend you, so I'm not going to let this bug me any more. :)

[amethyst_hunter]

Kind of interesting how years later we don't 'get' a song until out of the blue, it hits us...!

I haven't been able to listen to "Baby, It's Cold Outside" in the same way again since not long ago someone pointed out that it could be construed as a date-rape anthem. D:

[jeweledvixen]

Wow, I just googled "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and yeah, that's not a good song. I've heard it a few times and never noticed that take on the song. Hmmmmm.