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]

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. :)