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.

[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.

[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.

[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: