Fox News' overemphasis on America's "War on Christmas" is just getting "silly," according to one Catholic priest.
Father Jonathan Morris, who has been a contributor on Fox News since 2005, recently visited the set of "Fox & Friends" to discuss "The War on Christmas," Mediaite reports. Although the show's co-hosts might have assumed Morris would unleash wrath upon those battling against the holiday's religious connotation, he did not. In fact, he called the whole "War on Christmas" plain old "silly."
Via Think Progress:
The reason I’m not angry is that, yes, I think it’s silly, it’s out of place for people to dedicate so much energy to try to get rid of Christmas scenes like this. The good news is when Christianity has been persecuted, when it has been outlawed, when people have died for their faith, it hasn’t gone away. Everybody has an opportunity to make sure their faith does not go away in this Christmas season to live that faith as a family, as a community. What should we do about these, I think very small percentage of people who are working to try to get rid of these public expressions of faith? I think we should speak up. That’s why I am doing it. That’s why I think it’s important we have these stories to show what they are trying to do — without losing the peace. If our Christmas is going to be all about getting a upset at people trying to take away Christmas, isn’t that silly too?
Morris attempted to bring up the issue of saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," but Morris said he is fine hearing "Happy Hanukkah" too.
"It would be an offense if we were saying as a country, as a government, in our courts, the only public expression of religion should be Christianity because most Americans are Christian – that is not the American way, but the American way is not ‘let’s pretend that we are all the same and because we are so sensitive we want to make sure that nobody has a public expression,'" he said.
Concluding with a memorable jab, Morris said, “You guys look so angry about this 'War on Christmas.' I can tell."
With the holiday season upon us, Fox News has been amping up its "War on Christmas" coverage, a thematic tradition since 2010.
Last week, "Fox & Friends" co-host Gretchen Carlson sat down with a Rhode Island Republican representative to discuss the "war" in her state, revolving around a "Christmas tree" lighting called a "holiday tree" lighting.
"A lot of people, for whatever reason, will look at this interview today and say, Gretchen Carlson and Doreen Costa are nuts. They're so nuts because they think there's this made up war on Christmas," Carlson said. "We're not nuts, are we? There is a war on Christmas!"
Bill O'Reilly also recently noted the legal issues of the War on Christmas, saying, "President Grant signed a law in 1870 making Christmas a federal holiday. So there really isn't any controversy unless Congress revokes the holiday. Christmas is Christmas. It celebrates the birth of Jesus. Therefore, the word 'Christmas', images of Jesus, any songs or poems or stories discussing him are appropriate under the law."
[h/t Think Progress for the find.]