Saturday, December 06, 2003

NO SANTA IN CHURCH?

A Belgian priest may get a coal in his stocking this year after objecting to a picture of Santa on a church poster:
A Belgian priest has demanded that his parish reprint posters advertising a Christmas carol concert because they include a picture of Santa Claus.

Priest Daniel Beernaert, who's 68, told Gazet van Antwerpen: "I'll never welcome Santa Claus in my church. He is a pagan symbol."

Father Daniel, of Saint Martin's Church in Koekelare, added: "At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ and not Santa Claus.

"The organisers even wanted a Santa Claus to walk around in the church during the concert.

"Santa Claus is a commercial symbol that has nothing to do with Christmas. If people want to join it, it's all right, but not in my church."

Points for the priest, but here's a question--does the Bible actually say anything about celebrating Christmas Day, either? Or might we say the entire practice is pagan in origin? Just curious.

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