COULD there be a bigger oxymoron? The ultimate celebration of peace and love in the Christian calendar has become the target of a misplaced debate on political correctness.
Every year, come December, television and radio hosts push and shove for pole position to air a story on the subject of whether to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”.
Jesus, the main protagonist of this sad contest, would most likely not have cared either way. His aim, his professional goal, so to speak, was to promote justice for the oppressed, as well as love and understanding among people. He would be quite disappointed to know that the celebration of his humble birth has been hijacked for political agendas by so many.
And, he would be appalled to see how the modern world has turned this joyful event into a race for economic bottom lines, fierce competition for most glamorous decoration, shameless gluttony and mindless gift exchange.
While it might well be too late to reverse the magnitude with which Christmas has fallen victim to brazen commercialisation, we can, and we should, at least try to remind ourselves of the core objective of the person whose birthday we celebrate.
This would mean to live a life of generosity, service and hospitality towards others, a life of love towards our fellow humans. This would imply trying to be a better person every day of the year, not just on Dec 25, but let’s take it one step at a time, shall we?
Being a person of faith, any faith, means trying one’s best to live a life of encounter, rather than confrontation, to listen and to respect one another.
However, as any psychologist would attest, to love and respect others, we have to first learn to love ourselves.
It seems that many an avid defender of political correctness has forgotten this detail, sometimes with far-reaching consequences.
As Westerners in a predominantly Muslim country such as Malaysia, we often believe that we are required to walk on eggshells. We rename our Christmas tree “Holiday tree”, we perform “winter concerts” in international schools rather than “Christmas concerts”, and we wish everybody “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”.
But have we asked our Malaysian hosts if they are insulted by our traditional celebration of Jesus’ birth? Have we bothered to find out whether they mind our display of felicity?
I dare say we have not. We simply assume that they do take offence. In an attempt to do the right thing, we do just the opposite. We actually show a lack of respect. We underestimate people of a different faith’s ability and willingness to respect us, to share in our merriment, and this is disrespectful.
I will argue that it is an offence towards people’s faculty to honour cultural diversity, if we assume that we are expected to depart from our traditions for their sake. While this applies to every community, it is particularly true in a country like Malaysia, a country that thrives on its ability to celebrate diversity, be it racial, cultural or religious.
In fact, while many an international friend whispers a shy “Happy Holidays”, it is the local Malays, Indians and Chinese who wholeheartedly wish me a “Merry Christmas” these days as I walk down the street or leave a shop.
Just as it is with the most sincere emotion that I wish them “Happy Deepavali”, “Gong Xi Fa Cai” or “Selamat Hari Raya”, come that time of the year.
Jesus might not have minded either way, but it is with pride in my origins and with utmost respect for my Malaysian hosts’ empathy that I wish you all a very “Merry Christmas”.
The writer is a long-term expatriate, a restless traveller, an observer of the human condition, and unapologetically insubordinate