First Baptist Church in Jonesboro is making big money from this "War on Christmas" nonsense.

Pastor Dean Haun says he's sold 500 signs touting the war over the last week,  in your face signs claiming the owner is offended if you tell them anything but "Merry Christmas" this month. He told 11Alive his motive is simple. "When we can't say Merry Christmas without offending someone, I think we've crossed the line."

What is happening here, however, is nothing next to what's happening elsewhere, New Donkey reports.

Guerrilla bands of protesters in California are now harrassing shoppers at that archetypal red-state institution, Wal-Mart, thanks to the mega-chain's decision to use "Happy Holidays" as its merchandizing slogan for the season. Cultural Warriors of the Right have already sought to organize boycotts of Sears, Wal-Mart and Target on the same grounds. The Sacramento protests represent a lurch into Direct Action.

NewDonkey offers an AP story as his source. He then offers this perspective:

Now you do have to admire the truth-in-advertising honesty of a protest organizer who represents the "Church of the Divide." But the shopper who shares the protest's perspective yet ignores to join it is more representative of even conservative evangelical sentiment. I found it especially interesting that he objects to the use of "Xmas"--an objection I've been hearing literally for forty years, dating back to those simpler days when hardly anyone thought godless secular hordes controlled our culture.

In fact, the substitution of "X" for Christ is an ancient Christian usage, reflecting the widespread adoption of the Greek letter "Chi" as a symbol for Christ (the "Chi-Rho," which looks like "XP," remains an abiding presence in priestly vestments and Christian art.)

That significant numbers of conservative Christians don't understand this simple fact reflects poorly on their leadership, and illustrates the contrived nature of the whole "war on Christmas" demonology.

Christians should have better things to worry about during the Feast of the Nativity, also known as Xmas.

For those wishing a holier way of celebrating Christmas, GrabbingSand offers a link to a recording of 1995's Cry of a Little Babe, featuring the talents of Lou Reed, Rob Wasserman and Roseanne Cash. Enjoy. And Merry Christmas.