Conservative talk show host Bill O'Reilly and Samaritan's Purse president Franklin Graham recently warned that many Americans are waging a "War on Christmas" in an effort to diminish the celebration of Jesus Christ's birthday.
On the Tuesday night edition of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor," Bill O'Reilly pulled up an image of a billboard, posted by American Atheists, advising children to "skip church" on Christmas.
"Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip church! I'm too old for fairy tales," the controversial billboard reads next to a picture of young girl in a Santa Claus hat.
"Even children know churches spew absurdity, which is why they don't want to attend services. Enjoy the time with your family and friends instead," explained American Atheists President David Silverman at the time."Today's adults have no obligation to pretend to believe the lies their parents believed. It's OK to admit that your parents were wrong about God, and it's definitely OK to tell your children the truth."
The talk show host said the "insulting" billboards are evidence that there is, indeed, a War on Christmas raging in the U.S.
"Every Christmas season there are people who try to diminish the celebration of Jesus's birthday," O'Reilly added.
"I cannot understand for the life of me why anyone would bother trying to diminish the federal holiday of Christmas."
O'Reilly is not the only one to bring to light the reality of a "War on Christmas." Franklin Graham, the son of the legendary Christian televangelist Billy Graham, also recently expressed his thoughts regarding some people's opposition to celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.
"That's because at its root and core, the war on Christmas isn't really about Christmas at all-it's about the Son of God. The war on Christmas is a war on Christ and His followers. It's the hatred of our culture for the exclusive claims that Christ made: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me' (John 14:6)," wrote Graham in a Charisma News report.
"Unfortunately, the United States in the last few decades has witnessed increased hostility toward the sacred nature of Christmas, erupting into what has become a blatant war on Christmas. Stores, schools and communities across America continue to find new and intolerant reasons to remove any religious references to Christmas, stripping it of any holy or historical significance," wrote Graham.
The Samaritan's Purse President added that there are currently millions of Christians across the globe that commemorate the birth and first coming of Jesus Christ, including the Biblical city of Bethlehem. He also shared some advice for those who want to have a better relationship with God this holiday season.
"We can be about the business of living uprightly in an evil age, testifying of Christ's power to deliver us from sin, Satan and the world...The war on Christmas-the war on Christ-is doomed to fail," wrote Graham.
"Christ came the first time to rescue us from our sin; He is coming a second time to establish His kingdom forever under His righteous reign. Every believer from every age who has repented and trusted in Him for the forgiveness of sin will be with Him. The Babe at Bethlehem will be the conquering King. So this Christmas, don't worry if you see the opposition building. Praise Him that He came to earth 2,000 years ago on a rescue mission, that He has rescued you."
