Pope Benedict XVI lays the smackdown on secularism at Christmas:
Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians on Wednesday to defend the spirit of Christmas against secular trends during his last general audience before the holiday.
He wished the several thousand pilgrims and tourists gathered in a Vatican auditorium decorated with Christmas trees a ‘Happy Christmas’ in seven languages and told them that ‘false prophets continue to offer cheap salvation which ends up in deep delusions.’
‘It is the duty of Christians to spread through a witness of life the truth of Christmas, which Christ brings to every man and woman of good will.’
Throughout the audience, choral groups sang Christmas carols, including ‘Silent Night,’ a favorite in the pope’s native Germany. Shepherds from Italy’s Abruzzi mountains, in their traditional fur- trimmed costumes, played Italian carols on their bagpipes.During his speech, Benedict also posed the question of the relevance of religion in modern society, one of his leading themes.
‘Today, many consider God irrelevant. Even believers sometimes seek tempting but illusory shortcuts to happiness. And yet perhaps even because of this confusion humanity seeks a savior, and awaits the coming of Christ,’ the pope said.
If you truly believe that Jesus Christ brought salvation to mankind, then this is not the season to be silent.
Celebrate Christmas!