Author Speaks Out Against Christmas

Decked out with a scowling Grinch tie and a pin with Santa hanging upside down from a chimney, author Tom Flynn enumerated the evils of Christmas for members of the Secular Society last night in the Owen Room in Winthrop House.

Flynn, a senior editor of Free Inquiry magazine and author of The Trouble With Christmas, says he is known as the "antiClaus." He stopped celebrating Christmas in 1984.

"I enjoyed nine quiet Decembers, then I wrote the book and ever since radio stations have called me [on Christmas] to see me, to check up on me," said Flynn, who said he now spends his holidays at the office.

Sitting opposite Flynn at the speech was Ryan W. Kauppila '00, who had dressed up as Santa and interjected with comments during the speech.

Flynn predicts duller Christmases in the future.

"Christmas has become a net loss as a socioeconomic institution," he said.

Flynn left the Roman Catholic Church in 1979 when he finally realized he was an atheist after years of wrestling with his beliefs.

"If Jesus Christ is not your savior, Christmas is not your holiday," Flynn said.

In 1982, Flynn researched an article on Christmas for the Secular Humanist Bulletin, of which he is a founding editor.

According to Flynn, the ancient practice of Christmas died out between 1790 and 1820 but experienced a revival during the Victorian era.

He said the holiday's present form was developed by six "DWAMQs: Dead White Anglo Males and a Queen."

Flynn listed Washington Irving, Charles Dickens, Clement C. Moore, author of "A Visit from Saint Nichols," or "`Taws the Night before Christmas," Francis Church and Thomas Nast as DWAMQs. Queen Victoria was also implicated, he said.

"Aside from Dickens, few realized what they had done; otherwise, they probably would have run, not walked, from the dustpan of history," Flynn said.

He asserted that an early belief in Santa Claus breeds distrust between children andparents and may warp children's moral andreligious development.

"[Christmas is] an elaborately sustainedparental lie," Flynn said. "I urge all parents togive Santa Claus the axe."

Kauppila, sitting opposite Flynn, responded,"Boo...ho, ho, ho," to which Flynn replied with aresounding, "No, no, no."

Flynn said prejudice against the yule-free canbe traced to two distinct figures: Dickens'Ebeneezer Scrooge and Dr. Seuss' Grinch.

"Christmas critics remain one of the fewminorities against whom it is socially acceptableto discriminate," Flynn said.

Nevertheless, Flynn said Christmas is on thedecline because of the growing number ofimmigrants. Whereas in the past, acceptance andassimilation served to imprison minorities, Flynnsaid today minorities tend to be assertive aboutwhat makes them unique.

"If today's new outsiders...demand to berespected, Christmas can't continue in its role asa universal public idea," he said.

He suggested that all religions be treated withthe "same uniform, benign neglect under whichnon-Christian faiths have always grinded."

He conceded, however, that Christmas will notdisappear as a holiday but rather draw back.

Flynn emphasized that the recent origin andaccidental development of Christmas traditions canand must be rolled back, beginning with secularhumanists' emergence from the closet.

He urged the society members to let others knowabout their beliefs.

"How many people in your life know that you'rean infidel?" he asked. "Saying no to Christmasmakes a strong message.

"[Christmas is] an elaborately sustainedparental lie," Flynn said. "I urge all parents togive Santa Claus the axe."

Kauppila, sitting opposite Flynn, responded,"Boo...ho, ho, ho," to which Flynn replied with aresounding, "No, no, no."

Flynn said prejudice against the yule-free canbe traced to two distinct figures: Dickens'Ebeneezer Scrooge and Dr. Seuss' Grinch.

"Christmas critics remain one of the fewminorities against whom it is socially acceptableto discriminate," Flynn said.

Nevertheless, Flynn said Christmas is on thedecline because of the growing number ofimmigrants. Whereas in the past, acceptance andassimilation served to imprison minorities, Flynnsaid today minorities tend to be assertive aboutwhat makes them unique.

"If today's new outsiders...demand to berespected, Christmas can't continue in its role asa universal public idea," he said.

He suggested that all religions be treated withthe "same uniform, benign neglect under whichnon-Christian faiths have always grinded."

He conceded, however, that Christmas will notdisappear as a holiday but rather draw back.

Flynn emphasized that the recent origin andaccidental development of Christmas traditions canand must be rolled back, beginning with secularhumanists' emergence from the closet.

He urged the society members to let others knowabout their beliefs.

"How many people in your life know that you'rean infidel?" he asked. "Saying no to Christmasmakes a strong message.