Previous presidents acknowledged the Christian belief of Christ's divinity during Christmas proclamations. But not Obama. Do you think he would have been this disrespectful toward Islamic belief in a proclamation on an Islamic holy day?
Obama breaks with tradition, refers to Christ as just “good man” not “Son of God” Jack Minor, Greeley Gazette
While we acknowledge there are many different religions in America, and believe in the Constitutional right of people to choose to believe whatever they want to about their god (or choose to believe nothing at all), the Christmas holiday is traditionally recognized as a time to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God....
In recent years, it has been traditional for the President of the United States to issue a Christmas message from the White House.
As part of his proclamation, Ronald Reagan said in 1981:
“At this special time of year, we all renew our sense of wonder in recalling the story of the first Christmas in Bethlehem nearly 2,000 years ago.
Some celebrate Christmas as the birthday of a great and good philosopher and teacher. Others of us believe in the divinity of the Child born in Bethlehem that He was and is the promised Prince of Peace. Yes, we questioned why He who could perform miracles chose to come among us as a helpless babe, but maybe that was His first miracle, His first great lesson that we should learn to care for one another.
Tonight, in millions of American homes, the glow of the Christmas tree is a reflection of the love Jesus taught us. Like the shepherds and wise men at that first Christmas, we Americans have always tried to follow a higher light, a star, if you will. At lonely campfire vigils along the frontier, in the darkest days of the Great Depression, through war and peace, the twin beacons of faith and freedom have brightened the American sky. At times, our footsteps may have faltered, but trusting in God's help, we've never lost our way. ...
So let this holiday season be for us a time of rededication. Christmas means so much because of One Special Child. … “
Here is a video of that proclamation.
Reagan would go on to echo similar thoughts about Christ’s divinity throughout his presidency.
President George W. Bush referenced the holiday in a more traditional way saying during his 2005 address, “More than 2,000 years ago, a virgin gave birth to a Son, and the God of heaven came to Earth. Mankind had received its Savior, and to those who had dwelled in darkness, the light of hope had come. Each Christmas, we celebrate that first coming anew, and we rejoice in the knowledge that the God who came to Earth that night in Bethlehem is with us still and will remain with us forever.
His 2008 proclamation was similar, “During this season, we remember Jesus' birth from the Virgin Mary, His justice and mercy that changed the world, and His ultimate sacrifice for all people. Though Jesus was born humbly in a manger, He was destined to be the Savior of the world.”
President Bill Clinton also acknowledged the Christian theme of the holiday during his 1996 Christmas address, “Each year during this blessed season, the world pauses to look back across the centuries to the birth of a Child. This Child was born to poor but loving parents in the small town of Bethlehem -- born into a world where few noticed His coming, except for some simple shepherds and a few wise men. He was the Son of God and the King of Kings, but He chose to come among us as servant and Savior.”
Last year, President Obama moved away from tradition and did not mention the divine birth, which is the main “reason for the season.” discussing Christ’s redemptive purpose saying instead Christmas was about “the birth of a child who devoted his life to a message of peace, love, and redemption. A message that says no matter who we are, we are called to love one another – we are our brother’s keeper, we are our sister’s keeper, our separate stories in this big and busy world are really one.”
He echoed a similar theme in 2009, where he said the message of Christmas was, “A message of peace and brotherhood that continues to inspire more than 2,000 after Jesus' birth.”...
UPDATE: Watch and compare:
