Warren Smith’s editorial on the “Christian-Industrial Complex” is sure to elicit some letters to his paper, The Charlotte World.

Examples of the Christian-Industrial Complex are easy to see. The Women of Faith conferences, for example, rake in more than $50-million per year and are part of a for-profit, publicly traded company. The Christian retail industry topped $4.5-billion last year. (A bit of context: $30 per month can support many pastors in developing countries. That means that Americans spend enough annually on “Jesus Junk” to support 250-thousand Third World pastors—for 50 years!)

Smith is just getting warmed up . . .

Another example that played out last month is the controversy over the usage of the greeting “Merry Christmas” instead of the greeting “Happy Holidays.” So what possible purpose could be served . . . by “keeping Christ in Christmas” when Christmas is what it is? The answer is money. The Mississippi-based American Family Association says it has sold more than 500,000 buttons and 125,000 bumper stickers bearing the slogan ‘Merry Christmas: It’s Worth Saying.” The Alliance Defense Fund said it sold “about 20,000 ‘Christmas packs.’” The packs, available for a suggested $29 donation, include a three-page legal memo and two lapel pins.” You can do your own math on this one.

Smith then goes on to address the Christmas celebration itself.

Provocative stuff! (I received it as an email from the The Charlotte World, but it’s not on its site, so I’ve posted the complete editorial on my site.)

Let the dialog begin!