Greetings everyone! Sorry my posts are not yet consistently at night. I'm still trying to get used to my meds and sometimes I'm either very wonky or asleep.
Today we are going to deviate away from the parables because I feel the need to rant. Being who I am I don't rant often. Oh don't get me wrong, my autistic brain and I will often obsess, but I rarely truly rant. I've had an ongoing rant in my head for several days. Only Jamie and a couple of close Facebook friends have gotten to experience it, but this rant has gotten so big in my head I must share with everyone to release the pressure.
Now I know Halloween is barely over but this debate is already starting this year all over my Facebook news feed, conversations I'm overhearing, and even the newspaper. Don't get me wrong, I truly believe the Christmas season should start immediately start with your morning sugar high following Halloween (which happens to be All Saints Day.....but I would digress if I even went here). However, it is not the fun and joy of Christmas that's come early, its the pissing contest over semantics and words.
Christmas is many wonderful things to many people. First and foremost, it is to celebrate Jesus birth and the renewal of hope. Next, we use this time to come together with family and friends. Many people have a holiday from work to rest and prepare for a new year. Children get a break from school. While others use this as a time for charity. They work diligently to make sure shelters are ready to receive homeless in areas that it is cold. They place angel trees in malls and shopping centers to encourage others to give and make sure many children that wouldn't receive a gift will receive one.
I admit I am looking at this with a Christian slant because that is my upbringing and history. I know my Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Atheist, and other friends will also participate in this joy and giving while calling it other names.
Ok, here we go, here's my rant.....I know some Christian folks are feeling a bit left out if we say "holiday parade" "the holiday party" "the holidays are upon us". What I'm really trying to figure out is what does this take away from Christians. In our culture Christmas is almost always going to be the central theme of "the holidays". However, by saying and meaning "HOLIDAY" we are allowing others to be included in meaningful ways in the festivities.
I can hear from here what many Christians are hollering at me and at other people writing similar posts or articles. "BUT BUT BUT....YOU ARE TAKING CHRIST OUT OF THE HOLIDAY!!!!!!" ......."CHRIST WON'T FEEL WELCOME TO HIS PARTY IF WE DON'T USE HIS NAME!!!!".......Really?????? I mean....Really???????
What did Christ and/or God EVER say about celebrating Jesus' birthday? What did they really ever say about celebrating ANYTHING??? From what I remember from all of my studies of the bible and hearing bible stories, we are to celebrate quietly and by giving to less fortunate.
So my way of thinking when this type of Christian jumps up and down and hollers "JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON" or they are hollering to us that we are only suppose to celebrate in biblically approved Christian ways, then THAT is what they should do.
What would this involve? Well it would involve cooking that big meal but before even tasting it, taking it out to feed the hungry. It would involve lots of shopping, or better yet, knitting and sewing. But instead of shopping and spending that $500 on the iPad your son wants, you would spend the $500 to feed and clothe several families until spring. Instead of teaching your children the anticipation of waking up excitedly Christmas morning for the gifts Santa Clause left them under the Christmas tree, you would get them up to attend church and pray for the renewal of the life in the cold ground below us and to give praise and thanks to all the glories God has given us this past year. If you want to recognize that it is Jesus' birthday, a donation to the church to do good helps in his name would be greatly appreciated.
If we were truly arguing to keep Christmas a Christian holiday there would be no arguing about parades, Santa in the mall, holiday vs Christmas parties, or whether the flipping tree is cedar, pine, or fir, and if we call it a Christmas tree, festival tree, or a holiday tree. We would be too busy doing good works for all of this nonsense.
All of that said, I hope many of you will sit on Santa's lap and whisper your hopes for the new year, kiss your sweetie under the mistletoe, have enough this year that you can place a few presents under the tree, go and wave at all the pretty lights and holiday floats in the parade, and most of all, enjoy a few holiday parties with your friends and family.
PS. Don't forget to invite Jesus too your holiday parties....You'll be sure not to run out of wine.
11 comments:
I get frustrated too about this too. The money spent on Christmas presents could feed so many hungry people. WWJD? Use his money wisely.
I agree Jamie about to materialistic but my point was more about the fact that almost nothing we do caled Christmas is really about Christ it's wonderful and can be Christ like. How ever what does it really have to do with Christ
I agree with your rant. In fact, I was planning something similar for my blog.
Yes, "Jesus is the reason for the season" for many Christians but not for everyone. I look at the time period-let's call it the holidays, as a festive time to spend time with friends, families and helping where needed. God wouldn't care if it's a Holiday Party that collects canned goods and celebrates Jesus' birth. He doesn't care about the semantics. The only time I got really annoyed was when Lowes called the trees "holiday trees"- they're Christmas trees!!!!!!
To be continued on my own blog...
CaNt wait to read urs! I'm still stuck on the point that so many people who yell keep Christ in Christmas dot get that so little of the holiday has much relation to Christ at all
so nibbler, here I am, one of the atheist pagans (or is that pagan atheists). I always thought that my christian teaching said that within our hearts is where faith lies and if faith lies within us than it would seem to follow that there is where the party lies also. for me it will always be the festival of lights where the sun starts its return to us and with it warmth and joy. that my christian friends insist on calling it christmas actually feels like they are being rude and egotistical but I never tell them this as I don't want to lessen their joy in the season. good luck with your thesis and joy to you and J in this season leading up to the festival of lights. lol
beautifully and intelligently said my friend. Thank you!! I would love if you would inbox me on fb more bout the festival of light you know I love to keep learning!!!
I have issues with Christmas being called a Christian holiday when it really began as a Pagan holiday and then was transformed by the Christians in order to make Christianity more acceptable to the locals when decreed to become Christians by their leader.
So many do not see the true beginnings of Christmas, but only see what they want to see.
Christmas is one of my least favorite holidays because it has been commercialized to the extent that I don't care if you're Pagan, Christian or something else, you're forced to be surrounded by sappy holiday songs and gaudy decorations.
If you're a Christian, celebrating the birth of Jesus is probably important, but I also wonder if we're not idolizing the stable, manger, etc. We're not supposed to worship anything but God (so Jesus counts too I guess), but we put on this big thing with the manger, stable, the north star, etc. (I have the same issue with so many Christians focusing on the cross when the cross can become an idol as well).
I can't see Jesus wanting people to spoil their children by spending thousands of dollars on stuff they're going to be bored with and throw away in a couple weeks (or months if you're lucky). I think Jesus would be one of those in the soup kitchens year round, not just in the holiday season. He'd be the one standing up and making a difference in people's lives.
Well said elmofrog..... So often Christians and I for the most part includes self under thy label..... Go from beginning to end. Stable to cross and just skip all the meaty middle. You know. The example Christians are to live by.
http://www.christiananswers.net/christmas/mythsaboutchristmas.html -
A very interesting link about Christmas.
Everyday should be filled with good will and charity, not just spending money and buying gifts that really alot of folks can't afford. People have forgotten the real meaning. It's so commercialized.
Well said shellie! I will check out the link later after work :). I hope people realize my point in the post is not to leave Jesus or other traditions out But to love what u "preach". U have mentioned hypocrites to me and on here before. And I think ethyl his the nail on the head. People that don't live a good life. Feel if they call themselves something good like "Christian" they can live how they want
I think you hit the nail squarely on the head, Carrie. If we are celebrating the nativity of the Prince of Peace, it compromises out integrity as Christians to pick fights about what we call this season of celebration.
When we claim that Jesus won't come to the party if we don't use certain verbiage, we cross a line from faith in to superstition. A favorite aphorism in my tradition (Episcopal) is "Bidden or unbidden, Christ is present." I think we'd do well to remember that.
Hospitality is a Christian virtue. What if we showed a little? I truly think we make a better case for Christ and Christianity when we display a generous spirit toward those who see things differently. Evangelism isn't about forcing one's particular belief set down the throats of others like a dose of castor oil. It is by proclaiming in word and deed that God loves us and dwells among us. And if that means living in a season that is roomy enough for those who are not professing Christians to participate, and experience something of what we understand to be the presence of God in the world - regardless of what heses others may call it - that's just no skin off our noses.
Peace on earth, goodwill toward ALL.
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