Since there is no Adult CE at church until after the first of the year, i thought i’d address the issue of Christmas.
I greatly enjoy Christmas. The celebration of Christ’s birth is miraculous and a joy to celebrate, as is the time spent with family and friends and the memories that go with the celebration.
However, I tire of my Christian friends who partake in combating their perception of a War on Christmas. I celebrate Christmas because I am a Christian. I do not expect anyone who is not a Christian to share my beliefs nor my celebration. I do not celebrate Hanukkah, nor Ramadan nor any religious holiday which is not a based on my Christian beliefs.
Here is my question:
Why do some good people insist on feeling persecuted if those who are not Christian believers choose to say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas or choose to have a Holiday Tree instead of a Christmas Tree? Why would we expect those who do not share our beliefs to be hypocritical? Do we think that by attacking those who do not share our beliefs we are being Christlike? Are we showing a Christian testimony with our anger and belligerence and boycotting?
Are you aware that the early church did not celebrate Christmas at all?
The only holiday celebrated by the early church was the death and resurrection of Jesus (before it was merged with fertility rites: Easter and its bunnies). That’s why we do not know the actual date of Christ’s birth. The birth of Christ was not celebrated by the Christian church until the 4th century. That’s like waiting until 2176 to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day!
Also, “Christmas Trees” are not evil, and certainly do no harm, but they actually have nothing at all to do with Christmas itself and have only been a part of the celebration of Christmas for a few hundred years.
So:
DO: Wish others a Merry Christmas, Celebrate the birth of Christ, Decorate your tree, Give gifts.
DON’T: Expect those who do not share your beliefs to do those things.
There is no War on Christmas.
Stop mistaking man made tradition for spiritual reality. Mangers, trees, greetings: these things have nothing to do with being a Christian. Instead of hating and whining, show others the love which Christ has given us. After all, that is what Jesus commanded us.