2008-12-04

A Christian Christmas?

Isn't that redundant? I mean, Christmas (from Christ Mass) is a Christian holiday. Isn't it?

I don't know anymore. Christmas is supposed to be about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem as the promised messiah sent by God to save the world. The overriding concept is that Jesus allowed himself to be limited by human flesh in order to give hope to all mankind. It's not about GETTING gifts but rather GIVING them.

In so-called Christian nations like the United States & Canada even secular people recognize that Christmas is more about commercialism & and consumerism than peace & joy. Jesus has been supplanted with Santa Claus.

So much so that major retailers make their employees say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas for fear of somehow offending someone? Just a few years ago city hall took down their Christmas tree for fear it would offend non-Christians. Surprisingly it was Muslim's who finally told the city to stop being so ridiculous.

Some Christians simply abstain from Christmas, claiming it was never a Christian holiday to begin with. We don't know exactly what year Jesus was born, let alone what month or day. So December 25th (or January 7th) is just as likely Jesus' birthday as much as any other day of the year. Actually, since our present calendar system didn't exist in Jesus' time it is impossible.

In truth, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday. It was modified to make it easier for Christians to digest. So many conservative/legalistic Christians refuse to celebrate Christmas claiming that it is really a pagan holiday.

I think they're both wrong! And they’re both right! Yes, the western world has made it all about the THINGS. But that doesn't mean you have to be that way too. Make it a season of giving again:
- Do a food drive with your church
- Have your small group sponsor a family in need
- Get involved with Operation Christmas Child
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen
- Collect coats and hand them out to the homeless

Regardless of where, when, and how Christmas was started it's what we do NOW that makes it what it is. The Bible says to do everything as if we do it for the Lord. If we celebrate Christmas by celebrating Christ's birth , life, and mission then I don't think God will hold it against you that hundreds of years ago OTHER people venerated the sun on this day.

The truth is in the message of the Bible, the reason Jesus died for us, and the personality of God. And that is redemption. God took murderers like Moses and Paul and used them to accomplish great things. God took the cross, a symbol of shameful and painful death, and turned it into a symbol of everlasting life.

God wants this to be the BEST Christmas for you ever! Will you let him? Well then you have to give it back to Him. Give up the presents, turkey dinner, and family visits. Instead give someone else some of YOU! I guarantee you'll be overflowing with the Christmas Spirit!

B(lessing)'s up!

2008-12-01

Ignorance Has A Name

And right now it's "Obama is a muslim". It befuddles me how people can get the truth SO twisted! It's right there for you. All you have to do is look for it.

Recently I heard people mention that they are worried about the next president of the US because he's a muslim. As a Chrstian, like any other group of people, you would want someone in power who reflects your own values, morals, and religion. So it wasn't the fact that they obviously preferred a Christian leader over a Muslim one that took me by surprise. It's the fact President-elect Obama ISN'T a Muslim.

"His name is Barrack Hussein Obama! Of course he's Muslim" was essentially what I heard. The scariest thing I saw recently was "The only difference between Obama & Osama is BS!" How can people of reasonable intelligence be so obtusely ignorant?

You have an opinion on Obama? AWESOME! But CHECK YOUR FACTS!!! The man got heat for racially charged statements made by the pastor of his church in Chicago during the primaries. So much heat that he had to publically leave the church for another more moderate non-denominational church.

Just because the man's father was born into a Muslim family (a confirmed athiest by the time he was in college) doesn't make Barrack Obama Jr. a Muslim. Conversely, just because he goes to church and prosesses to be a Christian doesn't mean he has biblical values and morals. During his interview for Rick Warren's nationally televised 'Civil Forum' on faith & politics made statements about abortion that don't correllate with the accepted Christian view.

It scares me when people latch on to things that are obviously untrue. Something they find shocking and don't spend the time to find the truth for themselves instead of just taking someone else's word for it. It reminds me of 2 Peter 3:5 "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water"