I was watching Fox news on Christmas Day and their featured guests were Shirley Jones and Marty Ingalls. I remembered watching Shirley when I was only neigh high playing the matriarch Shirley Partridge on the Partridge Family back in the day. But it was a different Shirley Jones I was watching on T.V. this time around, she along with her husband Marty were sharing to the news anchor how they crashed a Hollywood Parade holding a big sign that went "You Can't Stop Christmas". They were both riled up over how some people have robbed us of the true essence of Christmas while substituting it with "Happy Holidays" thus taking the God Factor away from the most joyous season of the year. Some of us have taken Christmas to mean getting new presents and looking forward to after Christmas and Thanksgiving sale that way we can get the best bargain.
For most of us the idea of celebrating the birth of a baby that made history as the One who has redeemed mankind of all its filth is no longer that relevant. Immersing in the commercial aspect of the season is far more substantial than pondering on the nature and purpose of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. And some sectors of society and even the church would rather remain in a state of apathy over how Christmas has been railroaded by the liberal media, Agnostics and yes even some of our politicians. I cannot for the life of me figure out for example how in the State Capitol of Washington where a Nativity Scene was displayed, a billboard was later on set up that defines the inner thoughts of what Atheists think of Christmas and how the Governor of the State would walk by the same area everyday and not do anything about it just because it falls under the constitutional clause of "Freedom of Speech". It saddens me that it has all come down to this. Christmas has been bush whacked and bamboozled, this should no longer be tolerated by those who claim to be believers in Jesus.
...Let us not be in remiss of why we are celebrating the Christmas Season...Jesus Christ is still and will continue to be the reason for the season.
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, For you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the son of the highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
Luke 1:30-33
1 comment:
Christmas time is always a struggle for me. On one hand, it's the world's "official" day where honoring the birth of Christ can be done openly. I understand the "Shirley and Marty" concerns of taking Christ out of Christmas, and appreciate the intent. On the other hand, when considering Christmas' origins (as a day of celebration), and its connection to pagan feasting, idolatry, sexual immorality and gluttony, I wonder why we're striving so hard to preserve a day, or season that has a tainted history. What is the "fight" really about? Is it about the holiday, or is it about the message of the Gospel? And, why do we fight so hard to preserve a tradition that has tainted historical roots? This is the inner struggle I have each year. Do you have any thoughts?
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