mee said:
it makes no difference , it is the same as any other day as far as we are concerned, but i might add that believe it or not my first ever time at the kingdom hall was a christmas day, and the reason for that ,was because after studying the bible for many months i came to the realization that i did not want to take part in the mixed up (pagan /christianity) celabration called christmas .so it just so happened that the first time i went to a meeting at the kingdom hall it was that day, but it wasnt really planned that way it just happened to fall on a sunday meeting day and i went to the hall to listen to a puplic bible talk
Then your disdain has nothing to do with secularism of the holiday, I take it. Instead it has to do with a religious holiday that contains other than Christian values...?
Personally, I see nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of the "savior" of the world.
There is a painting out there somewhere that shows the "Jolly old elf" kneeling before a babe in swaddling, with the caption "The true meaning of Christmas". And yes, it is the "Coca Cola" Santa kneeling before Christ (hat over heart, head bowed).
I think the company wasn't trying to advertise their product, as much as reminding us to keep things in proper perspective...
It reminds me of the Budweiser time slot during the Superbowl, with people in an airport waiting area, starting to stand up and clap. Old, young, men, women, children...like a wave at a football game, they turned (in slow motion and began to clap), and the viewer could not see what they were clapping about or at, until one, then three, then ten, then fifty soldiers came walking through the doors from the tarmac and into the lobby. Though one could not hear the clapping, the music in the background went from very quiet to gradual thunderous cresciendo, back to quiet, while the scene faded to black. Then we were left with two words in the middle of the dark screen..."Thank you".
In the lower corner in tiny-miniscule writing, were the words Anheieser-Busch Co.
Christmas is secular only if we let it be. If we choose to look for the holiness in Christmas, it is right there just waiting for us to wonder over it.
The power in Christmas is simple. A sense of renewed hope for all of us. The strength of Christmas is not Christmas day, but rather the weeks preceding that day. We treat eachother a little nicer, we go out of our way a little more, there is an energy that seems to build around and through us, with an expectation of...something wonderful to come. What we don't realize is that we are feeding that energy build up, because subconsciously we want to. It is a time when we can be soft hearted and generous, and it is alright. We can take chances and reach out to others, and that is alright. People see someone give their coat off their back to another, and they smile in approval, instead of sneering at the "foolishness" of it.
There is nothing "pagan" about Christmas, or maybe there is in the most literal sense. Pagan, after all means country folk. Simple people living simple lives, not the complex version of life as lived by the "citizen" or city dweller.
Jesus never said give up your culture, He only said I am the light, follow Me, trust in Me. The only time He said something wasn't good, is if it caused us to stumble, then we are to get rid of it.
I suppose if the celebration of Christ's birth causes one to stumble, then yes that should be gotten rid of as well...but only for that individual. The rest of us need the celebration of His birth, because it helps hearten us.
In furtherence, I think the precursor to "Santa Claus" as we understand him, would feel bad if he thought that his life of taking care of orphaned and impoverished children was for naught. His name was Nicholas, and he was a cobbler. His life was cut short after decades of caring for local children who had no one, by thugs. Whether or not cannonized, the man was a saint in his way of life. It is fitting that all children who are familiar with Christmas look forward to the spirit of St. Nicholas leaving them something on Christmas morning, whether it be the 25th of December or the 6th of January, or what ever morning Christians believe is appropriate.
Christmas generates hope.
v/r
Q
