My reply to an email reminding me what a 'good' Christian is... HAH!

Yes, I've seen this email before. I know lots of folks who think it's good, but I err on the side of acceptance. Since man (the catholic church, that is) created the holiday as a way to give the pagans of Europe a way to become Christians without having to give up their Winter Solstice celebrations, I am not as protective of the holiday as others, I guess. I really think if Christ walked the earth today, he'd say one or all of the following:

"what are you people doing?

what happen to celebrating Him in thanksgiving?

why do you need to buy gifts - that wasn't even part of the winter solstice celebration!?

why would you name people with whom you disagree in a disparaging way in email- did you forget about 'love one another, as I have loved you'?

why do you condemn people who see me differently?

Why do you not understand the experiences of others that bring them to hate and then back to love? Or why haven't you tried to understand?"

Aren't you glad you sent me this email. :-( Sorry to be a kill joy, but work is beating me upside the head with a metal pipe - so I'm horribly grumpy. That said, when I get this email year after year, I often think we should just do away with all the trappings of Christmas, and celebrate the CHRIST-MASS and be done with it. My faith isn't endangered by someone who doesn't agree with me. I figure if my faith could be lost because my kids couldn't sing a carol, or say 'merry Christmas' - well then it wasn't very strong to begin with!


Below is the email that started my rant. :-)  Perhaps I am not nearly as good of a Christian as my more fundamentalist friends.  Maybe... or it could it be that I have friends who practice Islam, Judisim and other faith traditions that are not Christians.  And I love them.  It could be that I really do believe the adage "Love One Another As I Have Loved You" - and since Christianity, as a religion, wasn't started before Christ died, I tend to think that He really meant what He said.  So when I get emails as the one below from 'real' Christians, I tend to wonder what Christ really would think if he walked the earth today?  I wonder if we 'Christians' (me included!) would even recognize him, or would we hear his words of peace, acceptance, love, and joy and think that this man is a 'whimp'?
  

*Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

*not Happy Holiday !*

Please, all Christians join together and wish everyone you meet MERRY CHRISTMAS