Posted on 12/22/2015 2:07:29 PM PST by Kaslin
Excellent read on the true meaning of Christmas.
Doesn’t “need to be repackaged” — because He will repackage Himself (”I have become all things to all people so that some may be saved.”)
The truth stays the same, the style changes. We have ways to witness to the wonders of God that the 1st century didn’t have. And this was due to the obedience to the age old command, to subdue the earth (hence what we call technology and medicine, which has been better guarded from error than supposedly pure science, because it actually had to deliver something).
Rather than go all Amish (unless you really find God moving you to do that), reflect on “What hath God wrought?” It is a lot.
The problem isn’t what’s around us. It witnesses louder and louder every day. The problem is us! We ignore it with hearts colder than Frosty the Snowman.
I have never separated Santa Claus from the spirit. I don’t see the need to do that. Christ owns Christmas, all of it.
Santa is a nice parable. The classic story isn’t quite up to gospel, because Jesus came to help us, not beat us down, when we were, well, naughty. Some other countries’ Santa-like traditions have an evil figure doling out the punishment, which is closer to the gospel spirit. America, living on the idea of its own merit, came up with the naughty/nice Santa Claus.
I watched the ‘Santa Clause’ movie again the other day...the one with Tim whasisname. It was another effort to get emotion out of people. In many ways it was wholesome because it promoted respect for parents and caring for others.
However, as the movie ended, I thought to myself, “the little kids who are led into this will have their ‘believe-o-meters’ injured. They’ll have difficulty believing later in the unseen.
But then another thought occurred to me. “Maybe we don’t want them to believe easy...easy believism. Maybe we want them to be discriminating. Maybe it’s good for a college student to get sold a set of encyclopedias or a lemon car. Maybe it will make them careful the next time.”
I don’t mind careful. I want discriminating faith. As Josh McDowell wrote, I want to the seek “Evidence that demands a verdict.”
‘...the one with Tim whasisname.’
Yes, I know the one you mean. He seems to make pretty wholesome movies.
It’s a little off-topic, but I loved Galaxy Quest.
Santa Claus is a fictional character who is based partially on a real life person, St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a Catholic bishop who did have a white beard and loved children during a time when few other people did. The Roman Catholic Church has named him the patron saint of children.
Very nice. Merry Christmas to you and yours
Thank you. I’ve never thought the real story of Jesus and the fictional story of Santa were opposed to each other.
His day is December 6
Yes, only he went with the flow at Nicaea. There was nothing especially courageous about siding with the Athanasians.
I didn’t know that. I’m not Catholic myself, as you’ve probably figured out.
Nice info!
A positive post - good job!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year my friend.
Leaving for your trip?
And to all of you and yours as well.
Indeed... Merry Christmas, and “may God Bless us, every one of us.”
To a better year than this one past... I’ll tip a glass of bourbon back for each of you.
“To a better year than this one past...”
Yeah? Well that won’t be hard to pull off.
LOL!
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