Posted on 11/18/2001, 9:11:56 PM by DKNY
THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS GONE WINTERFEST IS HERE
By: Dorothy Anne Seese
This was bound to occur in a politically correct world that respects Islam's Ramadan, but hates any reference to Jesus Christ or the Christian faith. Christmas is being rapidly renamed by various parts of the United Kingdom to make the holiday more universal and more inclusive.
Who told the world that it was a global holiday in the first place?
The commercialization of Christmas has been a large factor in undermining its religious significance. Imagery from Nordic legends, such as Santa Claus and yule logs, haven't helped anyone focus on the nativity but rather have distracted from it. For as long as I can recall, there have always been two celebrations going on at the same time ... one is secular and dominated by Santa Claus, the other is religious and celebrated in churches and at home.
It isn't the December 25th holiday that concerns me. It is the global effort to stamp out the Christian faith and any references to Jesus Christ that cause me to be incensed. It's as if the world has decided that one major religion is not free to exercise its faith, all others are.
Why? And don't go back to the Crusades or the Inquisition to look for some justification. Those happened and so did the Ottoman Empire and the battles for conquest instigated by the Muslims. Christians are not terrorists and do not believe in conversion at sword's point. The real reason as to "why" is that God is not popular in this heathen world.
The God of the Bible is the real target of this world effort to stamp out Christianity. The Bible is the most hated book in the world. Jesus Christ was hated in His day, and still is. Many regard Him as dead, Christians know He lives and will return. Perhaps that's a bit scary to a world that no longer believes in absolute moral standards? Or perhaps it frightens them to think of a day of judgment in which they will most certainly perish for their sins?
From a strictly theological standpoint, Christmas is a non-Bible based holiday. The story of Jesus' birth is recorded with attention to detail in the Gospel of Luke, but nowhere in the New Testament is there any command to celebrate or commemorate Jesus' birth. Jesus himself gave instructions to commemorate His death by the taking of Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. It is also quite unlikely that Jesus of Nazareth was born anywhere near December 25th, which had been celebrated in pagan times as the birthday of the sun or sun-god.
When a religious holiday gets mixed up with pagan traditions, greedy commercialization, heavy spending, covetousness, family fights, excessive drinking, office parties, drunk driving and the tragic accidents that result from it, the holiday hardly has any religious significance for those who participate in such revelry.
The ill effects of "Christmas" as it is now celebrated in various parts of the world are not the reason for the name change, however. Any reference to Jesus Christ is the reason behind the name change, even though the holiday has little to do in most places with worship in the Christian tradition.
England, the nation that produced such great theologians and men of faith as John Newton, David Livingstone, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and Andrew Murray, is now advocating the name change so that no one will feel excluded. Scotland, home to the fiery preacher John Knox (who disowned Christmas for its pagan origins) is now supporting the name change on the basis of political correctness.
Just what implications this has for America is uncertain, but it seems we started this political correctness binge, which is a spirit of anti-christ. We've already observed the banning of Bibles on campuses where all manner of obscene, pagan or occult materials are welcomed.
As to Christians to wish to observe or not observe the traditional December 25th holiday, these words from St. Paul's letter to the Christians at Colossae seem appropriate:
Colossians 2:16 (KJV) "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days...."
Christmas is a church tradition, established around the fourth century A.D. From a simple remembrance of Christ's birthday, with religious services, it has grown into the merchant's paradise for overpriced goods and the obligatory giving of gifts by people who feel they have to send cards or presents whether they can afford them or not.
That is a spirit of commercialism and coercion, not the Spirit of Christ.
It would not distress me to have the Christian holiday moved to late September, which some scholars feel is more likely the time of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
My objection is not to the name of a day, or the date of a celebration, but to the world's attitude toward the Name of Jesus Christ. However, He is well able to take care of the situation in due time, without my assistance.
And He most surely will.
I never was able to figure out why liberal extremists were so concerned over a religious holiday similar to the one that they have been so busy stamping out these past few decades. The liberal extremists (who are in the distinct minority) have managed to ruin or at the very least, diminish Christmas for all the rest of us.
I'll give you just one example of this. When I was growing up in the 1970s, my school would have a Christmas pageant. Usually we would have a play celebrating the birth of Christ. Kids would compete to see who could play Joseph or Mary. Others were content to play sheep and other farm animals. Then we would sing Christmas carols, usually "O Come All Ye Faithful," "We Three Kings," and "Silent Night." It should be noted that even the Jewish kids in my class participated. They didn't seem to have a problem with it in those days. And if they opted to sit out the birth of Jesus play, it certainly wasn't noticed or made a big deal of.
Now that I have sons going through school, I can see the difference. Now it is called a "Holiday pageant." There are no plays or skits. They just line up on stage and sing "Jingle Bell Rock," "Frosty the Snowman" and "Winter Wonderland." Not a shred of evidence, not even a hint, that this might be a "religious" holiday. And the teacher running the pageant will make sure to mention that everybody have a happy Kwaanza, even though there might be maybe three black kids in the entire school, and they probably don't even know what Kwaanza is, because they are just your normal American kids who are thinking about Santa Claus like everybody else.
So....they finally took "Christ" out of "Christmas." Why am I not surprised? A classic case of worshipping the almighty dollar. And people all around me can't understand why we put up a creche and not a Christmas Tree. I guess it's a lost cause......
From 1558 to 1829, Catholics living in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. During this period, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as a Catechism song for young Catholics.
The hidden meanings of the song's gifts were intended to help children remember lessons of their faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song refers to God. The "me" who receives the presents symbolizes every baptized person. The "Partridge in a pear tree" is Jesus Christ. In the song, Jesus is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless chicks.
The other symbols' meanings are:
2 Turtle Doves - the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens - Faith, Hope and Charity
4 Calling Birds - the Four Gospels
5 Golden Rings - the first five books of the Old Testament, which give the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese a-laying - the six days of Creation
7 Swans a-swimming - the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
8 Maids a-milking - the eight Beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing - nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords a-leaping - the Ten Commandments
11 Pipers Piping - the eleven faithful Disciples
12 Drummers Drumming - the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed
I got it from an old Catholic publication many years ago.
I am so surprised I haven't seen it in mainstream media over the years...it is such a great story!
That's why we need people like you and forums like FR to keep us informed! Again, many thanks for the education.
THE CANDY CANE
Did you know what it symbolizes?
It is a hard candy because the church is built on solid rock and God's promises are a firm foundation. (Matt 16:18) (1Thess 5:24)
The large red stripe is for the blood Jesus shed for our sins on the cross. (Eph 1:7)
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.
The white is for Jesus innocence ( Heb 4:15) (Rev 7:14)
For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - - yet was without sin.) and our innocence we have in Him (Rev 7:9)
"These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The white also shows the virgin birth of Jesus (Matt 1:23)
Finally the cane is made in the shape of the Good Shepherd's staff, and turned upside down for the letter 'J' in Jesus by whom we are saved (John 10:11)
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (Acts 4:12)
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
So remember that Jesus Christ is the real meaning of Christmas. He can be seen in a simple candy cane.
You can have Him forgive you and come into your life by simply turning your heart to Him.
Thanks for the bump.
patent
I saw one sign that said "Happy Hanukkah." Good. It's good that this holiday get recognition, and I have no problem with that.
Moving down the aisle a bit, the next sign said "Happy Kwanzaa." Now, Kwanzaa is not a holiday I really respect because it's not really a holiday. But far be it for me to not want other people to celebrate it, if they want. It's just not my cup of tea.
Then there was a third sign.
Yep. The third sign said "Happy Holidays."
The aisles were filled with these three signs. I searched in vain for a missing fourth sign, and then it dawned on me, there is no fourth sign, just those three.
No "Merry Christmas" sign was anywhere to be found.
What I can't understand is why not? Is Christmas now so offensive to too many Americans, the same way the flag is on university campuses? Would people complain? Would the store lose business if it put up "Merry Christmas"? Considering that where I live Christianity is the largest religious demographic, I don't see how they'd lose money. Did orders come down from "corporate" regarding which signs to put up?
Ghost of Christmas gone is right. It started a year or two ago in the Post Offices, where you can find for sale cards, wrapping, etc. for everything BUT Christmas.
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