(no subject)
Well, I'm upset about the holidays again.
I had to go to the mall today to pay a bill. Thankfully, I made it in and out without much fuss, although the place was as crowded as you'd expect it to be, three days before Christmas. It seems that the closer people get to Christmas, the angrier they become. It's as if they're saying "I'm going to have FUN this holiday season, dammit, and you're sure as hell not going to stand in my way." Ugh. I do try to avoid shopping as much as possible during this week, for precisely that reason.
This is the third or fourth year in a row that I've refused to say "Happy Holidays." I've never understood how people could be offended by Jesus Christ. Think about it for a second here: the Second Person of the Holy Trinity took flesh from an obscure Jewish girl in a tiny Middle Eastern town, lived in poverty, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, offered salvation to all, died a tortuous and humiliating death of his own will for all of our sakes, and rose again after trampling down death by death. During His earthly life, powerful people sought to kill Him. Now, they just want to water Him down: to make him only a "great prophet" or a "godly man" or "just one of many paths." Ugh. How many Christians have I met who become absolutely furious when I suggest that our Lord was not kidding when he proclaimed Himself to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Not a way or a truth, but the Way!
As many theological issues as I have with other religions, I've got to say that right now I respect devout followers of almost any of them more than I do lukewarm "Christians" who remain uncommitted to the Truth proclaimed by Christ. Someone I know who is an observant Catholic recently told me that she doesn't say "Merry Christmas" unless she knows that she's talking to a Christian because she "doesn't want to offend people." I'm pretty sure I bit my tongue, which I rather regret, but I was absolutely appalled- if not totally surprised. This attitude is so prevalent today.
It is incumbent on all Christians to proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ. Period. Shoving it down people's throats doesn't work, of course, and goodness knows you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. "Merry Christmas" seems like a pretty honey-sweet message to me, actually.
Merry Christmas. Christ is born to save sinners.
Merry Christmas. That includes you, and me, and all of humanity.
Merry Christmas. Today Salvation is come into the world!
Merry Christmas! Christ is born! Let us glorify Him together!
I had to go to the mall today to pay a bill. Thankfully, I made it in and out without much fuss, although the place was as crowded as you'd expect it to be, three days before Christmas. It seems that the closer people get to Christmas, the angrier they become. It's as if they're saying "I'm going to have FUN this holiday season, dammit, and you're sure as hell not going to stand in my way." Ugh. I do try to avoid shopping as much as possible during this week, for precisely that reason.
This is the third or fourth year in a row that I've refused to say "Happy Holidays." I've never understood how people could be offended by Jesus Christ. Think about it for a second here: the Second Person of the Holy Trinity took flesh from an obscure Jewish girl in a tiny Middle Eastern town, lived in poverty, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, offered salvation to all, died a tortuous and humiliating death of his own will for all of our sakes, and rose again after trampling down death by death. During His earthly life, powerful people sought to kill Him. Now, they just want to water Him down: to make him only a "great prophet" or a "godly man" or "just one of many paths." Ugh. How many Christians have I met who become absolutely furious when I suggest that our Lord was not kidding when he proclaimed Himself to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Not a way or a truth, but the Way!
As many theological issues as I have with other religions, I've got to say that right now I respect devout followers of almost any of them more than I do lukewarm "Christians" who remain uncommitted to the Truth proclaimed by Christ. Someone I know who is an observant Catholic recently told me that she doesn't say "Merry Christmas" unless she knows that she's talking to a Christian because she "doesn't want to offend people." I'm pretty sure I bit my tongue, which I rather regret, but I was absolutely appalled- if not totally surprised. This attitude is so prevalent today.
It is incumbent on all Christians to proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ. Period. Shoving it down people's throats doesn't work, of course, and goodness knows you get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. "Merry Christmas" seems like a pretty honey-sweet message to me, actually.
Merry Christmas. Christ is born to save sinners.
Merry Christmas. That includes you, and me, and all of humanity.
Merry Christmas. Today Salvation is come into the world!
Merry Christmas! Christ is born! Let us glorify Him together!