So the season is upon us and with it comes the blooming controversy over Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas. My mother is horribly offended when someone in retail says Happy Holidays to her. She says she ALWAYS replies "And a Merry Christmas to you!"
I honestly don't get it. I don't really care what some retail person says to me. If they don't mean "Merry Christmas" as in "Hey sister in Christ, I'm so happy to remember that Jesus was born to take away the sins of the world", then why would I want them sharing a greeting with me that they find meaningless, when it is loaded with meaning for me? Isn't it a great sign that the holiday is becoming secularlized. Seriously, then those of us that actually celebrate Christmas have the amazing opportunity to standout a little and be a little different. Maybe that will put a little pressure on Christians to behave in a way that reflects our beliefs. MAybe if there isn't a meaningless, Merry Christmas everywhere you go, someone will wonder, what does that really mean, Merry Christmas? And once someone starts wondering....
I dunno. I just don't see how secularization, both of Christmas and of the larger culture, is really a bad thing. I see it as a way to draw a greater distinction between what it means to live as a follower of Jesus and, well, what it means to not live as a follower of Jesus. I see it as a tremendous opportunity for the Church and something we should embrace, not as something we should be offended by.
However, this was sent to me recently and I have to say it is pretty funny... Merry Tossmas
Herman Melville and My Two Dads
5 years ago
2 comments:
Preach it, sister!
And Amen.
Boy, I hope you are right. But it scares me as I sit here and as much as I believe I'm on the path to good Christianhood, I too get all wrapped up in the secularism of this holiday. The shopping, the decorating, yada yada. I'm so happy that my mom has her old Angel, church, and star cookie cutters, that makes me feel a little better. And as I sit here (um,.. working,.. he he) watching the news, they have a report on how 1 out of 3 people between the ages of 18 and 34 can NOT even tell you WHERE JESUS WAS BORN! Argh. And the other day, again, while I was, um, working,.. they had an atheist on who was part of some atheist organization that put a 'knowledge tree' up in New York City to 'celebrate their season'. It's shameful and sad. And in my household, where I really really want to teach my kids that although Christmas is important, the more important holiday is really Easter, it's tough. I feel like I fail each and every year. So, you give me a glimmer of hope!
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