Since my husband has not completed his duty of guest blogging for me, I decided I must truck on until he is ready. So...
Excuse me while I lend you a bit of my serious side…
Each winter season, I am completely amazed at some of the statements made around the holidays. Usually these statements consist of “Jesus is the reason for the season” and “let’s put Christ back in Christmas.” Well, this year, Tim Wildmon, the President of the American Family Association has topped my list of “here’s your sign” awards.
I recently received an email from my BFF that she forwarded to me from her MIL. She knew she could get me going with this one! Thanks, again BFF… you know what I love!
Apparently, because of this video:
The AFA originally urged families to Boycott Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy. If you can’t understand the lyrics, let me quote:
Two, Four, Six, Eight, now's the time to liberate
Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanza, Go Solstice.
Go classic tree, go plastic tree, go plant a tree, go add a tree,
You 86 the rules, you do what feels just right.
Happy do whatever you wanukkah, and to all a cheery night.
Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, go whatever holiday you wanukkah.
Mr. Wildmon and his folks were upset because Gap had the nerve to compare Christmas with the wiccans winter Solstice. And they quote in this mass email, “Solstice is celebrated by wiccans who practice witchcraft!” They go on to say that “Gap also encourages you to ‘86’ or ‘dismiss’ traditions and ‘do what feels just right.’ Find more about it here.
This just bumfuzzles me. I am almost sure that Mr. Wildmon is probably a very educated man to become the president of the AFA.
I visited the AFA website and went to the “See who’s Naughty, who is nice” page posted on November 13, 2009. Upon looking at the comments, people truly believe the reason for the season is the birth of Christ and actually coin the day a Holy Day. A Holy Day!
See more here.
Most of my readers know this, but let me give a very brief lesson for those that do not know. Christmas is not the day Christ was born. Christmas was originally exactly what is so absurd to the AFA and other “Christians” all around… pagan. Period. Constantine amalgamated pagan traditions and the Church in the 4th century to create peace and keep control. Those pagan traditions consisted of yule logs, evergreen trees, mistletoes, etc. I will not bore you with the details… look it up. See for yourself where Christmas came from. I promise you, it’s not the book of Luke. This is not my opinion. These are facts.
Note: The AFA has not yet determined whether to boycott these stores because Gap responded that the word “Christmas” was used as well.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed himself into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:9
6 comments:
I love that Gap commercial and am shocked that anyone would really get upset over it! But then, fundamental Christians tend to get upset over anything that does not fall in line with their exact beliefs so I guess I should not be surprised! Thanks for posting this. I wish more people were aware of the origins of Christmas!
I hate that commercial. Not enough to EVER boycott Old Navy, but it's a very annoying politically correct commercial.
The AFA are totally missing the point of Christ's birth by "boycotting." The idea of Christians boycotting anyone is ridiculous. It doesn't say: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Except for stores that have jingles about Summer Solstice. And stores that don't allow their employees to say Merry Christmas. STAY AWAY FROM THEM."
That would just be counter-productive.
Actually I'd noticed that commercial when it came on one day and found it annoying. I wouldn't go out and boycott the Gap about it (of course I never shop at the Gap anyway).
I'm amused by Tracy's take on it however. Everyone gets affronted by views different than theirs on topics of importance to them. I'll give her however that fundamentalists can be exasperating - I feel like I can say this since I guess I could be classified as a fundamentalist.
This morning during my time with God I came across a verse that I'm especially drawn to the way it reads in The Message paraphrase; John 5:42:
"I know that love, especially God's love, is not on your working agenda."
Jesus was saying this as part of his accusation against the religious people of that time (I always find it of such interest that the only people Jesus was really hard on were the religious people). So Tracy's in good company in her frustration with the religious (dare I say fundamentalists?)
It really hit me as I read this verse today that I want to let the Holy Spirit have free reign in my heart and to welcome His conviction if my motive is ever anything other than to love God and love the people He's put into my life. I admit that sometimes it's easy for me to get caught up in being "right" - be it about Doctrine, or about if it's OK to practice a Pagen Holiday with a Christian approach, or anything else.
I've also been flummuxed that the religious groups don't understand the origin of Christmas. Correct me if I am wrong but weren't the pagan traditions taken and made Christian so that more pagans would convert to Christianity? For the last year or so I have been toying with the idea of becoming a pagan. In all honesty I probably already am one but just haven't announced it to anyone yet. I tried Atheism but that didn't work, Agnosticism but that seemed to be a wussy way out and now don't really know what to be. I do celebrate Christmas but I don't get all worked up if someone else is celebrating their own holiday.
Interesting comments... I thought I would be attacked by the Christian community on this one...BTW- I'm a Christian that does not celebrate Christmas...and no, I'm not Jehovah Witness...just Christian.
Tracy D- You are right. My probs with most fundies, except those such as Tracy #2, is that they don't even know WHY they have such a prob with what they do.
Holly- I'm not into boycotting. We would be boycotting the world. Scripture tells us we can't bring ourselves out of the world, but must learn to live in it while being seperate.
Tracy #2- Always brining lovely comments...you state "it's easy to get caught up..." I believe we're taught in Timothy (?) doctrine is VERY important. We must test the true Jesus against the other Jesus. I'm afraid far to many "Christians" are being led astray by the false gospel of the other Jesus. I definitely get caught up in doctrine because I believe it is pertinent.
Jen- I'm in the south... people are completely floored when you say Christmas is pagan. Well, at least when they realize what pagan means. People here are raised in a bubble of the Bible Belt and can't understand outside the box. I was agnostic at one time, too. Even considered studying Wicca. I am so thankful God revealed himself to me. I believe (with as much faith as God has given me so far) in Christ's sacrifice for sinners and taking the wrath that was due to us.
I love this post!!!!!
It makes me feel better to know (even though I already did) that not "all" Christians want "Christ" back in Xmas ;)
Yes I'm a godless heathen and I get in trouble all the time for pointing out that axial tilt is the reason for the season :D I could never understand why some people cling to the falsehood that Jesus was born on Dec 25th!
However, I still love Christmas - the gifting, the family (oi!), the charity,,,all of it. Even w/out god you can be good in Dec :)
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