Where is Jesus in the Department Stores Christmas Decorations (atheist, Muslims, bible)
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I always appreciate the irony of people who claim to have not a religion, but a personal intimate relationship with god complaining that a retail store doesn't aid them in their worship. Which is it? Do you have a real relationship, or do you need some corporate entity to make you believe your god is real?
Let's start by putting God first in our lives and then we will celebrate ....
When we put God first in our life, we don't actually care what other's are doing with theirs. Keep your eyes on God's presence before you and you don't have attention for anyone, or anything else. Set the example. Be the ONE.
As we approach the biggest holiday of them all, Christmas, I find less of Jesus in the Department stores and more of Santa, Christmas trees, reindeer and redundant decorations. I find this situation most disturbing and perplexing.
Even in Department stores supposedly founded by Christians like Sam Walton's Wal-mart, it seems Jesus is being taken off the shelf and replaced with more gaudy sales items.
This type of taking Jesus Christ (in symbol, word and deed) out of the very name He bears for the holiday (CHRISTmas) is gradually destroying the whole meaning of the day and making its celebration useless and in vain.
A holiday is a holiday to be observed and celebrated as it name implies. To do otherwise destroys the necessity of having such a day for celebration
In that context then what are we really celebrating on December 25th. It seems we are celebrating anything NOT to do with Jesus Christ. It is now a celebration of gifts, Christmas trees, Santa, reindeer and a day off to stuff yourself with food and watch football. Where in all this do you find Jesus, the very reason we have this holiday.
If we have holidays, let us celebrate them as they are so named. Christmas, let's celebrate Jesus, not ourselves and false gods. Thanksgiving, let's count our blessings and thank the one who provided them, namely the God of Abraham, Jacob and Issac. Easter let's us rejoice in the fact that Jesus rose from the dead to give us eternal life, not Easter eggs, bunnies and fanciful clothing.
If we really believe in the God for whom these holidays are celebrated, let us show it and not sweep Him under the table for greed, profit and self glorification. We must honor God, not man and his continuing quest for greedy wealth.
If you feel the way I do, let the places know where you shop that you want to see more of God in the decorations being put up during holidays bearing His Name or celebrating an event involving that God. I have already written Wal-mart and another neighbor I told about not finding Jesus in Wal-mart wrote one as well.
In one way or another God will bless you for wanting to honor Him on Christmas Day rather than Santa, et al. Let's start by putting God first in our lives and then we will celebrate and observe those holidays the way we should.
Christmas was never about Jesus as His birthday is not even in December. If you reread your bible, it tells you when His birthday is. The crops are still in the fields is a good indication. It isn't even cold. They have the same seasons that we do if you check the climate there. Try August.
Jesus didn't even celebrate His own birthday so it really doesn't matter what we do on any holiday. All holidays are man made and should be celebrated as the individual sees fit.
Christmas can't just be the celebration of the Winter Solstice otherwise why do we in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate it?
I love Christmas for the family gatherings and the fun times. It has absolutely no religious meaning to it for me at all and I'm happy about that.
Because most of you originated in the northern hemisphere and brought your holiday traditions with you. Those of you who didn't come from the northern hemisphere have assimilated many parts of that culture anyway, and thus also celebrate those holidays.
As we approach the biggest holiday of them all, Christmas, I find less of Jesus in the Department stores and more of Santa, Christmas trees, reindeer and redundant decorations. I find this situation most disturbing and perplexing.
Even in Department stores supposedly founded by Christians like Sam Walton's Wal-mart, it seems Jesus is being taken off the shelf and replaced with more gaudy sales items.
This type of taking Jesus Christ (in symbol, word and deed) out of the very name He bears for the holiday (CHRISTmas) is gradually destroying the whole meaning of the day and making its celebration useless and in vain.
A holiday is a holiday to be observed and celebrated as it name implies. To do otherwise destroys the necessity of having such a day for celebration
In that context then what are we really celebrating on December 25th. It seems we are celebrating anything NOT to do with Jesus Christ. It is now a celebration of gifts, Christmas trees, Santa, reindeer and a day off to stuff yourself with food and watch football. Where in all this do you find Jesus, the very reason we have this holiday.
If we have holidays, let us celebrate them as they are so named. Christmas, let's celebrate Jesus, not ourselves and false gods. Thanksgiving, let's count our blessings and thank the one who provided them, namely the God of Abraham, Jacob and Issac. Easter let's us rejoice in the fact that Jesus rose from the dead to give us eternal life, not Easter eggs, bunnies and fanciful clothing.
If we really believe in the God for whom these holidays are celebrated, let us show it and not sweep Him under the table for greed, profit and self glorification. We must honor God, not man and his continuing quest for greedy wealth.
If you feel the way I do, let the places know where you shop that you want to see more of God in the decorations being put up during holidays bearing His Name or celebrating an event involving that God. I have already written Wal-mart and another neighbor I told about not finding Jesus in Wal-mart wrote one as well.
In one way or another God will bless you for wanting to honor Him on Christmas Day rather than Santa, et al. Let's start by putting God first in our lives and then we will celebrate and observe those holidays the way we should.
Unfortunately , there are several that enjoy the blessings but refuse to hounor the one responsible for delivering them.
This lack of grattitude is common and will exist forever .
just a s certain liberties had been established by christian influence in this country, but using those liberties againt the christian, is the same charictor of rebellion, as little minded, selfish self centered, teen agers angry at dicipline required to finish school, or obey parents, or the law .
The problem is and will remain that though at one time this was known as a christian nation it is become a shame because of those who have misrepresentd the name and make a false claim of faith to sway others into acceptance, but their track record proves otherwise.
No different than the illegals that pretend to be citizens to get jobs .
Any true born again Christian knows it is not simply desiding one day to take up the hobby/religion and vola ,I'm in. that's not how it works .
God is not obligated to our fantacies or lies to our selves or some ritual excersize, or performance , nor even education, nor the memorization of the scriptures. One's inflated ego does not save them.
He's a real person that knows your heart through and through. One can't b/s God . those who try see nothing of the real relationship Jesus intended us to enjoy, though some fabricate an illusion to gain acceptance in a social group. I hesitate to say I've seen it all, I've seen quite a bit.
Never the less , as far as i am concerned the world needs to be the world , and not pretend to be christian , all things considdered , as a society we would be better off in so many ways . Non believers don't appreciate the blesings our faith has significantly changed over the centuries, and many of them seem to want to over turn them, as a matter of fact . It would do well for them to do wth out , in order some day that they might come to their sences, and they are truely enslaved of their chosen masters. By then though oppurtunity will have well past.
Christmas started as a pagan holiday, let it return to its roots. Or, better, yet, let's accept it as a fun part of our culture.
Although I don't believe in God or that Jesus was anything other than a man, I still celebrate Christmas and Easter in my own way. Why?
1) It is a national holiday that is part of our culture like the 4th of July. Look, I am not Catholic, but I still celebrate St. Patrick's Day and St. Valentine's Day. I don't believe in ghosts and goblins, but I still partake in the Halloween activities.
2) All of my extended family still celebrate Christmas. It is a family thing. It is fun to join in all of the festivities and traditions, including giving and getting gifts, and visiting each other. We even still put up our own lights and tree.
3) Many of the Christmas traditions aren't Christian anyway, but have pagan roots, such as Christmas trees, 25th of December, etc. And Santa is far from any religious message as well.
Now, as my son and daughter grow, we will be sure to tell them how we do not believe Jesus was a Savior or that Santa or the Easter bunny are real, but that does not stop us from enjoying this traditional, national holiday.
God rest ye, Unitarians, let nothing you dismay;
Remember there's no evidence there was a Christmas Day;
When Christ was born is just not known, no matter what they say,
O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact,
Glad tidings of reason and fact.
There was no star of Bethlehem, there was no angels' song;
There could have been no wise men for the trip would take too long.
The stories in the Bible are historically wrong,
O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact,
Glad tidings of reason and fact!
Our current Christmas customs come from Persia and from Greece,
From solstice celebrations of the ancient Middle East.
We know our so-called holiday is just a pagan feast,
O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact,
Glad tidings of reason and fact.
Unfortunately , there are several that enjoy the blessings but refuse to hounor the one responsible for delivering them.
This lack of grattitude is common and will exist forever .
just a s certain liberties had been established by christian influence in this country, but using those liberties againt the christian, is the same charictor of rebellion, as little minded, selfish self centered, teen agers angry at dicipline required to finish school, or obey parents, or the law .
The problem is and will remain that though at one time this was known as a christian nation it is become a shame because of those who have misrepresentd the name and make a false claim of faith to sway others into acceptance, but their track record proves otherwise.
No different than the illegals that pretend to be citizens to get jobs .
Any true born again Christian knows it is not simply desiding one day to take up the hobby/religion and vola ,I'm in. that's not how it works .
God is not obligated to our fantacies or lies to our selves or some ritual excersize, or performance , nor even education, nor the memorization of the scriptures. One's inflated ego does not save them.
He's a real person that knows your heart through and through. One can't b/s God . those who try see nothing of the real relationship Jesus intended us to enjoy, though some fabricate an illusion to gain acceptance in a social group. I hesitate to say I've seen it all, I've seen quite a bit.
Never the less , as far as i am concerned the world needs to be the world , and not pretend to be christian , all things considdered , as a society we would be better off in so many ways . Non believers don't appreciate the blesings our faith has significantly changed over the centuries, and many of them seem to want to over turn them, as a matter of fact . It would do well for them to do wth out , in order some day that they might come to their sences, and they are truely enslaved of their chosen masters. By then though oppurtunity will have well past.
There is no reason to believe in any god.
The Bible is unreliable and the gospels the most unreliable bit after Genesis.
The festivity of Yule was hi -jacked by the church and is being taken back, Jesus' spaniel - eyes 'I am so martyred' fizzog being phased out.
I appreciate the good Christianity has done as I appreciate any contribution made by any religion or culture. But that is no reason to continue to subscribe to its 2,000 year old concocted myth.
Your nasty threats about 'being enslaved by our chosen masters' (random factors knows what beings you have sprouted in your fertile cranial lake of fears) merely confirms us in our view that we are well rid of your hag - ridden superstition and religious hatred.
Because most of you originated in the northern hemisphere and brought your holiday traditions with you. Those of you who didn't come from the northern hemisphere have assimilated many parts of that culture anyway, and thus also celebrate those holidays.
Aha! Thankyou. I've often wondered about that. So technically, we should swap Christmas and Easter around.
There is nothing like a icon of a guy nailed up on a cross to put one in the spirit to turn loose of their money and bail out the retail industry for yet another year.
What an OP! I love it when the attempt at hijacking an ancient pagan fesitval is perpetrated and clutched tightly in feigned possession!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mircea
I love the marginalization of christianity. It's been a long time coming and well deserved.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Asheville Native
There is nothing like a icon of a guy nailed up on a cross to put one in the spirit to turn loose of their money and bail out the retail industry for yet another year. China also appreciates the spending.
Classic insight. Thx! Couldn't rep yah though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KCfromNC
I always appreciate the irony of people who claim to have not a religion, but a personal intimate relationship with god complaining that a retail store doesn't aid them in their worship. Which is it? Do you have a real relationship, or do you need some corporate entity to make you believe your god is real?
You do realize, don't you, that Christians want to own and control it all. It must also rankle many of them that, fact is, most of the really big department stores are owned by those of s slightly different religious perspective.... Fact, not political commentary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by arleigh
Unfortunately , there are several that enjoy the blessings but refuse to hounor the one responsible for delivering them.
This lack of grattitude is common and will exist forever .
I won't grant my enjoyment of life, and the blessings I've gleened from my own honest work and thinking, to any imperialist, ego-maniacal schizophrenic nutball, or his non-critical thinking minion apologists.
There. That ought to cover it!
just as certain liberties had been established by christian influence in this country, but using those liberties againt the christian, is the same charictor of rebellion, as little minded, selfish self centered, teen agers angry at dicipline required to finish school, or obey parents, or the law .
So you'd rather we vigorously enforce behavioral Christianity? For the betterment of society? Who exactly gets to be in charge of day-to-day enforcement, pray tell?
BTW, our founding fathers were obviously too smart to allow a Christian theocracy. That's exactly what they fled in Europe. They knew that religion belongs as an individual, rather than mandated politcal paradigm. Thank God....
It would do well for them to do wth out , in order some day that they might come to their sences, and they are truely enslaved of their chosen masters. By then though oppurtunity will have well past.
Yes, we do have some social learning homework to do, that's for sure. But to claim the Christian way is The Answer, given it's long history of pain, violence, individual suffering & mis-management, perversion, violence and gross intolerance? That's not quite the answer many seek.
As for learning by "doing without", I've personally gained much true freedom and insight since leaving the church 35 years ago.
I think perhaps we shouldn't even mention Jesus in the otherwise joyous Christmas season, don't you agree? Remember: you don't have to get all caught up in the blatant and frantic consumerism of the 2010 season; that's just Wal-Mart's (etc....) greed talking!
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Try August. 
Very good post .
