CHRISTMAS LETTER FROM JESUS

Has the Letter from Jesus about Christmas arrived in your email box yet? I’ve received it several times and I appreciate every person who sent it because I know they are trying to bless me. It’s filled with great ideas: We should smile at strangers, visit people in nursing homes, donate to the Salvation Army, and be kind to the clerks in stores that do not celebrate Christmas. Wonderful ideas. I applaud those suggestions. We should all follow them.

If the letter’s intent is to infuse readers with the warmth of the season, I approve.

The problem is, one concept woven through the letter frosts me.

While urging us to be nice people, the letter sneaks in another more subtle message “from Jesus”: “Instead of writing letters of protest objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers . . . Instead of nitpicking about what retailers in your town call the ‘holiday’” smile and offer a kind word. If nativities are forbidden in your town, stick one out on your front lawn.

The implication: Just shut up. Don’t complain about policy. Never mind your freedoms are slipping away. You don’t want to be a loud-mouthed trouble maker, do you? It’s not a problem that they are taking away something that belongs to me. Just meekly accept the injustice. I would.

Do you really think that’s what Jesus would tell you to do? Have you read about the times (yes, that’s plural, he did it twice) when he flipped over tables and chased wrongdoers out of the temple with a whip?

Was he nitpicking?

I can’t tell you how I much abhor the term “nitpicking” when applied to people who boldly stand for their beliefs by letting retailers know they want to keep Christ in the “holiday season.”

When the letter exhorts us to, “Just get along and love one another.” I can’t help wondering, at what cost? It brings to mind a quote from Edmund Burke, “When good men do nothing, evil triumphs.” History is replete with proofs of his statement; need I allude to more than the German citizens of World War II to make that point? The citizens of Germany were in a spiritual battle; they bowed their heads in silence.

We are in a spiritual battle. We must fight.

God’s forces are battling Satan’s forces and our world is the battlefield; our hearts are the battlefield. Evil people once again intend to dispose of Christ, and Christmas is one stepping stone along the way. We dare not sit back and think sugary positive thoughts while evil people destroy our freedom of religion.

We must openly and vocally choose sides.

We can boycott stores that ignore Christmas.

We should write letters whenever the Lord puts it on our hearts.

We will believe God is able to do anything and there’s no reason to fear or fret.

The one thing we must not do is stand silently by.

The letter cleverly persuades parents to believe its viewpoint by saying every parent should understand that Jesus doesn’t care what we call his day. Well, call me self-centered, but if my kids threw a big party for my birthday, invited friends, neighbors and family and then stood by while I was informed I wasn’t allowed to attend, I’d be hurt. If they didn’t stick up for me, I’d wonder if they really loved me.

Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. If he’s not invited there’s nothing left to celebrate.

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Added: December 13, 2009. 07:51 PM CST

Comments on the forgery...

You aren't kidding about the perseveration on the not so subtle theme of Keep Christ to Yourself delivered through-out the "letter".

The first paragraph opens with an insult to all Christians.

The next three paragraphs exhort people to keep their faith to themselves and consider expressing some sort of vague empty gesture of love to others ie. "a warm smile" since afterall such a facial expression from a stranger might stop a suicide. (sigh)

In suggestion #4, tell children the "Story...", like it is synonymous with other children's "Stories" about grasshoppers and bunnies. And why "I came to 'live' (rather than die) with you". These are clues that we aren't reading a letter written by a founded and grounded believer in our LORD.

I'm guessing that the author of this screed against Christians speaking up is likely the person who would have that profane "Coexist" bumper sticker on their Hybrid, would occasionally attend a Unitarian assembly, and would always vote for a Progressive in political office - and strongly persuade others to do likewise.

On the other hand, Christ was likely born on September 11th, 3 BC within an hour of 6:45 in the evening, and thus the opening paragraph is indeed true regarding the syncretizing of Rome's Holiday with the pagan Saturnalia.

And honestly, should pagans be pressured into honoring a wink-and-smile observation of Christ's Birth? Exactly what is the point in having Mohammed the Muslim say "Merry Christmas" to you as you pay for your gasoline purchase?

In the late 1580's the Puritans managed to ban Christmas observation in Scotland. In the 1640s, this extended to England. For a half a generation Christmas was outlawed in Massachusetts, and was outside fashion until the mid 19th century.

Now we get offended if some godless corporation doesn't incorporate Christ worship in their sales flyers and media purchases?

I would love to see a Revival across the land such where genuine expressions of gratitude towards our LORD were amplified in the darkest parts of the year - but that isn't the case, we have to share this place with the majority of people, who, quite frankly, hate God and would just as soon snort cocaine from the belly of a prostitute than come together for that Norman Rockwell signature family gathering.

Personally I don't feel that this was the motive of the author of this insipid letter, I'm with you, this is a sugar coated snipe at Believers who see Excessmass as an ersatz form of passive evangelism.

As for me, I don't really observe days outside of those to preserve domestic tranquility, and reading Luke 2 is fashionable any time of the year. If this time of craven partying and reckless spending were to transmogrify into the depth and sincerity of a Hallmark Holiday, I wouldn't lose any sleep - and I believe that this hope is probably the only thing I share with the author of this letter.

Yet Another Texas

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