As much as I would like to take credit for this, I cannot. The original was sent to me in an e-mail, author unknown. It was somewhat dated, and so I felt the need for some revision. I hope as you read, it will bring a concern to your hearts, and a new resolve to stand firm against the culture that would profane the celebration of Christs` birth, and reduce it to nothing more than an annual secular social event.
`Tis not a month before Christmas, and all through the land,
too few Christians are praying, or taking a stand.
How sad the freedom to worship,
Slowly slips through our hands.
Our children are told by public schools not to sing,
about Shepards or Wisemen, Angels, or a King.
"It might hurt people`s feelings!" the teachers must say,
call December 25th, just another holiday.
All the shoppers will consume with cash, checks, and credit,
pushing folks to the floor, in a rush just to get it.
CDs, widescreens, a Playstation, some new clothes to be worn,
who remembers the name of The Gentle Newborn?
Retail giants promote holidays like Ramadan, and Kwanzaa,
in hopes to sell books, by Franken and Fonda.
Remember Target hanging trees upsidedown?
While at Best Buy the word `Christmas` can not be found.
At K-Mart and Lowe`s and Penny`s and at Sears,
no employee can wish you `Merry Christmas` this year.
Inclusive, sensitive, and diversity,
all words they will use to shame and intimidate me.
Now Matthews, Now Stewart, Now Olberman and Winfrey,
On Bieden, On Clinton, On Obama and Pelosi!
From the House to the senate, there arose such a clatter,
To blot out the Name of Jesus, from all public matters.
Soon we`ll face charges, as they stifle our faith,
forbidden to speak in public, of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas is shunned, then returned,
The Wonder of Christ, has still yet to be learned.
So as you celebrate the `season`, around an artificial tree,
Sipping your Starbucks, incline your ear to me.
Choose your words carefully, boldly, and joyfully this day,
yell out "Merry Christmas!", not happy holidays.
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16 comments:
Praise God for the blessing of intolerance. For some things are just not to be tolerated!
The only explanation for the exaltation of Kwanzaa and "happy holiday" is lack of courage - fear at being called something that you are not. Of course retailers benefit greatly as well, but not so much that they need to diss Yule Tide greetings.
I call this the parasite effect - one thing living off the other. But in the course of it, we celebrate the tick and tremble in fear to mention the dog!
I say any fool that doesn't go about with Merry Christmas on thier lips, should toil in thier own pudding, and bury their hate of the holly within thier own heart!
Hollands Opus
I am so ready for Christmas to be completely obliterated from the public square so the church can have it back in the sacred peace and stillness of the season.
I DON'T WANT any big box store exploiting the birth of my savior in order to sell more things that people don't need. I don't want my holy days associated with materialism and the worship of the almighty dollar.
I also DON'T WANT public school teachers telling my children my faith story, they should tell their children at home and in their churches (and synagogues and mosques) and I'll do the same.
Finally, invoking the names of public figures in the midst of this little ditty is patently unfair without citing what "offense" warrants their inclusion.
This whole topic makes me sad and seems like yet another smokescreen to keep our attention off of matters of importance...and it gets trotted out each year!
I can not imagine anything more important than the recognition, and public celebration, of the birth of mankinds` savior, Jesus Christ. To have the sanctity of this occurrence profaned by greed, supressed by government, or mimicked by false faiths to bring themselves credence is deplorable. While it is true, that `imitation is the sincerest form of flattery`, an imitation is exactly what the people that oppose the bright, joyous, and visible celebration of Christmas want. That way, it is easier to ignore the absolute need we have for Christs` birth. They can also feel more safe in hiding away during the rest of the year from the necessity of their own Salvation. The one bought by the sacrifice of The Body and The Blood of The Savior, who`s birth they fear to recognize before the world.
Try this, open your Bible to Matthew 25 and follow this link
God Bless you Ian, I was happy to see Springfield Rescue Mission on your site list, as Holland Church also works with them, and I too support them and the good work they do in helping the poor, and bringing them the Good News of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Hopefully this will work, if it does,click
This site is one of the best places to reach out to one in need, in the name of Jesus.
Darn, Ian, I tried a link to Compassion International Child Sponsorship. I got a caution sign and a message that `Tag is not allowed` why is that? What is `Tag`?
A tag is what the html code is called, so you must have put something in that looked like html code but wasn't quite right. (The comments won't accept tags to insert images, but that is another matter)
Anyway, here is the link you wanted to post.
Ian, in keeping with your link, lets also put the Christ back in Christmas with the exuberance of the angels, who proclaimed salvation, and with the naming of Jesus, (Jehovah saves) who came to save people from thier sins, that they may know God and delight in him, and then to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.
I do not see it as either or also. Strangely enough, while the excesses are grotesque, the commercial, cultural aspect of Christmas serves as a foil against which we may proclaim the good news. Christians are to overcome evil with good, so the evil of commercialsim can be confronted with the good news, and bread may given to the poor, and by God's grace, the lame will walk and the deaf will hear and the dead shall live again.
I want to add Ian, that I very much appreciate your regular call to good works. I regulary place them in a theological context so that I am always guarded against human definitions of good deeds, and do not fall into syncretism. It is my way of regularly preaching the gospel to myslef.
Hark the Heral Angels Sing - Gory to the newborn KING!
Part of the "doing" that I feel we are compelled to as Christians involves the "being" of, well, being Christian. St. Francis is credited with saying, "Preach at all times, use words when necessary." Part of the "wordless preaching" that I long for in the over-commercialized Christmas season is standing in witness to the different way that Jesus calls us to. I want to be a witness like Cindy Lou Who singing on Christmas morning even though the Grinch has stolen all the trappings, since, by golly, it's not about any of the trappings!
I'm not happy seeing objects, rituals and music from my sacred tradition soiled by the hands of those using them to serve other purposes like making a buck or two or many, many! The Christmas ads for Kohl's uses the song "This Little Light of Mine." When I first heard it, I thought, "oh, that's a nice rendition of that..." then almost immediately I thought, "hands off!"
I agree in the context of deeds, we do rather than speak. But Jesus also told us to teach and make disciples and to preach the gospel.
Perhpas we agree and are just stressing the priorities that we in certain contexts?
Thanks, Ian, I am somewhat miffed by my insbility to understand what I did wrong, I will try again.
This is agravating. I am substituting [ for < in this example Ian, this is what I entered;
[a href ="http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm.com"]
What is wrong with this picture?
Oh boy, God give me patience.
add ` .htm.com"] ` after `default` . this is what I entered. why it was cut off I don`t know.
What am I doing wrong?
Better yet Ian, using [ for <, show me exactly what you typed in, so I can see what is different than what I did.
[a href="http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm"]link[/a]
link
I believe your syntax problems were that there was a space between href and = as well as forgetting the second " in the url address...assuming that makes sense ;-)
*sigh* you can't see all the code when the comment publishes. Perhaps the best way to do this is to google "learn html" and see if you can find a simple step by step site. I learned html code on the web a few years ago in order to build web sites. Now there are so many user-friendly cookie cutter versions that it is usually not necessary to learn code...but it obviously comes in handy.
I don`t know Ian, I tried it again and checked all the components of the url. I still get `tag is not allowed`. Will try the Google thing. God did not overburden me with smarts.
'Twas the War Before Christmas
by Karen McKim
'Twas the month before Christmas; with anticipation,
I'd prayed to be peaceful, I'd felt adoration.
The Good News was soon to be shouted out loud.
The Wonder, the Joy, would dispel every cloud.
The angels are singing their glorious song.
And we have the gift to join in! Sing along!
So I settled my brains and typed on my keyboard.
I opened my e-mail, expecting warm words.
But from my computer, there arose such a panic!
I read with amazement; the writers were manic!
"They're ignoring our revels!" the fussbudgets say,
"Make sure all say 'Christmas' and not 'holiday'!
There's no peace on earth; it's time to be critical!
Forget joy and love! Make Christmas political!"
We used to say, "Joy! It's time to be merry,"
But now we are told: "We're still mad at Kerry!
It's not time for prayer; it's not time for praise!
There's no time for that! We need more displays!"
Jesus says, "Love your neighbor; take that plank from your eye."
But O'Reilly says "NO! Criticism must fly!"
I tried to remember something else Jesus said:
"Cease your anger at brothers before offering bread."
"No, NO!" say the emails, "Make fun! Ridicule!
The teachers, the storekeepers - call them all fools!
Choose your words carefully; choose what you say!
Demand 'Merry Christmas,' Not 'Happy Holiday!'
Our nation's for Christians! Yes, only for they!
If our guests don't like it, they don't have to stay!"
That's enough! I know better! My Lord told me true:
Receive travelers and beggars, yes, foreigners, too!
He told me to love them; He told me to care.
When they are with me, He said, "I am there."
I closed up the e-mail, deleted it, too.
I picked up my Bible and asked what to do.
I pray the true gifts of this blessed holy-day season find their way to your home, in all the Lord's bounty, to warm your heart and to bring to you and yours Peace on Earth and Good Will for all of God's children.
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