Is Christmas shallow?

[Bear Wild]

Opening our big expensive presents while homeless people suffer and starve partying and celebrating while other countries starve to death.

Most people wont take in a stranger ;its freezing out side a lot of homeless people die in this season. People kill themselves out of loneliness, singles do more this year then any other time of year. Does the church really care?Do religions care? what are they doing to help the situation?

I honestly don't feel like celebrating this year. I do not see the churches that care. YIKES you know my old Pentecostal churches use to take Christian cruises that cost a lot and parties their buts off this time a year.

Christmas is one of the most wonderful celebrations I celebrate. Forget materialism, forget commercialism, forget all that is negative in this world for and evening and a day. For me it transcends all beliefs in that it looks for the good in this world and reminds me of the love we must share to each other and for me all other life. It still has a magical aspect to me in that it reminds me that there are still mysteries in our world and a wonder to our world. That is my personal feeling about Christmas.

 

[Tazarah]

Christmas is a pagan holiday and is not of God.

 

[Quintessence]

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Okay.. THIS IS THE BEST ANSWER I HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME... You could not have explained it better.. (that's it people nowadays celebrate, Giftmas, not Christmas..)

I started calling it that several years ago as Christmas became increasingly usurped by the worship of monetary wealth in my country. I'm only half joking when I remark that the state religion of my country is capitalism - it governs how we operate far, far more than Christianity could hold a candle to.

I try to ignore most of it. Not just because I'm generally anti-capitalism, but because that time of year has always been far more about food traditions and family for me than either the Christian or the capitalistic aspects. I'm seriously considering making this the year that I'm done with gifting altogether.

 

[JesusMyFriend]

The 4 week observance of Advent is for Catholics a time of preparation for discerning true meaning of Christmas.

Exactly

 

[dianaiad]

Opening our big expensive presents while homeless people suffer and starve partying and celebrating while other countries starve to death.

Most people wont take in a stranger ;its freezing out side a lot of homeless people die in this season. People kill themselves out of loneliness, singles do more this year then any other time of year. Does the church really care?Do religions care? what are they doing to help the situation?

I honestly don't feel like celebrating this year. I do not see the churches that care. YIKES you know my old Pentecostal churches use to take Christian cruises that cost a lot and parties their buts off this time a year.

OK.

So you look at Christmas cruises and overlook the homeless shelters and the boxed dinners and all the stuff people do for the suffering at Christmas. Go ahead.

But if this bothers you so much, then I suggest that you go FIND a homeless shelter or a rehab center or an
'old folks home' or something and spend your Christmas there, helping out.

y'know what? There will be many other people there with you, also helping out, and a huge proportion of those helpers will be religious, and the Christmases celebrated there will have joy.

In other words, if you don't want to go on the cruise, don't. Take your money and give it to someone who needs it more than you do. Then you can look down your nose all you want to.

But be careful when you do that, because when those cruise people come home, you just might find them next to you in the shelter, handing out food, blankets and clothing the rest of the year.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go 'do Christmas.' That is, my own tradition is that all my gifts are hand made. Knitted socks, shawls, mittens, gloves, quilts. Yes, in my own proud defense, I do these well and one simply cannot BUY a cashmere shawl or cashmere gloves in a store without wincing, while I can produce them for considerably less money and a lot of work and time. That's the point, the work and time, and the thought that goes into the person for whom these things are made. ....and trust me, the recipients of these gifts do NOT shove them in drawers never to be seen again short of a yard sale.

Then, for every shawl I make for my family, another gets made for someone in the chemo infusion center. Every hat I make for my daughters gets repeated for that same infusion center.

Lap quilts, too...every one that goes to someone I love gets a twin to go to that shelter.

This is how I celebrate Christmas. I love Christmas. I start celebrating Christmas beginning in July. I have a VERY dim view of those who disparage or dismiss it. Whether one celebrates Christmas, or Hannukah, or Winter solstice, or whatever holiday one assigns to the changing of the season, CELEBRATE IT.

Those who have just dismissed all holidays? They are missing out. Don't dismiss them. Make them yours. Do what you think should be done, and helping others is generally a good idea.

 

[garim gupta]

Opening our big expensive presents while homeless people suffer and starve partying and celebrating while other countries starve to death.

Most people wont take in a stranger ;its freezing out side a lot of homeless people die in this season. People kill themselves out of loneliness, singles do more this year then any other time of year. Does the church really care?Do religions care? what are they doing to help the situation?

I honestly don't feel like celebrating this year. I do not see the churches that care. YIKES you know my old Pentecostal churches use to take Christian cruises that cost a lot and parties their buts off this time a year.

I respect your thoughts as they are talking about "We" and not "Me", god bless you.
God gave you this feeling in you heart, perfect. Now you got two choice, act as per the feeling and your capacity and help people. But keep in mind you can only help those to whom you can reach, keeping time, energy, money in mind. If you cannot reach more people still ok, at least you reached one. The number doesn't matter in this case. Another choice is do not act and enjoy Christmas. There is no harm in that too, as the people who are suffering are because of their karma/actions/choice that they have made in their life.

Point is unless you are not happy then you cannot give happiness, because you don't have happiness with you.
So first be happy that god blessed you with such a beautiful thought, celebrate Christmas with your love ones, spread happiness on their face as its easy to reach them. And meanwhile take out some time, energy and money to spread smile on whomever you can reach. You cannot help whole world, but you can pray for whole world.

Enjoy Christmas and share the gift of your love: HOLIDAY GIFTS

 

[Khasekhemwy]

Most people wont take in a stranger; its freezing out side a lot of homeless people die in this season...

I get the impression homelessness is poorly understood by the housed, even by social workers. In a certain sense, I’ve been fortunate to develop enhanced knowledge of this condition in American life as I spent years on the streets and in Salvation Army centers or rescue missions during the time when I lacked a home. It’s been pointed out that homeless persons can die in any season, in general suffering attrition rates somewhere around 4 to 8 times typical for age-matched middle class individuals—which translates to a 14 to 25-year reduction of life expectancy.

However, primary causes of death, cancer and heart disease, are the same as for other Americans; except that both ailments are promoted by stress and its physiological correlate, damage caused by long-elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that prepares our bodies for flight-or-fight responses. Relatively few homeless freeze to death especially now that shelter care and street outreach has expanded in recent decades.

Being homeless is nonetheless a big hassle. The kitchen table debates over whether this fate is the fault of the homeless themselves, which Political Correctness no longer allows to run in public media, have proven singularly fruitless. Upshot is it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is. While the shelters and permanent subsidized housing programs mean well and do provide valuable services, they’re incapable of ending homelessness. Some, often youth, go on the road voluntarily; others aren’t capable of maintaining an apartment and need frequent supervision if housed. This is expensive.

I dunno. I don’t see how the situation precludes the exchange of simple, economical gifts. One needn’t overdo Christmas in order to have fun.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

That's not Christmas, that's Giftmas. Let's not confuse the legitimate Christian religious holiday with the worship of Money and Capitalism.

I never heard of Christmas being called Giftmas although it surely is.
After all, Santa is the god of Christmas.
I find the ' legitimate Christian religious holiday ' is the one Jesus instituted to remember his day of death, Not birth.
- Luke 22:19

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The 4 week observance of Advent is for Catholics a time of preparation for discerning true meaning of Christmas.

I find the ' true meaning of Christmas ' comes from the Saturnalia.
I can't imagine giving Christian names to a non-biblical holiday.
No where do I find the apostles promoting festival days.
Jesus nor his followers joined in keeping any non-biblical celebration.
How did the apostles celebrate Jesus birthday was that they didn't.
Can anyone picture Jesus dressed up in a Santa suit _______

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I believe Christmas is not a matter of giving and getting expensive presents, watching a red Santa or drinking wine in an adorned hall.. As Christians (Christmas is after all a Christian celebration) it is our duty to think of those around us, to actually live out Jesus message and word on his birthday. By helping those who need us the most, in our communities for example, we are truly celebrating Christmas, because we are carrying out the work Jesus told us to do.. what I do believe is that nowadays people forget the real meaning of Christmas and the memory of Jesus..

To me to 'live out Jesus message and word' (Matthew 24:14) on his birthday seems difficult to me since we do Not know the exact day Jesus was born, but we do know it definitely was Not December the 25th.

True, we should all be neighborly good Samaritans in broadening out, or widening out, in showing love to someone at their time of distress, but the work Jesus did (Luke 4:43) was basically a 'spiritual work' which he instructed his followers to also do what he did as recorded at Matthew 28:18-20; Acts of the Apostles 1:8 besides Matthew 24:14.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I started calling it that several years ago as Christmas became increasingly usurped by the worship of monetary wealth in my country. I'm only half joking when I remark that the state religion of my country is capitalism - it governs how we operate far, far more than Christianity could hold a candle to.
I try to ignore most of it. Not just because I'm generally anti-capitalism, but because that time of year has always been far more about food traditions and family for me than either the Christian or the capitalistic aspects. I'm seriously considering making this the year that I'm done with gifting altogether.

As a child I recall my Aunt being puzzled by Christmas (Giftmas) and concluded that she guessed it served the purpose to keep the economy going. Good for the Jewish businessman because in our town most of the businesses were run by Jewish men.
I did wonder why a Jewish-owned gift shop sold religious Hummel figures, etc.

 

[Jumi]

While the shelters and permanent subsidized housing programs mean well and do provide valuable services, they’re incapable of ending homelessness.

They work very well in my country, there are very few homeless here.

 

[JesusMyFriend]

I never heard of Christmas being called Giftmas although it surely is.
After all, Santa is the god of Christmas.
I find the ' legitimate Christian religious holiday ' is the one Jesus instituted to remember his day of death, Not birth.
- Luke 22:19

Personally, Jesus should be the god of Christmas and not "Santa" (whoever he is). Even if it's not his actual date of birth it's the one we use as Christians to celebrate and rejoice his birth. The birth of hope, love and happiness..

 

[pearl]

No where do I find the apostles promoting festival days.

As Jews they would have observed the Jewish feast days.

I can't imagine giving Christian names to a non-biblical holiday.

The only thing non biblical is the date.

I find the ' true meaning of Christmas ' comes from the Saturnalia.

Adapting something already known for religious purposes is nothing new. When God entered into covenant with Abraham and Moses he was not introducing something entirely new but raising up to an eminently higher plane something already old and purely human. The Church in adapting something already familiar and giving a new purpose does not distract from what became the 'Mass of Christ'. In the liturgical calendar Christmas is not just a day but a season that begins with the Vigil Mass on the eve of Christmas and concludes with the 'Baptism of the Lord, this year Jan13.

Can anyone picture Jesus dressed up in a Santa suit _______

You're confusing the secular with the religious, typical.

 

[Brickjectivity]

celebrating while other countries starve to death.

Countries? Which countries are starving to death?

Most people wont take in a stranger ;its freezing out side a lot of homeless people die in this season. People kill themselves out of loneliness, singles do more this year then any other time of year. Does the church really care?Do religions care? what are they doing to help the situation?

How many people have ever wiped the butt of an adult? I'd say not many and not without pay. Some do though, and that is the kind of grit required to care for the homeless. The homeless are mental cases and give ups. They are emotional vampires sometimes, thieves or just needy. They often feel lost, betrayed and regret the unfairness that is modern life. Would you want to meet such a person and introduce them to your home? They may have drug addictions and be therefore very dangerous. Saints set the example for us here by taking them in, but who volunteers to be a saint?

How about the legal problems and risks of taking in a homeless person? If they live with you they can demand to stay. What about squatters rights? You see it is not easy or inexpensive to help the homeless. They do not need 50 cents but a parent and guide.

Sure you can criticize the churches for not doing this. That's fair, because they are supposed to do it. Still, its not like people are signing up for the job.

I honestly don't feel like celebrating this year. I do not see the churches that care. YIKES you know my old Pentecostal churches use to take Christian cruises that cost a lot and parties their buts off this time a year.

Christmas is supposed to be a time to stir up the generosity within yourself specifically because people have this problem of going about our own business. Religious festivals actually can help with this.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

As Jews they would have observed the Jewish feast days.
The only thing non biblical is the date.
Adapting something already known for religious purposes is nothing new. When God entered into covenant with Abraham and Moses he was not introducing something entirely new but raising up to an eminently higher plane something already old and purely human. The Church in adapting something already familiar and giving a new purpose does not distract from what became the 'Mass of Christ'. In the liturgical calendar Christmas is not just a day but a season that begins with the Vigil Mass on the eve of Christmas and concludes with the 'Baptism of the Lord, this year Jan13.

In Scripture I find Jesus was about 30 years old when baptised.- Luke 3:21-23
Since Jesus was born in the Autumn then how does December and January enter into the picture.
In Scripture, Jesus was circumcised (Not baptised) as an infant.- Luke 2:21

'Adapting something already known for religious purposes is nothing new' because it is religious syncretism.
A fusion of differing beliefs or belief systems which results in a new teaching or belief system that can Not be reconciled to 1st-century biblical Christianity by blending the secular with the sacred.
The blending of multiple or differing belief systems then continually evolves by the philosophies of mankind.
It rises or falls in popularity by the whims of men and Not by the standard of Scripture.
It becomes so deeply ingrained in people's minds that even once exposed many want to keep the mirage alive.
So, any modification to the biblical for the sake of syncretism is unscriptural.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Personally, Jesus should be the god of Christmas and not "Santa" (whoever he is). Even if it's not his actual date of birth it's the one we use as Christians to celebrate and rejoice his birth. The birth of hope, love and happiness..

I find Not only is the birth date a lie, but so are many other things.
The Nativity scene may be a good example of how man has handed down false teachings.
That false scene is so deeply embedded in people's minds that what is false is hard to erase.
There is No mention in Scripture about how many ' wise ' men there were.
There were three gifts mentioned Not three persons.
Plus, the magi were never at the manger scene.

Christmas (Giftmas) celebrates a national holiday of excessive material consumption.
It is based on the Saturnalia festival which predates 1st-Century Christianity.
Grafting that pagan-rooted celebration with Scripture just mixes and blends the religious with the secular.
How many evergreen trees are sacrificed to Santa each year, surely Not to the manger scene.
For some children Santa is the first ' god ' they are introduced to with Santa fiction brought into the home.
Some adults masquerading as Santa in order to play Babes in Toyland with children.
None of the Santa story has to do with the Jesus story.

 

[pearl]

In Scripture I find Jesus was about 30 years old when baptised.-

One would have a problem with that only if one was read it with a literalists mindset. The 'Baptism of the Lord' has nothing to do with a baby Jesus.

Since Jesus was born in the Autumn then how does December and January enter into the picture.

Jesus is said to be the 'light of the world', December is when the days become lighter.

So, any modification to the biblical for the sake of syncretism is unscriptural.

The 'biblical' contains such symbolism, the Gospels borrowed from Hebrew Scripture to tell their 'story'. Mt and Lk are not at all identical when presenting the nativity stories.

 

[pearl]

The Nativity scene may be a good example of how man has handed down false teachings.
That false scene is so deeply embedded in people's minds that what is false is hard to erase.

Its false to you because of your fundamentalist approach. You've apparently never studied it.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Personally, I find the commercialism very irritating. One of my local supermarkets now has a display of Christmas cakes — with use-by dates in November! I laughed about that with a shelf-stacker, who said it was obviously a gimmick to sell more cake. Last year they had parkin, which you can't normally find in London, as a Christmas cake. This year it's back as Halloween cake!

I definitely don't celebrate: Heliogenna is good enough for me.