Christ In Christmas

Currently, the Tulsa area, a controversy is going on that is tied to a trend that has been going on for several years. Businesses, schools, and other organizations have replaced 'Christmas' with 'holiday' in the names of their December events, and Christians have resisted this by saying that Christ shouldn't be taken out of Christmas. The local flare-up is over the decision of U. S. Senator James Inhofe, a Tulsa resident, to not ride his horse in this year's parade because the organizers changed the name of the event.

Of course, many criticize him, saying he is close-minded, bigoted, and failing to represent all the people of Oklahoma. But they say this about him no matter what he does or says. Unless Inhofe changes into a liberal Democrat (he is one of the most conservative Republicans in the Senate), he will never please them. Even then, I believe they would remain suspicious of him, just waiting to pounce on him with venom and vigor if he ever again expresses another conservative or traditional thought.

On the other hand, many have applauded him for taking a stand for Christ.

Me? I'm kind of in the middle on this one.

I am glad when anyone takes a stand for Christ, however I do think that he could have taken his stand in a better manner.

Why make an issue of the parade's name? Does this really matter? In this case, maybe not.

Who decides what the parade is called? Whoever puts in on.

I tried to search online to see who that is, and apparently the parade is put on by its own organization. This organization might be an offshoot of the Jaycees, because they were mentioned in a sponsorship application I found. The parade director said the organization is not a religious one, and the parade is just a community event.

Why should we expect a non-religious organization to name their event with a Christian name, just because they called it a Christmas parade in the past? It's their event, they're not a Christian organization, and they have the right to name it whatever they want.

If the outfit behind the parade was a Christian organization, and they changed the name from 'Christmas' to anything else, then they could be taking Christ out of the event. They could also be trying to cover up the Christian nature of the event, a "bait and switch" approach to presenting the Good News of Jesus. Wouldn't that be a really spiritual method!?

Now, I have to admit I have a different perspective on this "Christ in Christmas" business anyway. You see, I'm not sure that Christmas was about Christ to begin with.

Much has already been written and said about how most Christmas customs have pagan origins, and how Christmas occurs on the same date as ancient pagan festivals (Saturnalia in Rome, Yule in Nordic lands). Did the Church do this to make it easier for pagans to believe in Jesus, or to make it easier for the Church to absorb pagans?

Of course, this doesn't mean that pagan customs can't be "saved." See what I wrote about the gittith in my Christmas Meditation post. My contention is that if Christmas is about Christ, it is so only when we make it that way. This is true for individuals, families, churches, whoever.

If Sen. Inhofe wants Christ in the Tulsa holiday parade, he should ride in the parade carrying a Christian flag, or a banner that says "Jesus Is The Reason For The Season."

Christmas is coming!

Yes, Christmas is coming in less than 2 weeks. Many in Tulsa and surrounding areas aren't thinking too much about it right now. They are waiting for their electricity, phones, Internet, and in some cases, water to come back. Until then, they are coping as best they can.

Still, this is a good time to think about Christmas and what it means. What is Christmas about anyway?

It's not about presents, Santa Claus, reindeer, decorated evergreen trees, wreaths, candles, carols, candy canes, angels, camels, shepards, Magi, snow, snowmen, parties, pies, turkey, dressing, cookies, fudge or any of the trappings of the season. It's about family. More specfically, it's about God's family.

The Father wanted a bigger family, so He sent His Son to die for our sins, rise from the dead, and provide a way for us to join God's family.

I know the objections that some have to celebrating Christmas. They don't matter to me.

One objection is that we don't see Christians celebrating Christ's birth in the Bible. Well, we don't see Sunday School or many of the everyday practices of the church in there either.

Some then would get "spiritual" and point out that Jesus said He only did what He saw His Father do, and we should follow His exapmle. In that case, we then have a good reason to celbrate His birth. Read the accounts in Matthew and Luke and you'll see the Father celebrating! He had angels singing and invited people from all social classes, from shepards to royal advisers. He even set a beacon in the sky to invite the Magi.

Then some point out that from the Bible and historical/cultural/geographic background information about that time and place, Chirst could not have been born on December 25th. They say the clues point to the Jewish feast of Succoth, which occurs in September and includes the more well-known celebrations of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In that case, He was probably conceived in late December, and we can celebrate His conception.
This indeed is something to celebrate. The Incarnation (God became flesh) sets the birth of Christ apart from the birth of every other person. As C. S. Lewis pointed out, the Incarnation is the grandest miracle associated with Christ, for this one miracle made all of His other miracles possible. That indeed is something to celebrate!

Now, some will ask if we need to, or if it's right to use some of the trappings of Christmas because of their pagan origins. Well, let's look at something Chirst's earthly ancestor, David, did centuries earlier. Look at the heading of Psalm 8, often regarded as one of David's most beautiful psalms and as a prophetic description of Chirst. You will see a note there in the heading. It's not part of the psalm itself, but it is part of the orginal text. Many psalms have such notes, and they serve either as a despcritpion of the psalm or instructions to the choirmaster in the Temple.

This heading note mentions the Gittith. A Gittith was a musical instrument of the Philistines, the enemies of Israel. David stayed with them for a time when he was hiding from Saul,and he must have heard their music and liked it. He must have acquired a few Gittiths for the Temple music, and wrote some songs to be played on them. So, David, the Lord's anointed, a man after God's own heart, appropriated a pagan instrument and pagan music for worship in God's own house, to be used before the Ark of the Covenant where God's Holy Presence would dwell. And we worry about using a few evergreens and such for celebrating the Incarnation.

Of course some will grouse about the commercialism. I don't have any problem with merchants getting commercial with Christmas, because that's just part of our capitalist system. I'd be more surprised if mercahnts didn't get commercial this time of year. What disturbs me more is if Christians don't take advantage of the season to spread the Good News of Jesus.