War on Christian Virtues Continues...

The battleground's been set, and the warriors are strategically positioned to hit weak Christians where it counts. Yup, the War on Christian Virtues is on with Operation Merry Christmas. The offensive side is completely distraught at stores that don't wish you Merry Christmas in their advertising. The unknowning defensive side consists of weak Christians and also intelligent Christians, those that either don't know their faith well enough to defend it, or those that know their faith so well that also know Jesus would never sanction such a fight. Also on the defensive side are department stores (Target is now targeted), large conglomerates, and mom-and-pop stores that aren't owned by Christians or don't want to offend non-Christians, and don't allow solicitations in front of their stores.

For all of you Christian lackies, Jesus in his day, was so outraged about the storefront at the temple that in a rare instance of rage, he flipped the tables and benches of the barterers. Read the story:

Matthew 21:12-13
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"

In essence, tacking the Christian holiday of Christmas onto advertising and marketing of goods, is a very similar association with what was happening at the temples in Jesus' day. To add the good name of Jesus and Christmas, his birthday celebration, to a very material pre-occupation that Christmas has become in the US, would likely be seen as an insult to the Christian Savior, Jesus.

If you want to learn more about Jesus and his mission, read the gospels in the New Testament Bible. Matthew is a great place to read about the parables Jesus usually spoke about when he addressed crowds that came to hear his wisdom.

I think if Jesus were in our houses in the US on Christmas Eve, he would likely command that you give all the presents under your tree, not to those you designated, but to give them all to the poor and rightly in need of such presents. That, indeed is the reason for the season. Jesus gave his life, not to the saints, but to the sinners. Likewise, we should not give to those who already have, but to those in need.

So, when you, my fellow Christian American, see those trees in stores with names of families in need and their wish lists, don't hesitate to take a family and purchase the gifts they truly need this Christmas season, and put the "Merry Christmas" greeting into action. That is the least Jesus would want us to do in his name this Christmas season.