Who Started Christmas?

[Lindaloo]

WHO STARTED CHRISTMAS?

This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the elevator car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot."

From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don't worry we already crucified him."

For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.

[Lindaloo]

Bumpity-Bump

[GalvestonDuck]

Very cool!

Were you on my ignore list and I didn't know it? I could have sworn I'd already read all the news posts.

[stormraiser]

How true Linda. My family doesn't "celebrate" Christmas per se. We do believe in Jesus and His birth, but all of the "commerciality" just takes away from it. If you appreciate someone all the time, why just wait for that one or two days a year to tell them you love them. Why not just tell them to tell them?

I am not slamming anyone who does this. I am just sharing my own personal beliefs.

[GalvestonDuck]

I think I understand to a point, Anthony. But I'm curious...are you a Jehovah's Witness? I know that JW's don't celebrate Christmas or birthdays (anyone's). One of my boss's associates is a JW and so, out of respect for her, we call our office get-together for this time of year our "Winter Celebration." So, your philosophy of wanting to show appreciation for someone on any given day and not just on a special occasion sounds like a great explanation for the Jehovah's Witness's belief in not celebrating birthdays or Christmas.

I briefly dated someone who I found out later was a JW. She helped me understand the reasoning behind JW's being forbidden from receiving blood transfusions (I was working at the ER at the time).

[stormraiser]

No, I am more of a traditionalist in my beliefs. I think JW's are wrong on certain issues, like Jesus isn't the Son of God, but an Archangel.

[GalvestonDuck]

I agree, I think they have a different view on quite a few issues. Yet, I was raised Catholic and a lot of people think we're wrong on certain issues. No two religions, even those within the Christian faith, agree on every single thing. I've heard arguments about everything from water baptism (dunk vs. sprinkle) to what name in which to be baptized (in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit vs. in the name of Jesus) to when we'll get rapture (pre, mid, or post-tribulation).

I dealt with a "Christian" cult for the first time when I moved down here to Texas (like, where else would you expect to find a cult but in TX where anything bizarre that can happen, will happen ). Some people call the Jehovah's Witnesses a cult. I won't go that far because I don't really have any experience with their church. Anyway, a friend of mine met someone from this particular church at Galveston College. She was invited to attend a service and asked me to come also. I saw through them; she didn't. And believe me, once someone gets hooked, it's hard to get them out.

I'll go to Mass at Catholic and Episcopalian churches or attend services at Baptist (my dad was Baptist), Methodist, Presbyterian, and basically any other Christian church. But when someone shows me a lack of respect for my faith and tries to tell me that they are the only true church, I have to get out.

I think back about that experience and just can't believe how easily some people can be brainwashed.

[Lindaloo]

Hey Duck... I posted this this morning but everyone was waging war against men in that one thread. lol. Including me. hehe.

[vbhoutex]

AMEN LINDA!!! AMEN!!!!

[JCT777]

Linda - excellent post. The true meaning of Christmas is too often forgotten.

[Lindaloo]

Bumpity-Bump