Christmas is stealthily making its way back into the hurly-burly of the "Winter Holiday" shopping frenzy as canny merchants are catering to the desire of Christian customers to see the word Christmas alongside Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
"The word ‘Christmas,’ nearly absent in marketing by major retailers in recent years, has been quietly revived by some stores. Retail expert Jim Lucas says they are responding to consumers’ desire to make the holidays more personal – whether they observe Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
"’They are saying this has become very commercial and they want to reclaim the holiday season and make it relevant,’ says Lucas, head of strategic planning at ad agency Draft Worldwide.
[…]
"’If you are going to make your earnings on the year because of Christmas, why should you be ashamed to call it Christmas?’ asks AFA [American Family Association] President Tim Wildmon."
Steve Kellmeyer recently made the point that Christians themselves are largely responsible for the death throes of Christmas in Western culture.
"For nearly half of the last millennium, Christians have slowly been chipping away at Christmas. Now, in imitation of Alexander the Great who wept because he had no more worlds to conquer, they caterwaul because they have nearly completed their task. Are they upset because it took so long or because it’s almost gone?
"America’s Christians have fought long and hard for this day. Why aren’t they celebrating?"
Perhaps Christmas will finally be reborn as a religious holiday, rather than a secular tug-of-war, when both Christ and the Mass are put back into Christmas.
It’s nice that more people are willing to say ‘Merry Christmas’ again. As Christians
we should be ready to reciprocate, what is
the appropriate greeting for our Jewish friends
who celebrate Hannakuh ?
It would be nice if someone could post timely reminders for such greetings at that time of Ramadan, Passover, etc.
In grad school, the students were a mixed group of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and atheists. Our Christmas party was called A Holiday Gathering. All had a grand time. I see no difference in today’s mix in the general population of the USA. I, therefore, am not offended by the word “Holiday”. As a Catholic, I celebrate X-mas with my family and from within. I don’t need to put my label on the event.
Dearist Realist,
It is obvious you just can not comprehend that Our Blessed Lord “put the label on the event” by entering into history.
What you do or do not affects your relationship with Him, especially if you think you are smarter than Him.
If your focus is to have a “grand time” please read the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. Pay close attention to verses 32-34.
Then read your “holy book according to Crossan” and comment about how Crossan says blah blah blah. Keep putting your faith in Crossan, you two will probably have lots of time together.
Dearest Real,
My Holiday thoughts came way before my reading Crossan’s books. But since you brought up Crossan, here is his take on our Holiday:
7±. Of David’s Lineage: (1a) Rom 1:3; (1b) 2 Tim 2:8; (2) Matt 2:1-12; (3) Luke 2:1-20; (4) John 7:41-42; (5a) Ign. Smyrn. 1:1a; (5b) Ign. Eph. 18:2c; (5c) Ign. Trall. 9:1a. – Conclusion, an embellished telling of Jesus’ birth, http://www.faithfutures.org/Jesus/Crossan2.rtf- Read Crossan’s book, The Historical Jesus for added details.
Mark’s Gospel, the original masterpiece, not having a nativity story bothers a lot of people.
With respect to Matt 10:32-33:
28-. Before the Angels: (1a) 2Q: Luke 12:8-9 = Matt 10:32-33; (1b) 2 Clem. 3:2 [from Matt 10:32]; (2) Mark 8:38 = Matt 16:27 = Luke 9:26; (3) Rev 3:5; (4) 2 Tim 2:12b. Conclusion, not a saying of Jesus but a later addition. Again see Crossan’s book.
With respect to Matt 10:34-36,
“34 Think not that I am come to send peace• on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own bhousehold•.”
Peace or Sword: (1) Gos. Thom. 16; (2) 2Q: Luke 12:51-53 = Matt 10:34-36.
Conclusion, THIS IS from the Historical Jesus. Again, see Crossan’s book for details.
Happy Holiday!!!
Realist-
Have you ever read any of the scholarship that places Matthew before Mark, as was the tradition?
Redactor theorists prefer to place Mark’s gospel first, because it fit’s their template of alot of later material being added to a smaller original. That way thay can yammer about the “historical Christ” ad nauseum… and basically spin theories out of thin air with impunity.
But Mark could just as well be a condensed version of Matthew. It is certainly a simpler and more sensible explanation.
Crossan again (and again). I reitterate: G.I.G.O.
Steve Kellemeyer makes some good observations.
It is a little hypocritical to complain about the commercialization of Christmas and then have a fit when it begins to disappear from stores.
All this economic activity is generated by people giving presents to one another and throwing feasts and parties…
And the problem is???
Dear bill912,
And you have read Crossan’s books or have you simply read a few odd bits and pieces from fundamentalists and have made your commentary on said information?
“Jesus’ Body was probably eaten by dogs.” The Garbage In.
Dearist Realist,
You complimented Patrick when he took each of Crossan claims and showed why there were wrong and said we just do not know what happened to Our Blessed Lord’s Body.
At least you do not know because you will not listen to the Church, unless some modern theologian who says what you want to hear tells you it is ok. It is so twisted how you give so much authority to Crossan/modern theologians and none to the Church founded by Our Blessed Lord.
And you keep quoting Crossan after you said you respected Patrick for taking the time to read Crossan and before refuting his mistakes.
Again, keep your faith in Crossan and see if he saves you.
Mary Christ Mass!
If DePaul University wouldn’t have employed Crossan and other “Catholic” universities wouldn’t have employed the rest of the heterodox “theologians” then Realist wouldn’t have these opinions to hold onto.
Dear Realist,
What do you believe about Jesus?
“In grad school, the students were a mixed group of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and atheists. [Snip] I see no difference in today’s mix in the general population of the USA.”
Ah, yes . . . the great *multi-cultural myth* rears it’s head once again!
http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm
The link above is to a CUNY study that found the following percentages of the US population to be true in 2001:
Christian: 79.8% (Catholic: 25%, other Christian: 54%)
Jewish: 1.4%
Muslim: .6%
Buddhist: .5%
Hindu: .4%
Non-religious/Athiest/Agnostic: 15%
We simply do not live in a multi-cultural nation. We are 80% Christian. In light of that, why do Christians put up with being marginalized at Christmas? (Or at all, for that matter?)
I am, BTW, in no way saying that it’s OK to marginalize these other religious groups. Just that it is a myth that we live in a culture that is comprised of roughly equal numbers of the world’s religions. It’s simply not true.
That’s why I say “Happy Christmas”!
“Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith, says Benedict XVI. ” http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80888
Dear Dr. Eric,
You asked about Jesus. Today’s biblical scholars have many differing ideas about him. Personally, it is a work in progress. I believe I have forwarded the following list before: from- http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html
Jesus the Myth: Heavenly Christ
Earl Doherty
Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy
Jesus the Myth: Man of the Indefinite Past
Alvar Ellegård
G. A. Wells
Jesus the Hellenistic Hero
Gregory Riley
Jesus the Revolutionary
Robert Eisenman
Jesus the Wisdom Sage
John Dominic Crossan
Robert Funk
Burton Mack
Stephen J. Patterson
Jesus the Man of the Spirit
Marcus Borg
Stevan Davies
Geza Vermes
Jesus the Prophet of Social Change
Richard Horsley
Hyam Maccoby
Gerd Theissen
Jesus the Apocalyptic Prophet
Bart Ehrman
Paula Fredriksen
Gerd Lüdemann
John P. Meier
E. P. Sanders
Jesus the Savior
Luke Timothy Johnson
Robert H. Stein
N. T. Wright
See the referenced site for a more detailed review of each writer.
Dear Gene,
I noted “mix” not equal mix. Grad school was probably a 70/30 mix of Christians/non-Christians. I do however like to globalize my greetings.
The problem is that Christmas is, by defenition, a christmas holiday and the attempts of the government to change that into a ‘winter’ holiday and denying its history and tradition are…just ran out of things to rant about, nuts.
This is just not what the Founding Fathers intended. (Speaking from a political point of fiew, though its not what The Founding Father intended either. 😉 )
~Kosh
Oh, and I don’t find the list of theories to be very useful, most of them are laughable, at best.
I can only laugh at the posts written by Realist. This person is obviously not serious, but is playing with other posters here.
please, stop feeding the trolls,and Jesus
-baiters.
Dearist Realist,
Please answer one question.
Do you want to spend eternity with Christ or those who deny him?
I pray you have a very Mary Christ Mass!
“Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith, says Benedict XVI.”
Realist, what you’re doing here is taking what the pope said out of context. He’s not referring to you here – &, by “you” I mean, individuals who already know their Scripture & have a working Biblical knowledge. No. Benedict’s talking about folks who have none! Sorry. You simply can’t have it both ways.
“Perhaps Christmas will finally be reborn as a religious holiday, rather than a secular tug-of-war, when both Christ and the Mass are put back into Christmas.”
Reminds me of the following quote from G. K. Chesterton:
“The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and some day suddenly wake up and discover why.” – “On Christmas,” Generally Speaking
Thank you http://www.chesterton.org
Realist,
So what you’re saying is that “your” Jesus is a constuct of aging hippie whiners.
Funny, that’s not what the Bible says, or the Church Fathers especially Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyons, Polycarp of Smyrna, etc… I would suggest (agian) that you read these guys before reading the opinions of people who have been removed from the facts by 1900 years. These early Church Fathers were instructed by the Apostles themselves.
As I have written before read these Holy Teachers of the Faith and compare what they have written to these so-called experts. I know you come from the Woodstock Generation and you don’t trust anyone over 30 and all that jazz, but the 60s are over.