Christmas Reflections

Can you imagine that some Reformed Christians do not celebrate Christmas! It was a shock to me. Some thoughts have been posted HERE four years ago. One Christian man even celebrates Halloween, but not Christmas. 

One young Christian woman and I had a heated discussion on this topic last year. She and her husband have now left our church. Sad that we couldn't have agreed to disagree amicably, and I do forgive her, although I wish they would come back to our church and know we can disagree amicably and still fellowship together in Christ. 

What kind of Christmas should the Christian embrace? I think that we can say 

Merry Christmas

and not "Happy Holidays". Of course some folks think "Happy Holidays" is the best because it's politically correct. It's almost as if PC is the new religion for many. 

Of course we don't have to flaunt our tradition in the face of those who we know for certain celebrate Hanukkah and who have not embraced Jesus as the Messiah at this time. Why can't I wear the T-shirt that says "Jesus is the reason for the season"? Maybe this T-shirt is a little cheesy like the movie "Saving Christmas".

Kurt Cameron has gone to all lengths in the movie "Saving Christmas" to defend Christmas. His character compares the swaddling clothes of the manger to the grave clothes of Christ! He notes that there were trees in Genesis so why shouldn't we have a Christmas tree now! For me this exegesis is totally lacking. Somehow the character Kurt plays convinces his brother-in-law, Christian, that Christmas is about joy and that brother-in-law dances at the end of the movie. It totally misses the real joy of Christ's coming to dwell on earth.

THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS is not about gifts of course, but about the great event that happened in history. Of course we do not know that December 25th is the day the Messiah was actually born, but we do have this biblical history from the Old Testament of yearly celebrations. I am loving hearing Christmas carols and mailing greetings to friends and family. As a new widow, I appreciate all the family I do have left and plan to spend the holidays with some of them. I am writing this on some of my Christmas greetings:  

JESUS ENTERED OUR WORLD 

TO TEACH US HOW TO LIVE 

AND HOW TO DIE WITH CONFIDENCE. 

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Carol

Internet Theological Bullies

A sharp young man, Teddy Dee, wrote on Facebook: Growing by leaps and bounds in your theological knowledge , without striving to excel in your practicality will ultimately reduce you to nothing more than an intellectual jackass. God help us all. Teddy said I could quote him.

Not everyone on this blog concurs with an end-times view and other issues, and for the most part the discussions have been productive and civil. There has been freedom here to debate issues. The comments were not moderated as I have been trying to discover theology. Now however I have decided to moderate comments on my blogs.

You see, folks, recently I got bullied on another blog. It was awful. It was judgmental. It upset me so much and the bully would not back down or apologize. In fact I felt stocked as he followed me to a message site and kept at it there. Then his attacks were posted on his own blog. I questioned if his pastor or elders read his numerous attacks on others all posted on his blog and he defended himself that they were aware of his pursuits to attack people outside of his church. 

Some theological bullies seem to just have to impress their viewpoints on us. I think that some theological bullies are just plain bullies about a lot of issues and unfortunately their testimony is compromised with the points they try to make as they devalue others in person, on blogs, on Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. Some perhaps are pharisees and could benefit by reading that book, Accidental Pharisees, that I reviewed earlier on this blog. These individuals can cross the line to a personal attack and they do not acknowledge that they have crossed that line and have become theological bullies.

When I substitute teach, I rap at the end of classes. Several of my raps that will be going on YouTube as MC AC The Rap Lady will hopefully influence students. One of them is my "Bully Rap".  I start out with asking middle school students or high school students who is a bully in the class? The bullies come to the front of the class and in a good natured way I deliver this rap to them:

What he did?

Where you been?

I’m gonna spit it

And you’re gonna get it

Hitting agitating

Spitting aggravating

Take a stand—let’s attack

Rid us of bullies

Always fighting

Gossip behind the back

In person or Internet

Bullies  find excuses

To mess with our weaknesses

As if they have none

And they think this is fun

Just take courage

Report those bullies

Their end is near

Your conscience clear

Let’s get along

Join this song

Let’s be buddies

I’m gonna spit it

And you’re gonna get it

Skip the teasing

Skip the strife

No more hassles

All you bullies

Get a life!

Everyone laughs when I deliver the last line--get a life. The students get the point and I have had students tell me they no longer want to be a bully.  If I know it is a Christian student in the public school who has been bullied or been the bully, I have been able to pray with them after class at times. 

Bullying on the Internet is hard to handle, but I have no choice but to forgive those theological bullies. My pastor or elders handle the situation if it is in our local church, but there is no authority of appeal on the Internet. Instead I have to look to Christ's example. Think how Christ asked His Father, 

Father, forgive them, 
for they know not what they do.
Luke 23:34 

You theological bullies, come to the front of the class and repent of any pharisaic pride you may have. Meditate on this verse:

But this will all men know that you are My disciples, 

if you have love for one another. 
John 13:35

Hey, bullies, you do not need to win those theological Internet battles. Let the church councils and presbyteries do that. The Internet is not the place. 

Apologies Can Be So Glib

Here are a few apologies made by celebrities both inside and outside the church.

1. "I did have a relationship with Miss ____ that was not appropriate. In fact it was wong. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that."
2. "As many of you know, my previous marriage has endured years of unresolved conflicts. I apologize that it has ended in divorce. . . . .The reason for the silence was for my need of healing."
3. "It was not done in the spirit of meanness. However, innocent and unintended, it was wrong. . . .I tried to express as much regret as I could for an injury."
4. "It was completely inappropriate, and we can understand why people are offended. Our characterization was thoughtless and stupid, and we are sorry."
5. "I have spent the last five days of my life crying in Argentina. I am committed to trying to get my heart right. The bottom line is I have been unfaithful to my wife. . . ."
6. "Did I make a mistake by putting myself in circumstances that could be misconstrued? Of course I did. That goes without saying. Did I do anything immoral? Absolutely not."

These apologies all lack something essential if they come from a believer and they almost remind me of the rote apologies in Lois Lowry's book "The Giver". Lowry created a conforming society where there is no war, feelings of love (families are arranged) and pollution (characters drive bikes). Guilt, regret and forgiveness are mechanistic. Jonas says "I apologize for making you wait" and Fiona replies "I accept your apology."

Does the public so easily accept the aplogies in the above statements (in order) of President Clinton, Lakeland Revivalist Todd Bentley, Rev. Jesse Jackson, radio show host Imus, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, and politician Gary Hart? Probably not. We tried to impeach Clinton for his delay and cover-up that plagued his second term. Bentley never mentions adultery or the healing scams investigate by the media. Jackson would be clearly offended by the "N" word but hypocritically is not at all clear in apologizing for his Jewish insult. Imus uses "we" and "our" rather than "I". Sanford at best has an admission, but not an apology and is in Argentina now with his mistress. And Gary Hart is as wishy-washy as Bill Clinton.

Mark Driscoll spoke/wrote on what repentence is not here. So what is repentence? Can we pinpoint examples?

In 2007 the senate investigated the "Prosperity Gospel Ministers" such as Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, and Randy and Paula White. I appreciate a former TV evangelist, Jim Bakker, who did admit: "The more I studied the Bible, however, I had to admit that the prosperity message did not line up with the tenor of Scripture. My heart was crushed to think that I led so many people astray." Baker served time for his decisions, but not for the adultery that was reportedly set up by Jimmy Swaggart whose own apology is clearly biblical for his immorality and use of meth: "I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgiveness." I am not a fan of Bakker or Swaggart, but do appreciate the wording of their confessions.

So what is missing biblically in so many of these apologies? Clear confession of sin and seeking of forgiveness and planning for restitution and reconciliation. Christ says in Luke 17 that if people sin against us (slander in the 9th commandment, adultery in the 7th commandment for example) we can rebuke them. If they repent, we can forgive them and restoration is on the way. In this ongoing process, however, if they don’t repent, we need to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. The Lord’s prayer says Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. We are called to love our enemies anyway. It’s the biblical thing to do—confession and forgiveness and reconciliation.