A silly season reflection.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:5  ESV

It seems that this time or year brings with it a certain poingnant pain.  I can find no better expression of this than the words of David.

I call this the "silly season."  We seem to get so caugh up in both the "religious" and cultural demands of the season which, quite simply, are dyametrically opposed to one another.  Hence we expereience an odd kind of turmoil.

Caught between Christ and Consumerism;  family demands and faith demands we feel like a frayed rope in a tug-of-war.

I struggled with this for some time.  The ghosts of christmases past and the wounds of family gatherings have always cast me down.  I found a way for me to relieve a good part of the struggle by simply denying the whole thing.  I just quit recognizing the "holiday."

First, it couldn't be any more artificial than it in fact is.  I have serious doubts about Jesus being born in December and that's primarity because I was fortunate to know a real shepherd.  His struggle was with why any decent shepherd would have his flock out, at night, in the dead of winter.  "Bad business," he said.

Secondly we know the "day" was assigned by Constantine whose "faith" is worthy of questioning.  He never acctually accepted Christ until he was on his deathbed.  He also imposed the imperial Roman structure upon the church and made the church a tool of the empire.

Thirdy, there is NO biblical foundation for celebating he "day" of the incarnation no matter how "noteworthy" is in fact is.  We don't really get to make up days - especailly "holy-days," that are no biblical.

Fouthly, - what's up with Santa Clause?  OK - maybe there was a believer named Nicolus who did give shoes to poor kids.  So?  How does that apply to our faith anymore than any other work of benevolence?  And what's with the "tree" thing?  Smacks more of paganism to me (Jer. 10:3-4).

Fifthly, the "day" (actually the season) has been sinfully hijacked.  I call it, "the gifting olympics."  It's become a contest of avarice and greed.  Kids focus more on what they want than any supposed or imposed meaning of the season.  Parents worry and fret more about giving their kids what will make them "happy" than about communicating the gospel.  The key question of the season is, "Want does xxx want for Christmas?"

Now - if you "celebrate" the nativity, the incarnation at this time of year I won't throw stones.  If you "celebrate" is with strange totems and effigies and other things, I might start piling rocks.  If you "celebrate" the incarnation with a fluury of flesh promted purchases I might pick up a rock.  But - I'll not throw one.  I've never had a moment of perfection and know that while I'm here I won't.

But, if by some strange weird working I do have a moment like that I may "toss' a rock.

Folks there is nothing "christian" about Christmas - except the plays our kids put on, the sermons we hear and some of the songs we sing.  That's it - but why do we only celebrate this eternal event once and in a manner that hardly gives it the value and meaning it deserves?

No, I don't think I'm a scrouge.  I rejoice at the meaning of the incarnation - the nativity.  But I can't in good conscience join in (what is to me) the silliness of the season.

Why is my soul cast down?  Because at this time of year and in rememberance of the greatest birth ever we let down the walls and allow the world to come flooding in.

I've tried various and sundry ways to "do" the season but I have just found it - well, too burdensome on my conscience.  There is of course no escaping it - but that doesn't mean I have to play.

Your call - call it well!