my heresy

A couple of weeks ago, Prime Minister Harper revisited the issue of same sex marriage. It was voted down. I was amazed about people’s abhorrence to the vocal Christians who are against this notion. What amazed me the most during those days was hearing Christian’s call TV stations and radio stations, on their disappointment with the government on this issue. One of their arguments against this issue is that same sex marriage is unrighteous. This got me thinking. How can the Christians stand up against this issue on the merit of unrighteousness and un-Godliness, when the percentage of divorce among Christian couples is at same level with the those who are not Christian? So, I ask, why are those who are not Christians often revolted by those who are? I think that the teaching of Jesus explains it best:

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.”

Matthew 7:1-5 (MSG)

Posted by G at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments

A couple of days ago a Judge in Toronto decided to remove the Christmas tree from the courthouse lobby. She believed that it was offensive to have a Christian symbol in the courthouse, since the law is biased to religion. As you can imagine, this brought many Christians to an outrage stand, proclaiming that this was new assault against believers in the war against Christianity.

First, the judge is not very smart. The Christmas tree is not a Christian symbol. Second, it's a pagan practice of the winter solstice, called Yule. How did the Christmas tree become a symbol of Christianity and part of the faith?

In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. He did many good works there, and spent much time in Thuringia, an area that was to become the cradle of the Christmas Decoration Industry. Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree, as they had previously revered the Oak. By the 12th century, it was being hung, upside-down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity.

The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.

Based on the history of the Christmas tree, can we say that it’s part of our faith and worth fighting for? No. The Christmas tree is just a tradition, just as Christmas is, since we don’t know when Christ was born. He was probably born in September, and in 350, Pope Julius picked December 25 to celebrate birth of Jesus.

So the question is, why such an outrage about something that is not part of our faith?

Posted by G at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments