Next week is the
beginning of the Christmas Season all across America; trees and lights will be
permeating virtually every neighborhood in our nation. Stores have been touting
sales of every kind since Thanksgiving Day and people have been planning
holiday feasts for several weeks.
This season also brings
out some other folks; I hate Christmas folks, those who are somehow offended by
this most wonderful time of the year. Some stores refrain from using the word
Christmas, substituting “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” or taking
Christ out of the word using an X in His place; what is X-MAS??
Chicago has an annual
Christmas Market which displays many of the traditional Christmas decorations
and some “manger displays”. I remember Chanukah and Kwanza also being
represented in this same venue; no Christians complained.
This year at this
celebration there will be a new display; a giant “A” will be lit up for all of
the atheists and agnostics who are against the celebration of the Christmas
holiday. I don’t believe anybody is forced to believe in Jesus or the Christmas
Holiday; I do. Those who wish not to believe in God are perfectly protected in
our country. I have never seen anybody dragged into a church or prayer meeting
by anyone. Nobody is forced to sing Christmas Carols or send cards if they
don’t wish to do so.
We who believe in Jesus
would be the first to defend anyone’s right to disbelieve; we would feel sad
and sorry for them, yet we would never try to force them to accept Jesus
without their free will acceptance.
A question I always ask
myself at this time of the year is “Why are some people so threatened by a
being they profess doesn’t exist?” This is nonsensical to a logical mind; why
fear anything that you don’t believe is real?
I believe in Heaven and
a spiritual existence and I believe Jesus is the only way to achieve that goal
of an eternity in His presence. I believe Jesus was the sacrifice for all of
man’s sin; nobody else could do it but Him. I believe this season is joyful as
the birth of the Messiah is the provision of the Father to redeem us from our
iniquities. I will gladly share this with anyone who is interested, and if
after hearing this, they wish to walk away, I will have fulfilled my joy and my
duty to share His Gospel; there is no force, only concern for every man’s
immortal soul.
Has any atheist or agnostic
ever been “beat up” by a Christian in a “Gospel Riot”?
Billions of people
around the world celebrate Christmas as an occasion for hope and joy, an
occasion for forgiveness and renewal. I am sorry for those who choose to
destroy a belief that has lasted for over 2,000 years and generations of
believers.
Answer this question;
“Why are people more generous, kinder, more loving and more joyful during this
season, more than Thanksgiving, more than New Year’s Day, more than the Fourth
of July; more than any other holiday celebrated anywhere on this planet?” Could
it be that this day has been touched by God and reached a place in every human
heart that loves Him?
I wish all of my
readers and friends the most joyful of Christmas’s and the happiest of New Year’s.
Be blessed by our Savior, see you all in January!
(Last blog for this
year, have a great Christmas!)