Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to tonight's feature fight between two age old foes! In this corner...standing at an even 6 ft...wearing the red and green shorts...Merry Christmas!!!!"

Applause erupts throughout the arena....

"And in this corner....standing at 6 ft...wearing the colors of the world...Happy Holidays!!!"

Applause erupts again....a couple of "Boo's" can be heard in the background...

The two foes approach the center of the ring and with the ringing of the bell they begin to fight!


Really?

This is what it has come to...we now spend our time battling over a phrase?

We sit in the month of December and are currently six days from Christmas....and this is the comment I heard on the radio the other day:

"I don't care if you like me saying 'Merry Christmas' or not! This month is about the birth of Christ and if you don't like me saying it.....well then.....Go To Hell! Especially since you are going there anyway!"

Nice.

I am sure that God is giving that individual a standing ovation as we speak....because when God sent His son to earth that was what the point was....damn everybody to hell who doesn't "join up".

There seems to be a growing swell of support for the idea of "fighting back" against those who speak out against Christianity. The common perception was that Christians were too passive and not able to stand up to the outspoken religious sects of the world. That they are an easy prey because of their desire to "turn the other cheek" and their ability to respect those who they share this world with. What people were actually saying is that Christians have taken the teachings of Jesus Christ to heart and look how funny it is that they are actually attempting to implement peace and love into their lives.

That tendency has shifted though. We have many Christian leaders who are moving into the dangerous realm of placing a distinct line between "those who are" and "those who aren't". There are terms such as "Battle Cry" and "Front Lines" being thrown around which is designed to stir up the emotions of the Christian faithful. There is a drive to pronounce the Christian Faith as an "Us vs Them" scenario and questions asking "Whose side are you on?" are becoming more and more frequent.

I have to believe that God is shaking His head in utter disappointment as He sees His name associated with the dividing of His own people. This life journey we are on does not lend itself to looking across the table and dismissing a fellow human because of a different belief system. The fact remains that we are all created in God's image and that means white, black, red, islamic, jewish, christian, buddhist, heterosexual, homosexual. That is the beauty of this world that God has provided for us and all of the wonderful people that He has enabled us to come in contact with. When one uses God to separate humanity we are merely defeating the unifying force which is His love.

When God sent His son Jesus it was an act meant to bring the world together, it was meant to create peace, it was meant to enable the world to see the type of God we have. The problem lies in the human desire to "know" and "judge". We want so badly to have our belief system be the right one and we are willing to sacrifice the peaceful gift of Jesus in order to show the world we are right.

If Christians do not lose the attitude that we are better than those who follow other religions than we are doomed to fail at the very purpose of Jesus. This month is not yours and the season of Christmas is not reserved for your enjoyment....in fact if we follow the example of Jesus it actually belongs to all of those who are on the outside looking in. The question is what do they see when peering through the windows of the Christian faith? Is it a room full of pompous know it alls or is it a room with a manger and a sign saying 'welcome'?

Happy Holidays.

Merry Christmas.

Open your eyes....this world is for the inn keepers, the shepherds, the wisemen....it for all who want to partake. Live your life as an example of what Jesus was sent to promote and leave the attitude at home....