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SUB-CHRISTIAN
I've included an article that ran on the CBN website on December 16th. I highlighted and enlarged the sentence that made my blood boil and though it may read like a joke, it is very real and shameful.
I was also struck by the last words in the article; sub-Christian. Indeed, when you give up any part of your faith to fit in with the world around you, you have become sub-Christian.
Nativity Scenes Get New Look in UK
CBNNews.com
December 16, 2008
CBNNews.com - The nativity scenes at Westminster Abbey and other Anglican churches in the UK will have some new characters this year.
The traditional manger scene includes Jesus, Joseph and Mary surrounded by wise men, angels, and shepherds.
The newest versions will include Hindu snowmen, a Chinese dragon, and a Jewish temple.
The London Telegraph reports Anglican leaders approved the changes to make Christmas more appealing to the country's diverse cultures and to improve relations and foster dialog with other faiths.
"We've done this as it creates a good opportunity for Christians to meet and hear about the stories of people of other faiths," Rev Jane Hedges a canon at the abbey said. "Wherever you're coming from there should be something to celebrate at Christmas."
But one leading British evangelical disagrees.
"People want Christians to celebrate Christmas without compromise," Rev Rod Thomas, chair of Reform said.
"It's only by doing this that people of other faiths respect what we stand for, not by attempting to introduce something that is sub-Christian."
Long before this December came along, lawsuits popped up throughout the states attacking Nativity scenes. They always start by one person who says they are offended by it and don't want their children exposed to it. Some are a little more tolerant; we can display the Nativity if we include a star and crescent and some mention of Kwanza. Maybe they want a dancing bear as well. The courts will let us know.
The article also said, "We've done this as it creates a good opportunity for Christians to meet and hear about the stories of people of other faiths," Rev Jane Hedges a canon at the abbey said. "Wherever you're coming from there should be something to celebrate at Christmas." I guess that celebrating the birth of Christ is not enough for Rev. Jane Hedges.
The attacks on Christianity always have an underlying theme that Christians are intolerant of other faiths and that we have to change our ways. With all due respect to other cultures and faiths, can anyone tell me what a Hindu snowman, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple have to do with the celebration of the birth of Christ and just what is a Hindu snowman? I don't care from where you are, all snowmen look alike and have no place in any religious custom!
On another rant of mine, I was watching a Christmas TV show on CBS and they went out of their way to NOT say Christmas. They said Happy Holidays so many times it made me feel like crying. There are a lot of legal, paid holidays in the United States; just which holiday do you mean when you say, happy holidays? It's way too early for Independence Day. The point is, they wouldn't say the word "Christmas" on a Christmas show. That was despicable.
Throughout history, people traveled west to avoid religious persecution. The United States was founded on Christianity and Christian values and insured religious freedom for all. It took a couple hundred years but the persecution is catching up and there is no more "West" left to settle. We are told that Christians are intolerant when in reality, others have no tolerance for Christians when we won't even celebrate Christmas, we give into the intolerance.
In the end, we will not have had our faith taken away; we will have handed our faith over, bit by bit until there is none left. I admit, I don't like ranting but I'm getting old and my body has been through way too much for one lifetime, and faith is the only thing worth having. I've faced physical beatings and persecution for my faith and I will go through it as many times as it takes to make my point; faith can't be taken away, you can only give it away or walk away from it freely.
What the writer of that article said in the last sentence should wake up people of all faiths. I would not respect those of other faiths if they compromised their beliefs and I require the same from them. I expect never to see or hear anything sub-Muslim or sub-Jewish and I will offer nothing sub-Christian in return.
You may think I seem radical or overzealous but I pray that no writer ever says that we Christians in the U.S. are ever sub-Christian.
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.