Holiday Plates/Platter Instead of Christmas!

[Christ Follower]

I think the uproar over Christmas is a bit amusing. I am follower of Christ. (more descriptive than the blanket term "Christian".) Yes - the birth of Christ is of GREAT importance to me, as is His life and death, and most importantly, His resurrection. Christmas is a time to reflect and celebrate one part of Who Christ is. The time of year that Christmas is celebrated was chosen to coincide with a Pagan holiday (as Lisa explained) so that Christians - Christ-followers - could celebrate the birth of their Savior w/o attracting too much undue attention. It was almost a "secret" Holy Day (i.e. holiday). As Christianity grew in favor with rulers over time, Christmas was celebrated more openly, and was adopted by those who weren't even followers of Christ.

As Christians, we have come to this belief (Which is actually more of an American belief than a Christian belief) that EVERYONE has to adhere to our faith, or has to move out of the way because we are right and they are wrong. (And yes, I believe that there is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus). But that isn't the way Jesus lived or worked on earth. He loved EVERYONE, and He respected all. He was comfortable with people of other faiths, and the only time he got angry was with religious leaders who abused their position. He knew that by telling the truth - many times in parables(stories) - that the people who were searching for the truth would find it in Him. He was NEVER defensive about His Truth, or felt He had to argue or throw a fit if people didn't believe what He was saying. He simply loved people, and continued to tell the truth.

This is going to make some of my fellow followers of Christ angry - but here goes.....

Being militant doesn't do any good. It may make you feel better, but it pushes others away. It doesn't draw people to Christ. There are so many ways to tell the truth, and live the truth of Christ's love and sacrifice, and the salvation that He brings, without being divisive. You can keep saying "let me be RIGHT", but that isn't going to bring anyone closer to Christ.

I would challenge you to do a study of Christ, and the people He hung out with and befriended, and the way that He spoke to not just those who loved Him, but also those who mocked & cursed Him. Along with that, do a study of how God, through the ages, always reconciled His people back to Himself. It was never through times of prosperity or when they were in power or things were going their way. Those times just made them fall away from God - it was only when they were in captivity, or being persecuted, or other times of adversity, that His people turned back to God...and it was during some of the greatest persecution that The Church saw it's greatest growth both in numbers and spiritual depth.

Amen! Becky that sums it up perfectly for me. Thank you!

 

[pampchefsarah]

"As Christians, we have come to this belief (Which is actually more of an American belief than a Christian belief) that EVERYONE has to adhere to our faith, or has to move out of the way because we are right and they are wrong."

Becky, don't sell America short America is one of the few nations where people can worship as they please. Several colonies were founded as safe haven and one of our fundamental rights is freedom of worship.

Believing that "we're right, you're wrong" is not the exclusive property of some Christians either - I've heard it from Jews, Muslims, and atheists. It's a human thing - the need to be a member of an exclusive group.

Bottom line, believe what you believe, and let me do the same.

First thing that came to mind when I read this was the Shiites v. Sunnis.

Female bombers kill scores of Iraqi pilgrims - Middle East, World - The Independent

The difference is, they do believe the same thing, basically - they're killing each other over how to practice that belief!!

Sarah

 

[chefmeg]

that's just plain sad......

I tell my kids all the time, "being right isn't always the right thing to be"

 

[suzipooh]

Well,... actually...decorated trees are also used to celebrate the Winter Solstice (Pagan holiday).
I think the plates are cute, but do agree that snowflakes would have appealed to more people.

 

[GourmetGirl]

Becky and Janet - thank you!

I am a Christian, but am not as in touch with my religious side as I have always been (I'm still spiritual though). What the 2 of you said rings true to me. While I am Christian, militant Christians push me away from religion, so "hearing" what you have to say reminds me of the good side of religion. So thanks from a twenty-something who is trying to find herself a bit more!

 

[Shawnna]

you can't make someone believe what you believe. In America we are suppose to be able to talk about what we believe why we believe it and not be afraid of persecution...no matter what religion or non religion we practice. But, as a Christian I know that it is getting harder and harder to talk about Christ, and our beliefs because "the world" wants us to be silenced. I never tell anyone that their belief is wrong, nor do I try to get them silenced and I expect to be treated the same. Unfortunately in the world today, Christianity is the religion most persecuted. Yes, some Christians go overboard, but so do other religious people...does 911 ring a bell. Jesus loved everyone, but He did get angry at those who did not listen. He was angry that people were buying and selling in the "church" and he turned over their tables, let their animals loose and kicked them out. However, most of the time you didn't know that he was angry because he used wisdom in his teaching. He is the only perfect human to have ever been born. If we could all be more like him and use wisdom in everything, the world would be a better place. But, none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes.

Lots of things are done in the "name of religion" but that doesn't make them right. So called Christian people who kill abortion doctors and scream at women as they go into and leave an abortion clinic or not following Christ. They say its about religion but its not. I personally do not want to be called religious. I am not religious, I have a personal relationship with Christ...there is a HUGE difference.

As far as the plates go, I would have liked snow or snowmen or wreaths for holiday plates. The only way to make them Christmas...as far as celebrating Christ...would have been to put crosses or the wise men or the star on them. I can live with the trees, but I will probably call them Christmas plates, because I don't say Happy Holidays...I say MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[jrstephens]

Bumping for someone who was looking for this thread.

 

[swinkate]

I have just read all 216 posts... took me about an hour, but well worth it. What a great thread.

As an outsider on both religion and the US election, I wonder why all the political threads couldn't have been written with the same level of repect for both sides. This discussion could well have gone the way some of those did, but it didn't!

On a lighter note I didn't realise that I already knew so much about christianity and judaism!

 

[susanr613]

I think a fundamental difference between this particular thread and the political ones is that most posters agreed that calling them Holiday plates was a misnomer.