Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Happy Holidays and Other Inconveniences

I am very much convinced that Christians should pick their battles. I believe there are times when Christians must stand up against true injustice and in defense of the poor and oppressed. There are also times we need to stand up and be bold and defend our ability to openly proclaim our faith. But I am also convinced we need to avoid being petty and making big issues over virtually nothing. The holiday season seems to be a time when there is ample opportunity for these sort of pettiness. It does not help that there are many on the opposite side who are also being petty and being offended over trivia. But that does not mean we should follow them in it.

Christians are called to stand up for truth, are called to do so boldly, but with gentleness (1 Peter 3:15; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Colossians 4:5,6). Now there is a point where this requires standing up to the people in power (Acts 4:19,20; 5:29; Daniel 3:16-18). But these are contentions over matters of substance. It is one thing to stand on principle, and it is another thing to argue over details. Now part of my problem is, I feel both sides have put too much importance on these issues. I am sure if you search land and sea you will find someone who was converted to Christianity by a nativity scene in a public building.. I knew a man who was converted to Christianity by "Jesus Christ, Superstar." But I question whether there is anything here worth fighting over on either side. There may be some purely symbolic struggle here over who is in charge of society. But I do not see that it is the Christian's job to try to be in charge of society. And if we were, I do not see how we would accomplish it by these types of arguments. I am not at all sure that much of this is not a promotion of a nominal Christianity that gets confused with the real thing.

Now there can be a hard line to draw when what is involved is the individual Christian's being allowed to express their faith. If a Christian is required by their employer to only say "Happy Holidays" and never "Merry Christmas," should they go along? This is one of those marginal things that each person must establish in their own mind. Nor should we accept the concept of the establishment of secularism, which is no different than the establishment of religion. But in many of these fights we make ourselves look as petty as our opponents. And I do not see how this accomplishes anything useful. 

6 comments:

  1. Many who espouse some sort of "War on Christmas" never really speak to the commercialization of the holiday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sometimes wish there were a way to totally separate the commercial holiday from the commemoration of Christ's birth so someone could choose the participate in one and ignore the other. But I suspect this is only a wild dream.

      Delete
    2. Perhaps we commemorate Christ's birth best when we love those who are uncomfortable with (and sometimes speak against) the ways that we celebrate the season?

      Delete
    3. If we are commanded to love our enemies, certainly we should love those are only uncomfortable with our beliefs. There is a time to stand for truth, but it should be done in love and over something worth standing for.

      Delete
  2. You do have to wonder how "defending Christmas" could ever be seen as standing for truth when the day itself is arbitrary (Jesus was probably not born this time of the year) and our "Christian" celebrations look more like secular gift parties than sacred worship times.

    All that said, I wish you a very Merry Christmas dear brother. Our virtual conversations have blessed me greatly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On the whole I agree with you. I just wish for more focus on sacred worship time at Christmas. But unless we are being forbidden to worship God, which is not normally the issue (at least I do not know of a case where it is), then there are better things to stand up for.

      I always find our virtual conversations interesting and simulating. You have a very Merry Christmas too.

      Delete