Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
20.11.06
19.11.06
Love it, want it, need it, have it...
over the last week I have had 2 experiences that makes me want to start a revolution about Christmas.
1.
Yesterday Mum and I entered the fray that is known as Christmas shopping! We left early to go to Cribbs (always a traumatic experience) in high spirits with a short list knowing exactly what family members wanted. By shop three my head began to throb, the relentless Christmas music, sparkley lights, the screaming children and the sheer volume of people were entirely to blame - the joy of giving gifts was beginning to wear thin and the idea of cheap and fun stocking fillers was over.
The final straw for me came when we went into a well known high st clothes shop and their slogan "love it want it need it have it" was plastered everywhere.
Where on earth was God in all this.
2.
Last week at work a board member started a series of email discussions (never a good idea) about a party that has been organised by staff members and it is called a winter celebration.
This is an ongoing argument in an increasingly multi-cultural society - are we alienating people by using the term Christmas or is it part of our heritage. From a personal perspective if something is a Christmas celebration - then it should be called a Christmas celebration and I know from my Muslim colleagues that they are not at all offended by this. But what is a Christmas celebration?
The parts that disturbed me about the email was: people's understanding of what Christmas is, what is a Christmas celebration and the use of this discussion to further alienate people of different faiths from our communities.
the email went along the lines of "Christmas is about good will to all men" and "a time for family and eating and drinking."
Everything in me screamed no it isn't. This is what we have made it...
Is Christmas about getting as many presents as humanly possible, is it about drinking as much as you can and is it about eating as much as you can.
I found myself returning to my more evangelical days of thought! Surely Christmas is about the Word being made flesh, a time to celebrate Jesus's birth. Feasts and presents are appropriate but not what Christmas is about, they are a way of marking this significant occasion. Somehow we have been dragged into this consumerist world where there is no mention of Jesus.
Along time ago I took part in a drama/skit as part of the Christian Union at school (you probably know it) where there is a photo shoot at Christmas - it starts with the Holy family and gradually all the trappings we put onto Christmas are added in and in the end the photographer gets rid of the manger with the baby Jesus in. Part of my cringes slightly with embarrassment when I recall this! But part of me also thinks this is what we are allowing society to do.
How, as someone who believes that the son of God being born is a central tenant to my faith, do I reclaim Christmas? I enjoy giving and receiving gifts, I enjoy the feasts we make, I like the fact we get time off from work and I enjoy spending time with people I love - but I think I would be ready to give this all up for it to be something more 'real'.
(The additional point about the email and how it was used to further alienate people is a whole other blog! But in short, the tone of the email was about blaming Muslims (in particularly) and those that work in the community to try and bring unity for having Christmas "taken away" from them. In my experience the part of Christmas that alienates Muslims is the amount of alcohol we consume and the location of these Christmas parties. I also think in a society where increasing number of people do not subscribe to any religion - is it even appropriate to have Christmas parties? The organisers of the party felt particularly strongly that the party had nothing to do with Christmas but was about a closure of a building and an opportunity to socialise with other people)
-----------------------------
Having just published this blog I went off to read what others had been up to this week and discover Paul has been blogging on a similar theme - maybe we could start the revolution together?!
1.
Yesterday Mum and I entered the fray that is known as Christmas shopping! We left early to go to Cribbs (always a traumatic experience) in high spirits with a short list knowing exactly what family members wanted. By shop three my head began to throb, the relentless Christmas music, sparkley lights, the screaming children and the sheer volume of people were entirely to blame - the joy of giving gifts was beginning to wear thin and the idea of cheap and fun stocking fillers was over.
The final straw for me came when we went into a well known high st clothes shop and their slogan "love it want it need it have it" was plastered everywhere.
Where on earth was God in all this.
2.
Last week at work a board member started a series of email discussions (never a good idea) about a party that has been organised by staff members and it is called a winter celebration.
This is an ongoing argument in an increasingly multi-cultural society - are we alienating people by using the term Christmas or is it part of our heritage. From a personal perspective if something is a Christmas celebration - then it should be called a Christmas celebration and I know from my Muslim colleagues that they are not at all offended by this. But what is a Christmas celebration?
The parts that disturbed me about the email was: people's understanding of what Christmas is, what is a Christmas celebration and the use of this discussion to further alienate people of different faiths from our communities.
the email went along the lines of "Christmas is about good will to all men" and "a time for family and eating and drinking."
Everything in me screamed no it isn't. This is what we have made it...
Is Christmas about getting as many presents as humanly possible, is it about drinking as much as you can and is it about eating as much as you can.
I found myself returning to my more evangelical days of thought! Surely Christmas is about the Word being made flesh, a time to celebrate Jesus's birth. Feasts and presents are appropriate but not what Christmas is about, they are a way of marking this significant occasion. Somehow we have been dragged into this consumerist world where there is no mention of Jesus.
Along time ago I took part in a drama/skit as part of the Christian Union at school (you probably know it) where there is a photo shoot at Christmas - it starts with the Holy family and gradually all the trappings we put onto Christmas are added in and in the end the photographer gets rid of the manger with the baby Jesus in. Part of my cringes slightly with embarrassment when I recall this! But part of me also thinks this is what we are allowing society to do.
How, as someone who believes that the son of God being born is a central tenant to my faith, do I reclaim Christmas? I enjoy giving and receiving gifts, I enjoy the feasts we make, I like the fact we get time off from work and I enjoy spending time with people I love - but I think I would be ready to give this all up for it to be something more 'real'.
(The additional point about the email and how it was used to further alienate people is a whole other blog! But in short, the tone of the email was about blaming Muslims (in particularly) and those that work in the community to try and bring unity for having Christmas "taken away" from them. In my experience the part of Christmas that alienates Muslims is the amount of alcohol we consume and the location of these Christmas parties. I also think in a society where increasing number of people do not subscribe to any religion - is it even appropriate to have Christmas parties? The organisers of the party felt particularly strongly that the party had nothing to do with Christmas but was about a closure of a building and an opportunity to socialise with other people)
-----------------------------
Having just published this blog I went off to read what others had been up to this week and discover Paul has been blogging on a similar theme - maybe we could start the revolution together?!
12.11.06
Bank of America
this is unbelievable! i think the scariest thing is that it might be real!
click here for this Bank of America video
to the tune of One by U2 (one of my all time favourite songs!)
"one bank
one card
one name that is known all over world
one heart
filled with spirit
with feeling, with sharing
one bank working every day
to bring higher standards, higher standards
one....."
(thanks for this one Jonny)
click here for this Bank of America video
to the tune of One by U2 (one of my all time favourite songs!)
"one bank
one card
one name that is known all over world
one heart
filled with spirit
with feeling, with sharing
one bank working every day
to bring higher standards, higher standards
one....."
(thanks for this one Jonny)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
