"Happy Holidays"

There is a LOT of vehement fury over folk saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".

I cannot speak for anyone else, but...

When I say "Happy Holidays", I am wishing people I love (and many I don't know but respect) - Happy Holy Days.

This year, Hanukkah starts on December 24, the 12 days of Christ-Mass start on December 25 and Kwanzaa begins on December 26.  I have loved ones who celebrate all of these.

I am a Person of the Way of Jesus.  I do not apologize for that.  I love my faith and the Lord of my faith, the Good News of that Lord and the mission to live the Agape Love and Grace of that Good News in the world.  I celebrate God coming to us in human form, and how God identifies with us by being born in poverty, becoming a political refugee in a foreign land immediately after birth, living our hunger, poverty, even homelessness, suffering insults, false arrest, beatings, mocking and an unjust execution.  I celebrate such unconditional love.

I also celebrate with others who practice other faiths, because they find meaning in them, and encounter God in them.  I celebrate their RIGHT to celebrate as Americans, as I truly value Democracy and Liberty.  I am troubled when I hear people who are intolerant of others' rights to worship and learn of their faiths, particularly among those who claim to love Democracy and Liberty.  It calls into question, not only their true political leanings to me, but also what god they actually worship.  It cannot be the Christ who they worship, who reached out to gentiles, the poor, resident aliens, the sick, sinners and Samaritans and others who worshiped differently from Him.

I have some advice for you, if you believe that faithfulness to Jesus means intolerance of other faiths:
read the Words of Jesus - what Jesus taught and commanded and see what Jesus modeled regarding the inclusion of others "not of His (this) flock".

Oh yes, and one other thing -

Before you freak out over the color of your coffee cup or what design is or is not on it...

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP "CHRIST" IN CHRIST-MASS,
    BE CHRIST TO SOMEONE - ANYONE - AND NOT JUST DURING THIS SEASON
         FOLLOW THE CHRIST
         LIVE WHAT JESUS COMMANDED -
                feed the hungry,
                clothe the naked,
                welcome the stranger,
                care for the sick and imprisoned,
                sell all you have and give to the poor,
                forgive,
                do not judge,
                Love God and Love Neighbor (even stranger and enemy - Luke 10:25-37)

After all... "JESUS IS THE REASON for the SEASON" for you, right?

Pastor Jamie