The Cult(ure) of Christmas
Posted by brentcolby in Controversy on Nov 29th, 2011 | 13 commentsHow do you feel about this song? I find the message to be off-putting. We are working to share the good news about Jesus with the whole world. Material like this only widens the gap between Christ and the world that he died to save. The mall does not define my relationship with Christ. Biblical liturgy is not associated with some advertising-advent. It is ironic that the mission of God could become hijacked by “Merry Christmas.”
You are free to shop wherever you wish; it is a matter of conscience for you and your family. If you dont say merry Christmas in your window I want to meet you. I want to have a relationship with you and welcome you to walk right through MY door. If fact, you can come to my church. Both you and Santa would be welcome to hang out any time of the week.
Brent Colby is a pastor at Evergreen Christian Community in Olympia Washington. You can track him down at brentcolby.com
13 Responses to “ “The Cult(ure) of Christmas”
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One way to combat the commercialism and secularism of Christmas would have been to make this song not sound like every commercialized and secularized Christmas pop song…
So, the birth of our savior is celebrated (often wrongly) at this time of year… and we don’t see it as an opportunity to share the Gospel, but rather to say we will avoid any and all contact with people who don’t acknowledge it properly?
This song is offensive and the behavior it is encouraging would be unChristian to say the least. Please tell me that it is a parody. Because whether or not it’s meant to be… it ends up that way.
Yeah, and if you window says “Happy Holidays”, I want to meet you because you just might be the kind of guy Jesus was…compassionate and willing to have relationships with people of different faiths like Samaritans.
Yeah, He did do that didn’t He? And He also made comments to Samaritans like “You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” Really culturally sensitive there, wasn’t He?
Dude, Jesus just told the truth. He was telling the Samaritan the way to salvation, not trying to “one-up” him. Be careful not to put scriptural Jesus in a 21st century context box. Also, Jeaus said himself that he was a stumbling block…
Why do we hold the secular world that doesn’t know God to Biblical standards? It’s not the job of Target and Walmart to preach the Gospel, that’s why the church is here! God forbid we expect the world to act like….. the world!
We need to keep CHRIST in CHRISTians!
Hear, here!! Well said!
I don’t think that is the message at all. I think it is poking fun at all the PC police and the retailers that make huge profits off Christmas but won’t allow there sales clerks to say Merry Christmas..or look whats happening in RI. They are putting up a “Holiday Tree”…What is that? What other Holiday outside of Christmas puts up a tree? Look at the name of the Choir, ACLU. Put your thinking caps on:)
I personally think it’s a great message. Like “Sabrina Davenport” said below, It’s just a fun way to poke at the PC police! If you believe in Jesus then why should you hide it? Wouldn’t God be ashamed if he found out we weren’t saying Happy Birthday to his son just so we wouldn’t offend people? I think people are enjoying the song as well, I mean, just look at the like to dislike ratio on it. Over 15,000 likes to only 300 dislikes! And almost 1,000,000 views?! It’s blowing up. And it encourages people to say and stand up for what they believe in. Isn’t sharing the miracle of Jesus what Christianity is all about?
I don’t know if a non-Christian saying merry Christmas has any more weight than them saying Happy Holidays. Do you really want a bunch of unbelievers using the Lord’s Birthday as a shallow salutation?
Then again, I do get sick of the idea of the culture turning Christmas into a mega materialistic shop-a-thon, exploiting the better-to-give-than-receive Christian principle, all the while avoiding its origin.
But I also know quite a few non-Christians who get into the “Christmas” spirit, and for a little while they do seem to understand there is good in being charitable and you need to spend time with friends and family. I think the truth of Christmas can’t ever be totally pc-ed out.
I guess I’m conflicted on this topic. But that song…it is very off putting.
Here’s an article from USAToday about letting Christmas have its day culturally – and celebrating Jesus’ birthday another day.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2011-12-04/christmas-jesus-holiday-secular/51642322/1
“Merry Christmas & be PROUD,” and then a whole lot of NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO after that. Geeeee sounds like christians to me.
One more thought. We’ve lost the battle where it counts the most, “Christ in you the hope of glory” so we spend a whole lot of time in areas that don’t matter.
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