But for this entry
the question is, “What is Christmas?”
For the Christian
believer, it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus…
For the Jewish
believer, it is called Hanukkah, or the Festival of Light, and commemorates the
rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem.
To the Pagan
believer, it is a festival of darkness, though not a darkness of evil, but
rather the darkness of winter, and prayers for the return of light of spring…
To the Capitalist
believer, it is a celebration of unbridled consumerism and demonstration of
wealth. Or to some, the lack there of…
To the child, it is
a miraculous season where a jolly fat man in a red suit brings gifts to all the
children of the world…
Whether your particular
belief is here, or you believe something else, Christmas is a mythical
celebration of human traditionalism and dogma.
Now, I have never
made any secret of my beliefs… I neither
believe, nor disbelieve in God. God is not
provable point, and I don’t wish to waste time contemplating such a point. But, I do not believe in the dogma that has collected
for 1000’s of years for all current religious belief. This dogma is the result of our ancestors
answering the unanswerable questions of their time with what seemed like logical,
though improbable, explanations. These
explanations now etched in the psyche of human race in defiance of the advancement
of time. This dogma for (your religion
here) has unfortunately led to the vast majority of violence that we have perpetrated
on each other for centuries… more
accurately, since the dawn of man. That
unquenchable thirst to control others which exists in too many individuals.
So, what do I think
of Christmas? Aside from the rampant consumerism,
the aggrandizement of (your deity here), the parties and overindulgences… Christmas, for me, is yet one more
opportunity to celebrate the human existence, as imperfect as it is… and to reflect upon the past to hopefully understand
it, and help me travel the path to the future.
As Christmas rapidly
approaches, and we begin to bid adieu to 2011, my wishes for all of us:
May we all find peace and happiness in our lives, and
may we find it in our hearts to let each person live his or her life in peace
and happiness, regardless of whether we agree with their choices.
Finally, Welcome
Home!!! To all our service men and women coming home for Christmas, and my hope
to all those still deployed that you are home soon.
May you all have a
Joyful Holiday, regardless of which you may celebrate.
Your comments or questions
are always welcome.
