Anybody out there good at neck-rubs?
Five things people say about Christmas that drive me nuts. This is all so true. My favorite is the first one, where Christians say it's not a religious holiday. If that's the case, why are the first six letters the name of their savior? :) You really can't get MORE religious than that, can you?
Hattip: My wife!!! Sure do LOVE her!!!! :)
Posted by
Am Kshe Oref - A Stiff-Necked People
at
12/19/2007 05:09:00 PM
Left Wing Modern Orthodox: 78%
Right Wing Modern Orthodox: 89%
Left Wing Yeshivish/Chareidi: 37%
Right Wing Yeshivish/Chareidi: 4%
This means you're: Modern Orthodox
What does it mean?
Congratulations. You're Modern Orthodox all right, but wait! Just when you were ready to live an idyllic happily-labeled life they announce Left Wing and Right Wing Modern Orthodoxy. What the heck is up with that? Maybe you need to rethink and refine some of your positions, and then take the test again so I can put you in a little box.
See? I'm not such a Kofer after all!!! :)
7 comments:
I don't think Christians say it's not a religious holiday, I think most Christians are pretty offended that people celebrate it as a secular holiday. People who are not Christian but still enjoy Christmas don't really say it's not a religious holiday, more that there are sort of two Christmases, one religious and one secular. Like Valentine's Day. Halloween. etc.
As a PS, I think the idea of a religous holiday being embraced and sort-of-celebrated by the secular is by no means unique to Christmas, though Christmas may be the most popular among them. My secular Jewish family has a rollicking Passover seder that they have every year with gusto, pride and a real sense of tradition. They don't really celebrate it in a religious way, because they don't believe in the religion, but they get real meaning out of it. So I think often holidays that are, at their core, deeply religious (which is basically all of them except the Hallmark holidays), are celebrated by the secular as a way to honor family tradition and have a really good time.
I'm scratching my head here...confused look on face. Why would anyone oppose a holiday as long as it doesn't encourage doing harm to another? (I'm thinking about the fact that muslims are observing the "haj" right now, which includes cutting the head of children, which the Bible says not to do).
So, we are all different with different holidays. Let me just share a different viewpoint, please.
I would love to participate in Hanukkah celebrations, but can't, because I'm not Jewish. I would love to observe Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippur, but I can't, I'm not Jewish. I'd love to build a succah and stay most of the day in it...but people would say I'm crazy...and, oh yeah, I'm not Jewish. The Pesach Sedar appears to be a very spiritually meaningful observance - but because I'm not Jewish, I can't participate. (G-d made the rules and Moses passed it on, regarding Pesach). Just yesterday was the Tenth of Tevet, and that I could observe...mourning the breach of the walls of Jerusalem and that which resulted.
btw, the first six letters of the holiday are not the name of the Christian savior. I'm surprised you didn't know that! (smile) The word "Christ" is the same as "Messiah", is it not? Or, Moschiach? Now, if it was "Jesusmas", then, it would be the first name! (BIG SMILE)
Just putting in my two cents worth!
I don' think it's a question of opposing a holiday if it doesn't do harm. And while I understand the desire to celebrate holidays, Christmas was historically a very bad day for Jews, especially in Eastern Europe, and Christianity has until VERY recently been pretty much the worst thing that ever happened to Jews. Countless Jews (and non-Jews) have been massacred over the centuries by Christians Europe. There have been countless pogroms, blood libels, Crusades, and persecutions of Jews in the name of Christ and Christianity. Many Jews, whether consciously or unconsciously, find it offensive to be wished a "merry Christmas" because of all this. To expect Jews to forget nearly two millennia of persecution based on living peacefully for a handful or two of decades is unreasonable. Further, in Europe, while toned down, persecution still goes on. Jews in Europe keep a very low profile in many places. In some countries, slaughtering animals for kosher meat is actually AGAINST the law.
While I appreciate your love for Judaism, and when I sat here reading your comment I had to ask myself why you haven't become Jewish :), I don't think it's reasonable to expect many Jews to have the same feelings toward Christianity.
And no, I did not realize the word Christ, which comes from the Greek word Kristos, meant annointed one until I just looked it up...:)
Anyway, my invitation still stand, Delta! :)
Sadly, what you have said about the history of the Church is true. This I would submit to you: people who do/did these things are not true Christians. They are just using the label as a reason to bring forth their own hatred.
I've a framed lithograph on my wall of a painting done by a Jewish artist years ago. It is of Jesus in the midst of a European ghetto titled "This Was Not My Teaching".
As far as why I have not converted to Judaism - I've a myriad of reasons. The main two are: it's very, very hard and with a disabled child, I've not the time to fulfill the studies. And, the most important one, is that I truly cannot refute my beliefs in Jesus. That's not at attempt to proselytize. It's just an answer. (smile)
Btw, you will find me a fervent defender against anti-semitism and pro a JEWISH Israel (instead of an arab one). Sometimes, we Christians are the good guys.
You'd probably be interested in the blog of Stan Goodenough, a friend of mine. If you want to take a look at it, it's
www.stangoodenough.com
There are more Christians out here standing alongside Jews than you may realize? SMILE
Okay... my two zuzim worth.
All five of those things are pretty irritating, but the fifth takes the cake. My ancestors were praedominantly Calvinists, so you can pretty much imagine how they would feel about ALL OTHER VERSIONS of Christianity. Which, to my mind, pretty much says it all.
This is not a Christian country. It was not intended to be a Christian country, nor should it ever be a Christian country.
I resent being required to celebrate, in any fashion whatsoever, a religious event. Especially in co-celebratory company with several hundreds of millions of people who do not hold to the same religious beliefs as myself. The term 'avodah zara' comes to mind. So do the words 'heathen', 'idolatry', 'superstition', 'heresy', 'deviant', 'just plain wrong', and 'bah humbug'.
I have no problem celebrating Peysach with friends, however. Neither Jayzus nor the fat pervert in the crimson bekeshe have any role therein.
You are right when you say this is not a Christian country. However, it WAS founded on Judeo-Christian principals in which freedom to practice your own religion is a core right. Recently, it seems anything BUT Christianity and Judaism are welcomed (unless it involves retail sales for businesses - smile).
I will stand and defend Israel's right to be a JEWISH nation (I actually asked Rabbi Blass about that terminology when I met him in Israel). In the same context, I stand and defend my right, as a Christian to not be afraid of my own beliefs.
In the words of my friend Arieh, that's why he calls me a "zadika".
I say he's overly generous. (smile)
Be at peace...we need one another. (Neimoeller's words come to mind)
Post a Comment