Holiday
First of all, let me state that I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven & earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, begotten, not made; I believe in the Holy Spirit.
It's Christmas season again. I see the decorations and lights going up on the homes and businesses. I hear people talking about shopping and gift selection. About which party they are going to and whether or not everything will get done. I hear the clock ticking in my head as we count down to Christmas Eve and the family is all coming to our house and there are still not doors on 7 of the cabinets in the kitchen.
"STOP!" I want to scream, "Do you know WHY all this is going on?"
Some people tell us organized religion is irrelevant to the world now. It is a corrupt system set up to secure power for the elite leaders of the various religions & a crutch for the simple minded. I am not sure I would disagree. I, too, prefer to be called spiritual rather than religious.
And yet...
as I watch the preparations for the Christmas celebrations take place and participate with friends from church in annual activities which mark the season, I become so thankful for what organized religion has provided me.
"Lo, unto to them is born this day a child, who is Christ, the Lord."
Organized religion is a corrupt system, for it is system of mankind. It can be nothing but. It does not mean that ALL aspects of it are evil or that ALL participants in leadership roles are corrupt. Statements have been made that the Church in the name of Christ has killed more people than anything else. This may be so. But the charities of all the churches around the world are in literally saving lives in incredible numbers. Medical mission trips, schools and universities founded by churches, and acting as a funnel point for getting money to the right places to do the most good are tangible examples of organized religion doing great things.
The leaders of organized religions or local congregations amass power. True. With power comes responsibility. SOMEONE has to make sure things get done. The older I get, the more I realize how much work it takes for "things" to work right. There was a time when people looked to their local church/priest/minister for social services. A quiet knock on the door late at night, hat in hand, asking for money to purchase breakfast for the family tomorrow still happens. Most of us have no idea how often or even WHO asked. But trust me, it does. Because the government services offices closes at 5 and that is when the pink slips get handed out, too. Lots of times those "corrupt leaders" are dipping their hands into their own pockets for that $20 bill for a meal or $100 to get the electricity/water/gas turned back on because it's going to be cold tonight.
Religion CAN be a crutch for the simple minded. But how far can you walk with a broken leg if you don't have a crutch? I find it ironic that many who demean the camaraderie of church people as herd mentality and label having faith & belief simple-mindedness belong to civic organizations or attend therapy.
But these examples of the good that can come out of churches STILL doesn't get to the heart of the matter or the reason for the season.
"Inside, you will find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger."
This celebration and this season is all about God being willing to do whatever it takes to bring us to Him. It meant being willing to hurt as a human, and dying as a man to bridge a gap we could never leap across.
Whether or not you agree with my first statements above, pause this end of year and consider what is your place in the cosmos. Why are you here? Does any of this matter? And to whom does it matter?
Quiet yourself. Quiet the world around you. Go deep inside where no one else sees. Where no voice has ever whispered a lie to you.
There's a calm waiting for you there.
THAT is your Creator, waiting for you to come back.
THAT is Christmas. Let's go home for the holidays.
Peace
It's Christmas season again. I see the decorations and lights going up on the homes and businesses. I hear people talking about shopping and gift selection. About which party they are going to and whether or not everything will get done. I hear the clock ticking in my head as we count down to Christmas Eve and the family is all coming to our house and there are still not doors on 7 of the cabinets in the kitchen.
"STOP!" I want to scream, "Do you know WHY all this is going on?"
Some people tell us organized religion is irrelevant to the world now. It is a corrupt system set up to secure power for the elite leaders of the various religions & a crutch for the simple minded. I am not sure I would disagree. I, too, prefer to be called spiritual rather than religious.
And yet...
as I watch the preparations for the Christmas celebrations take place and participate with friends from church in annual activities which mark the season, I become so thankful for what organized religion has provided me.
"Lo, unto to them is born this day a child, who is Christ, the Lord."
Organized religion is a corrupt system, for it is system of mankind. It can be nothing but. It does not mean that ALL aspects of it are evil or that ALL participants in leadership roles are corrupt. Statements have been made that the Church in the name of Christ has killed more people than anything else. This may be so. But the charities of all the churches around the world are in literally saving lives in incredible numbers. Medical mission trips, schools and universities founded by churches, and acting as a funnel point for getting money to the right places to do the most good are tangible examples of organized religion doing great things.
The leaders of organized religions or local congregations amass power. True. With power comes responsibility. SOMEONE has to make sure things get done. The older I get, the more I realize how much work it takes for "things" to work right. There was a time when people looked to their local church/priest/minister for social services. A quiet knock on the door late at night, hat in hand, asking for money to purchase breakfast for the family tomorrow still happens. Most of us have no idea how often or even WHO asked. But trust me, it does. Because the government services offices closes at 5 and that is when the pink slips get handed out, too. Lots of times those "corrupt leaders" are dipping their hands into their own pockets for that $20 bill for a meal or $100 to get the electricity/water/gas turned back on because it's going to be cold tonight.
Religion CAN be a crutch for the simple minded. But how far can you walk with a broken leg if you don't have a crutch? I find it ironic that many who demean the camaraderie of church people as herd mentality and label having faith & belief simple-mindedness belong to civic organizations or attend therapy.
But these examples of the good that can come out of churches STILL doesn't get to the heart of the matter or the reason for the season.
"Inside, you will find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger."
This celebration and this season is all about God being willing to do whatever it takes to bring us to Him. It meant being willing to hurt as a human, and dying as a man to bridge a gap we could never leap across.
Whether or not you agree with my first statements above, pause this end of year and consider what is your place in the cosmos. Why are you here? Does any of this matter? And to whom does it matter?
Quiet yourself. Quiet the world around you. Go deep inside where no one else sees. Where no voice has ever whispered a lie to you.
There's a calm waiting for you there.
THAT is your Creator, waiting for you to come back.
THAT is Christmas. Let's go home for the holidays.
Peace
posted by Kurt at 5:36 AM
1 Comments:
Joy to the world, the Lord IS come
Let earth receive her king
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