Abolish Fear

At the time I'm writing this, Kim Jong Il died less than 24 hours ago. The GOP Presidential Candidates are blasting one another saying "this one" or "that one" can't be trusted. They're all saying Obama will destroy the nation.  The Democratic Party is touting that the Republicans will decimate the middle class if elected.  The nation is still in an economic crisis. Congress and the President can't agree on a tax "holiday" deal. Several European countries are facing financial meltdown which, I'm told, would affect the whole world.  Bradley Manning is fighting his case against the US Government who says he put the nation in grave danger by leaking war secrets.  Our military has recently left Iraq, and people are worried about what will happen.  Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and has recently captured a US Spy Drone.  Many houses were robbed last night.  In the past few weeks, there have been murders less than 100 miles from my house.  

I could go on, but what's the point?  What can we do about it?  Elect the right people?  Join the military?  Get the right house security system?  Reinvest money so we're guaranteed a healthy retirement?  Buy a gun?  Hide?  Be afraid? --  These are all things that the powers that be want us to do.   

They want us to fear.  They want us to be afraid we don't have enough...we aren't safe enough...our kids won't love us if we don't get them what they want...we're not good enough...we don't look handsome or pretty enough...and on and on.

Does it have to be that way?  Do we have to make EVERY decision based on fear?  When someone disagrees with us, does that make them evil?  What if a rogue nation gets a nuclear weapon? - We should fear that, right?

But, the time has come!  The time has come to stop living in fear!  The time has come to live in hope!

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love (1 John 4:8).

There is the answer.  Simple.  "Perfect loves casts out fear."  Perfect love abolishes fear.  Where there is love, there is no fear.

But, love of what?  What do we have to love so that we don't have to be afraid?  Well, I could probably give you a shorter answer of what we don't have to love.  But I won't take that route.

We need to love God.  God has been faithful to all of us, and yet we wonder if God will "come through" again.  Will God provide?  The simple answer is "yes." The One who created us did not create us as a "cosmic joke" to watch us struggle and suffer alone.  When we feel alone, we may be - in the worldly sense - but we're never truly alone from God.  It may feel like it, it may seem like it, we will go through struggles - even struggles that seem so great that we feel we can't cope - BUT, we're NOT alone.

We need to love others.  We need to love those who have hurt us.  We need to love those who have done evil things.  But to do this, we need to know what love is.  

  Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

That's how Paul describes love, but what does it mean?  It doesn't mean we have to tolerate evil.  It doesn't mean we have to sit silent when injustice happens.  It doesn't mean that we look at the world with rose colored glasses.  

When we see evil, we need to speak the truth.  When someone wrongs us, we should speak up.  When things in this world are not right, we need to work to make them right.  BUT, we don't need to fear!

Bad things will happen.  But, until God decides that the time has come, the sun will rise tomorrow.  And when God decides the sun will no longer rise it will because God's light will block out the sun.  If we lose our money, life will go on.  Tougher? Yes!  Impossible? Hardly!  If there is a national security issue, we may be hurt...but, we don't need to fret and worry about it.  

Over 2000 years ago, the entire picture of life was given a new frame.  Rather than what we see, we now can know with certainty that there is more.  Because Christ was born, ministered, died, and was resurrected, life now has new meaning.  Death is not death.  Death is just the end of one existence.  We can leave this existence and know that we can have a better existence.  All we have to do is accept it.

All we have to do is quit playing the "Fear Game."  Fear cannot win if we refuse to play the game.  

Christopher Hitchens 1949-2011

I saw on TV today and read that Christopher Hitchens has died of cancer.  I have not read more than a few statements he's made, and I've seen him in a few interviews, but I know of the work he has done.  His work is basically to undo the work I do.  While some try to bring people to faith, others, like Hitchens, try to bring people away from faith.

You would probably think that I'm glad a person like this is dead.  I have to confess for a few seconds my mind did take that route.  But, then I realized the purpose of my faith and realized that despite his actions and despite his claimed belief (or non-belief as it may be), I hope that God will show him mercy.

Hitchens doesn't deserve mercy.  He's attacked every organized religion known to man either directly or indirectly.  He's attacked many religious leaders including Mother Theresa (Who could attack Mother Theresa???).  He is probably responsible for thousands, if not more, abandoning or choosing not to accept faith.

Again, let me say it:  Hitchens doesn't deserve mercy.  But, neither do I.  And I would guess...no...actually I'm certain...you don't deserve mercy either.  No one deserves mercy.  Or, better phrased, no one earns mercy.  If God is as great as Christians claim (despite the fact that Hitchens wrote God is Not Great), then any tarnish we have on our being makes us unworthy of mercy.  And, being human, there is not one of us who hasn't sinned.  Sure, some sins are bigger than others.  Some sins hurt others while others hurt only ourselves or are even seemingly victimless, but they're sins none the less.

Hitchens doesn't deserve mercy - he hasn't earned mercy - Neither have I.  He has mocked God in his writing and lecturing (not just the Christian God, but any religion that worships any God).  I have mocked God too.  I have been selfish when others needed help.  I've ignored God through not praying, not worshipping, and not loving others.  I've been blessed to have a comfortable life.  I really don't lack anything I need...But I don't always thank God for that.  In fact, I seem to always ask God for more (as if God is some Cosmic Super-Wal-Mart).  I know Jesus as Savior, but I don't always act like it.  I don't always "let my light shine" so others can see it.  Heck, sometimes I completely and knowingly hide "my light."  I don't always represent Christ as his ambassador on earth.  And when I do represent Christ, it is often flawed and only a half-attempt.  I often put my own desires ahead of others' needs.  And sometimes, when I do what God asks of me, I do it begrudgingly with a bad attitude.

By reading this, you'd think Hitchens and I are one in the same (except I believe in God - though I don't always act like I do).  And, maybe that's the point.  Maybe we are one in the same.

The difference between us is simple, though.  I believe in a God who sent his Son to atone for our sins.  I don't always understand it.  I don't know exactly how this atonement works (despite the great examples I cited on my Theology Final - any understanding of "how Christ works" is purely theoretical).  All I know is that atonement does work.  Forgiveness from God does happen.  Despite my sins, God still loves me and guides me and calls me.

I also believe that somewhere (and probably for his whole life), God called Hitchens.  From all human perspectives, Hitchens "hung up" on God.  He said he was not an atheist...he was an anti-theist.  Not only did he not believe in God, but he tried to destroy the concept of God.

By all human perspectives, we can guess that Hitchens' soul will be separated from God forever.  He deserves that...but so do I.  Then I remember the Christian Hope.  That God will redeem all people.  No, I'm not a Universalist - I believe every person has a choice between God and No God.  I believe every person has the chance to decide his or her own fate.  Simply put, every person will have the opportunity to choose Heaven or Hell.  From what I know, I think Hitchens chose Hell.  But I hope that somehow, God got to him - in his last few moments - and changed his mind.  I hope that despite wasting his life to discredit God, in some way, God got to Hitchens and convinced him to choose God.

Hitchens had talents given to him by the Creator.  Hitchens heard the Gospel Message of Redemption.  By all signs, he rejected it.  By all signs, he didn't use his God given talents for God, but rather to mock God.  But still, until I face the Lord on judgement day, I won't know if Hitchens was somehow forgiven.  I can't know if he made a "deathbed conversion," or even if God showed him Divine Mercy despite all he's done.  That knowledge is not for me to know.

As Jesus said - Before you take the dust out of someone else's eye, get the plank out of your own.  I have enough of my own Christian life to fix before I can pass judgement on someone.  Even someone so easy to pass judgement upon - like Hitchens.

All I can know is that God will be fair in judging him.  And I know God will be fair in judging me.  I can know that through faith in Christ, I am saved.  I can have near certainty of what my verdict will be before the great Judge.  But, I'm not one of God's prosecutors.  I don't have access to the evidence in other cases.  All I can do is hope, for Hitchens' sake, that God was able to turn his heart before it was too late.

The Muppet Manifesto

I really owe a debt to Fox Business Network.  All of these years, I thought the Muppets were an innovative and entertaining bunch of puppets.  But, little did I know...They're Communists!  I am so grateful to the geniuses of the "Fair and Balanced" Fox network for showing me the err in my ways because obviously, I'm not smart enough to think for myself!

As a child of the '80's, among other Saturday Morning Cartoons, I was a fan of "The Muppet Babies."  Looking back, I remember their adventures on which they would embark in their imaginations in the confines of their nursery.  How was I, a mere child, to realize this was a cartoon enactment of a Marxist Utopian vision?  What is worse is that they had me indoctrinated.  Rather than choosing childhood friends for the necessary business networking I would need, I would play with everyone.  And to make matters worse, I shared my toys!  How stupid was I?  Shouldn't I have known that if a child couldn't afford certain toys, that was his or her problem?  I was only contributing to the welfare state through my sharing.

Come to think of it, my entire family is indoctrinated in Anti-American beliefs because of childhood cartoons.  Up until today, my children would watch "Dora the Explorer."  Thanks to Fox for opening my eyes!  I now see that through Dora's adventures (and her cousin Diego), they are preaching a doctrine of illegal immigration.  Through teaching Spanish, my children may grow to think that God did not ordain the English language to be the language of the Chosen Land - America!

I was too old for the "Telletubbies," but thankfully Jerry Fallwell, the great man of God that he was, proved to the world that they were promoting a Homosexual agenda based upon the dismantling of our Sacred American Values.

The article in the link above also shows how American Hating Environmental Extremists have infiltrated our minds in the childrens' network Nickelodeon.  How dare this second rate network teach our children that caring for the environment is not sinful?  God gave us this environment to do with as we please!  God ordained the Oil Companies to pollute...oops...I mean discard waste as they please!  Nickelodeon's "Big Green Help" is nothing more than an attempt to convince to our children that Large Corporations are not God ordained.  


So, thank you, Fox!  From now on, my children will watch ONLY the "O'Reilly Factor!" I wouldn't want them to do anything to protect the environment or those in need...because, after all...poverty is a choice!  All donations from this family to any charity are hereby cancelled!


Long live Big Business!

...And Knowing Is Half the Battle...

I think it's a well known and well established fact that I'm a Christmas Junkie!  For me, the only problem with Christmas is that it only comes once a year.

When some people hear me talk like this, they think I'm into Pagan rituals at worst, or too secular at best.  I suppose there may be truth to the secular thing, but really...If you think I'm going to worship a pine tree (no matter how well it's decorated), you are more crazy than I am (and trust me...I have issues).  If you think I'm going to pray to Santa Claus as my personal savior, then am I really the one with the problem?

Yes, Christmas does have some pagan traditions thrown into it.  Christmas is not a pure celebration of Jesus' birthday.  But, do you really think I can't separate the secular from the religious?  Does anyone really think that I bow down to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?  If you do, then kindly send me a letter or e mail with the following line:  "Dear Tom:  The purpose of this correspondence is to sever all ties between us.  Within the next few days, you will receive any and all items that I may be borrowing from you, and I ask that you reciprocated this gesture."

So...How does a Christian navigate the pagan stuff and the Jesus stuff?  How do we enjoy the secular parts of Christmas while still celebrating the birthday of the Lord?  Honestly, I don't think it's that hard.  So, I've neatly packaged some Frequently Asked Questions so that you too can enjoy the Christmas season and not have to feel guilty.

Can I still have a Christmas Tree and be a Christian?  
The long answer is "yes."  The short answer is "yes."  The first Christmas Tree that has been documented was put up in 1441 in Estonia.  In the Middle Ages, German Churches often used an evergreen tree in their Christmas Plays and called it a "Paradise Tree."  The Paradise Tree was often used to depict the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil from the Genesis account of the Garden of Eden (Hardly a pagan tradition!).

Some will say that the Christmas tree originated as an Asherah Pole (a pole dedicated to a Pagan Canaanite goddess).  I can't rule out for certain that there isn't any crossover, but see the following images and decide for yourself:

Christmas Tree

Asherah Pole

Well, what about Merry Xmas...Isn't that taking Christ out of Christmas?

Well, in English that may be the case...or at least appear to be the case.  But technically, Merry Xmas may be more correct.  Try to follow me;

1. X is also the Greek Letter Chi.

2. Chi is the first letter in the word Christos (Greek for Christ)

3. The New Testament was written in Greek.

Therefore, while English speakers may have trouble seeing Merry Xmas, I would guess that Greek speakers (or those that know the above facts) would understand that Xmas = Christmas.

And while we're on the subject.  Jesus' name wasn't Jesus.  Try to follow this:

Yeshua

1. Jesus name in Aramaic (a cousin language to Hebrew) is Yeshua (a name that we would translate as "Joshua" in English).

2. When the New Testament was written in Greek, the name was translated into Ieasous (basically pronounced ee-Ay-sous).

3.  When Latin became the official language of the church, his name was translated to Iesu. (The jump from Greek to Latin isn't as easy as I described, but this will do for now).

4. Then, the name was translated into English, and we get "Jesus."  Again, it didn't happen as neatly as it appears here, but this is only a basic answer.

Well, someone may say, "The debate over Xmas isn't about the name "Jesus," but about the name "Christ."  OK...here goes:

1.  Christ (Christos in Greek) means "covered in oil," or "anointed."  Like I said before, the New Testament was written in Greek.  Jesus may have known Greek (It was the primary language of the Roman Empire after the fall of Alexander the Great's empire), but he would have spoken in Aramaic (similar to Hebrew) which was the "local language" in Israel.  

2. When the disciples and others realized who Jesus was, he was called "Messiah" (mashiach in Hebrew/Aramaic).  Messiah means "anointed one."  

3. When the New Testament was written, Christ was the closest Greek word to the Hebrew/Aramaic "maschiach."  

Jesus - though He probably didn't look much like this.

So, in all honesty, English speakers don't call Jesus Christ by a name that he would have been called back in the 1st Century. 

What about all the gift giving?  Isn't that a little too secular?  
Yes...you're right on that one.  This practice is probably from the Roman Custom of giving gifts on the New Year.  But, it's been adapted into Christian practice from the Gifts of the Magi (the 3 Wise Men).  Definitely, Americans tend to go overboard in gift giving and receiving.  This is where Christians must step back and realize that giving gifts is OK, but it's not the purpose of Christmas.

Isn't the Date of Christmas from a Pagan Holiday?
Maybe...and Maybe not.  First of all, I'd have to ask you which date are you talking about?  Different Christian traditions celebrate Christmas on different dates.  In the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Christmas is on January 6 (others celebrate on January 7 or January 19 - all this is because of the use of different calendars).  I'm guessing that if you're reading this, you're probably wondering about December 25.

December 25 is probably not the date of Jesus' birth, but it was set as the date of Christmas somewhere in the 4th Century.  There are 2 theories as to why (I tend to believe that both have some truth to them, but having not lived in the 4th century, I don't know for sure.

1.  December 25 is exactly 9 months of the Church's Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Babies wait 9 months to be born in normal circumstances.  So, maybe when they saw the date of the Immaculate Conception, they counted 9 months and gave us Dec. 25.

2.  December 25 is also around the time that the Pagan Romans would celebrate the Winter Solstice.  It's possible that the date was set to bring Pagans into the Christian religion.

If you're a Christian, how do you justify engaging in practices that may be pagan?
Well, first of al, I don't engage in pagan activities.  All aspects of Christmas point me back to Jesus.  When I put up my Christmas Trees (yes, that's plural) and look at their beauty, I'm reminded of Jesus.  When I give gifts, I see Jesus in the eyes of others.  What some people call the "Christmas Spirit" (OK, I use that term too), I see as the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.  

If you need more justification, read 1 Corinthians 8.  Paul is talking about eating meat sacrificed to idols.  He basically says it's not a sin to eat this meat as long as you know the idol is nothing and that God is God.  But, he says that you shouldn't eat it if by eating it, you would cause someone else to worship an idol.  So, using that reasoning, as long as I know trees, gifts, Dec. 25, etc. are all because of Jesus; I'm not worshipping a pagan god.  If, however, someone comes to visit me and would start to worship one of my Christmas Trees, then I'd cover it up because it's causing that person to sin.

What about people saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas?"First, "Happy Holidays" doesn't offend me because I know why I'm celebrating the holiday.  Second, most likely this person is just giving a customary greeting without much thought behind it.  For example, when someone says "How are you?" to me; do they really want me to tell them how I am? Or, am I just supposed to say "Fine," and move on?  Third, "Happy Holidays" can be a short-cut to saying "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" since they're so close together.  

Now, do I say "Happy Holidays?"  Not usually.  Actually, I can't think of a time I've said it.  But, I don't rule out that I may say it.  But, again, if I say it, I really mean "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."  

What if I'm speaking to a Jewish person? I'd probably wish them a Happy Hanukkah.  But that's not evangelizing the Gospel some would say.  Well, you don't get people to the faith by offending them.  God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are so good that I don't think we need to scare people or offend them into the faith, but rather show them how loving the faith is.  Insulting them is not a way to show how loving Christianity is.  Plus, we humans really don't convert anyone...that's God's job.  We just spread the message.  If it's a message of love, then there is no fear (1 John 4:18).

Is it a coincidence that Santa and Satan have the same letters?
Go away!

Merry Christmas!!!!