Over 16,533,204 people are on fubar.
What are you waiting for?
Before I begin this, please note, I am a practicing Catholic and was once in the seminary studying to be a priest. I know some Christains don't consider Catholics real christains, but I'll save that arguement for another day. For those of you who are non-christains, this blog still has significance, because I won't be approaching this from a purely religous point of view, rather historical and it still provides a good moral tale and a deeper understanding of the Christains you do live amongst.
Now, first we do have to suspend reality and accept the Christain faith as real. The common thread all Christain sects accept is Christ born of a virgin, god becomes man, later is crucified and ressurects. What they believe as significant, god born as man is unique... wrong Odin and Zeus, while no born Human, often come to earth in fleshy form. Hercules, demi-god, born human. Christ dies ad through it saves the world... again Osirus(spelling) dies and saves his world. The resurrection is the most significant 'act' of christ. Well maybe.
What they really miss in Christmas: The truly unusal part of Christmas and hence the significance of true Christianity from a historical perspective is this. Christ was powerless! Prior to, and unique still, is Christ is not great. He comes for the meek and the humble. All other religions prior to Christ, god is a mighty figure. All other gods appeared as powerful creatures or personifictions of perfect human traits. Christ's humble beginings remain throughtout his life nd again is unique. He is never associated with the rich, the warrior caste, or the politically conected. He comes for the poor, the sinners, and the pariahs. He makes apostles of fishermen, just a step above untouchable, and tax collectors, traitors to Israel. Agin unique.
The other point so over looked by Christains is Christ laid down 2 laws and ONLY 2 laws. Love God and love thy neighbor. In one parable, he denounces material wealth and plainly states that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Want to gain perspective on that debate? Read or rent the movie "In the Name of the Rose" the debate on poverty is the backdrop. Christ also states the he fulfillthe old covenant, law, and sets forth a new one. This renders the "rules" of the old testament obsolete, therefore, any preacher/priest spouting off old testament rules is not truly christain.
To wrap this up. While the resurection is significant, christains tend to downplay the real significane of Christmas because it runs counter to what they want. First off, Christ destroyed all the old testament rules leaving two bsic rules and no banning of anyone, so it takes away control through fear of damnation. Second, and much more significant, Christ's humble beginnings and denouncing of wealth and the wealthy, runs opposed to the finacial power and greed found in most christains, their churches, and leaders.
