Why Christmas?
I stumbled across a very interesting essay on "Why Christmas?"
"Now that it is Christmas, why is it Christmas? Early Christians didn’t put much emphasis on the birth of Jesus Christ but at some point the West did. Evidence suggests that he was born at a time other than winter so it is a convenience date at best.
Nonetheless, we have found it important to recognize the occasion of the birth of Jesus. Why?
The events of his life, his death, and the resurrection are surely of more dramatic consequence than his birth. Hardly anyone does anything special on his or her own actual birth day. The gospels don’t suggest that Jesus did any miracles or preached any great sermons that day but the gospels do record the events and they do hold great meaning if Jesus is who he said he is."
For those who claim to be Christians there are some important things to contemplate.
"What would you do if a guy walked up to you and said that he was God? Perhaps that hasn’t happened to you but it has to me. My thought is that the guy is nuts! This guy is no more the infinite, eternal, creator of the universe than he is a canned ham. I didn’t see him do any wondrous works nor do I know of any great teachings. He is insane or he is absolutely evil and working to convince people of a lie that he himself knows to be a lie. The dilemma of “this guy is nuts” vs. “this guy is evil” is not a significant one as I am quick to dismiss him either way. If there is evidence of greatness otherwise in the character and these are my only two options then I must dismiss those as well. Great teachings by a crazy man or by an evil genius are tossed in the ash heap of history. Miracles performed by crazy people or by the devil and co. are also dismissed for the same reason. Jesus simply can’t be a great teacher, or prophet or Godly miracle worker if he is not as he claimed, God incarnate!"
Not much blogging will be done this weekend. It is time to remember the reason we celebrate this time of year. Merry Christmas everyone. May you have a blessed year.
"Now that it is Christmas, why is it Christmas? Early Christians didn’t put much emphasis on the birth of Jesus Christ but at some point the West did. Evidence suggests that he was born at a time other than winter so it is a convenience date at best.
Nonetheless, we have found it important to recognize the occasion of the birth of Jesus. Why?
The events of his life, his death, and the resurrection are surely of more dramatic consequence than his birth. Hardly anyone does anything special on his or her own actual birth day. The gospels don’t suggest that Jesus did any miracles or preached any great sermons that day but the gospels do record the events and they do hold great meaning if Jesus is who he said he is."
For those who claim to be Christians there are some important things to contemplate.
"What would you do if a guy walked up to you and said that he was God? Perhaps that hasn’t happened to you but it has to me. My thought is that the guy is nuts! This guy is no more the infinite, eternal, creator of the universe than he is a canned ham. I didn’t see him do any wondrous works nor do I know of any great teachings. He is insane or he is absolutely evil and working to convince people of a lie that he himself knows to be a lie. The dilemma of “this guy is nuts” vs. “this guy is evil” is not a significant one as I am quick to dismiss him either way. If there is evidence of greatness otherwise in the character and these are my only two options then I must dismiss those as well. Great teachings by a crazy man or by an evil genius are tossed in the ash heap of history. Miracles performed by crazy people or by the devil and co. are also dismissed for the same reason. Jesus simply can’t be a great teacher, or prophet or Godly miracle worker if he is not as he claimed, God incarnate!"
Not much blogging will be done this weekend. It is time to remember the reason we celebrate this time of year. Merry Christmas everyone. May you have a blessed year.
posted by The Lady Logician at
8:07 PM
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