Christmas and Christians

What to make of Christmas with all of its marketing and focus on consumerism. At a time of year when people are consumed with consumption do we truly want the Christian idea of Christmas intermingled with the world’s pagan notions of Santa Clause and 8 tiny reindeer?

I have been reading Tom Ascol’s blog (1 , 2) in relation to the AFA articles on boycotting stores that are planning, or have already, taken the word Christmas out of their advertising, here are two articles I found on their site (1, 2). I think his views are very well worth contemplating as if one was to really think about it do you want the Christian idea of Christmas placed side-by-side with a Victoria Secret advertisement? Do we all too quickly jump on the boycott wagon when we can only change actions not hearts, since God can only do that.

I was wondering how much the world, at least the US, would change if Christians took Christmas for what it was. Would we stall the economy by not indulging in consumerism? But the other thing is we may find that the number of Christians, those with hearts changed by God, is a much smaller number and not so much would be changed. Either way we as believers need to put forth a different picture of why we celebrate Christmas.

Ascol had some excerpts from sermons by Charles Spurgeon on Christmas and I think they are good to read and ponder as we enter this time of season.

I am not myself boycotting Christmas but I am trying my best to boycott the worlds view of it.

Grace and Peace,

Tony