Now it is very obvious that we are in Christmas time. Everywhere are Tannenbäume (and makes us want to sing “Oh tannenbaum”) decorated with little laps and in many widows are lights. Even our school has two wheinachtsbäume and one Adventskranz. (Happily the weihnachtsmänner puppen outside of the walls of private houses has decreased in the night they can be scary) And nearly every window of the shops are decorated in red and green. Also there are many things to buy for this time, very commercial
In our church we do not celebrate Christmas. The birth is not a occasion which we are told by the bible to celebrate or to remember likewise his death which we should always remember. This celebration, importance and also the date were made up by humans. I think there is no verse in the bible where the apostles or Jesus is celebrating his birthday. So is Christmas something important, not worth to pay attention or even something bad?
I started to think about this after two things happened. First I read the verse and part in Mark that ”for whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mk9.40) and second is that classmates told me that they are in a club where they do one charity or good thing to help poor people and people in need in a month. This month they collected food in front of the supermarket. People could buy stuff and donate it so they can pass the collected things to another organisation which distribute cheap food to poor people. They were very surprised that they collected so much food and that there were people who bought big bags and hand them over to them. These people donation food were not given a present not even a rose or anything back (sometimes they give people who donate something a flower as a thank you) except a better conscious they jokingly told me. They also said that the many donations come because it is Christmas time and people want to help or do a good thing.
So I started to think about the effects of the Christmas time on the people here.
1 I think it is the only time in the year when the people are dealing more or less actively with Jesus and religion. Even young people do it.
2People are reminded of Jesus the saviour who was as the only son by God to save us. (Does not a beginning also closely connected to an ending. Without a beginning there will be no end and there is also the saying “alles hat sein ende (nur die wurst hat zwei)”)
3People start to think about moral values like helping the poor, supporting the claim for peace.
4People light candles until Christmas Eve and remind each other of the hope that Jesus brought with his ascendance.
5People want to have a “besinnliches Fest” and want to find peace and rest in this time to think and reflect.
6people gather in their families and want to live together in harmony (what often is not able because the try to mangage it on their own. there were a report that during Christmas time there are the most fights in a family the reason: because it is one of the rare occasions when the family is gathered)
Of coarse not all of this happens to everyone but I think that even this celebration is not bible based but at least it is not against Jesus. It can not only be a beginning of the live of Jesus on earth it can also be a beginning to think and reflect.
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I agree with you to a certain extent. However, it reminds me of a set of verses:
"23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify" (1 Corinthians 10).
"12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble." (1 Corinthians 8)
Even though eating meat is not wrong and is not bad, if it causes members to stumble, then we have sinned against God. Therefore, if participating in Christmas related events, even if it is doing good deeds to the community; if we lead members to think that it's ok to celebrate Christmas by our participation, then we have sinned against God. There are 11 other months where we can do good deeds without leading others to believe in something false or thinking it is ok to be involved when the involvement IS in the spirit of Christmas (a pagan holiday). So...it really depends.
I remember a preacher telling us that there is nothing wrong with going to the movies because there are some good ones, like the Passion of Christ; but he doesn't go to movie theaters because he doesn't want to become a stumbling block for members if they happen to see Pr. ____ walking into the theather. They wouldn't know which movie he is going to watch, and that may let the members think that it's ok to watch the bad movies too. He prevents himself from going to movies because you never know who you will bump into, and who will fall in faith because of that. I think this is the same type of scenario I'm trying to illustrate. Perhaps someone who sees us participating in these charities in the spirit of Christmas will think that we believe in Christmas, even if they are none members. Then they may think that True Jesus Church believes in Christmas. Or if a member sees us at these events, they may think it's ok for us to be involved in charity work related to Christmas holiday. Anyway, just a thought.
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