Beating the Blues by Eating Doughnuts

In keeping with my plan of becoming Jewish (Festivus not withstanding), and considering the holiday season, I was reading a little about Hanukkah.  One thing I didn't realize until recently is that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah (and why not?........ he was jewish).  Nor did I realize what it was all about.

The short version goes something like this:  This dude named Antiochus Epiphanes was giving the nation of Isreal the blues, conquering, raping, pillaging, and taxing as old world (and new world) dictators tend to do.  And then a faction of Isreali soldiers were able to retake the land and Jerusalem.  After restoring the Temple they began the ritual of purification and rededication (the hebrew word for dedication is.... Hanukkah).  And after a dude found a flask of oil (olive oil.... extra virgin Im assuming) they began lighting the lamps.  The problem was that the flask that was found had only a days worth of oil in it and the ritual was to last eight days.  The miracle of Hannukah (also called the Festival of Lights) is that with one days worth of oil the Temple was rededicated for the entire eight days. 

So now Jews light eight candles, sing hymns, give presents, and eat a lot of deep fried fatty foods cooked in olive oil (doughnuts: Yiddish: פאנטשקעס pontshkes), fritters (bimuelos) potato cakes: (latkes........sounds like the perfect holiday to me). 

That said, Im intriuged at the way Judaism incorporates reminders of the goodness of life into the daily blues of the wourld.  I came across this article in a book I was reading by this Jewish dude talking about Jewish Holidays.  Check out what he had to say...

"There is a story (undoubetedly apocryphal) about a Jew who attended one of Hitler's Munich rallies at the start of the Nazi coup.  While Hitler ranted, cursing the jews, he became confused by a man in the first row who was laughing in derision at the fuehrer.  When the speech was over, Hitler's men detained the heckler and brought him to Hitler, who asked the man who he was. 

I am a Jew, he said proudly. 

Dont you believe that I will carry out my threats to destroy all Jews?  This is not a laughing matter, said Hitler.

You are not the first ruler who sought to destory us, said the Jew. Once Pharoah wanted us slain and now every year at Passover we eat matzahs (unleavened bread).  Later Haman tried to annihilate us; now each year (during Purim) we eat the delicious hamantaschen (pastry).  I couldn't help laughing, Herr Hitler, while I listened to your ranting.  I was wondering what delicacy we will eat and what holiday we will celebrate to commemorate your downfall."
(Isreals Holy Days, Daniel Fuchs pg 85).

The Angry Christmas Blues: A Festivus for the Rest of Us

I've been thinking about not celebrating Christmas this year.  Not because of the commercialism and the disconnected traditions.  And not because I don't like Jesus.  (because I do... I believe all the "big things" about Jesus....  Incarnation... Son of God....  Resurrection.... 2nd coming etc.).  But Im thinking about boycotting the holiday primarily because the churchies are screwing it up for me. Last week one of our Senators decided he would no longer participate in the Christmas parade because they had taken Christ out of the name. On first glance, it looks like if you love Jesus it's the only right thing to do.  But the problem from my perspective is that it's not the type of thing Jesus did.  Rather Jesus seemed to be humble and other-person-focussed.  He never would have demanded his own holiday. However, he did participate in the religious holidays of his time (jewish). Our Senator believes evidently that Christ would never participate in a "parade of lights" celebration.  And as a representative of Jesus on this earth he's decided to hold the world hostage by denying us his presence until Christendom is fully restored to it's rightful place as King conquering religion of the world.  And evidently, short of following Jesus' humble example and his command to Love, he has decided to use any means necessary to make it happen.  Manipulate.  Coerce.  Isolate....  Pout.....  Just like Jesus would do.  (sarcasm). I'm always amazed at the difference I see in how Jesus did things compared to how many of his followers do them.  The kingdom doesn't come by force or manipulation.  According to Jesus, the kingdom comes by Love. Jesus said his Kingdom begins in the heart, and works inside-out.  Many of his followers seem to think it works outside/in with pressure and political power garnering loyalty and support as the primary "way" of doing things.  (Loyalty is not always the best of all values; remember gangsters are loyal). It's the old, rah rah, "let's win America back for God", mindset that has everything to do with steam-rolling the "competition" rather than loving "the people",  (at a sacrificial cost if necessary) which is what Jesus did.       I've been looking at Festivus recently as  a substitute holiday.  I like the real, raw dorm-room quality of it.  Airing of grievances?  Feats of Strength?  The efficiency of substituting a tree (old pagan trickle-down tradition) for a beautiful, solid, high strength-to-weight ratio aluminum pole.  Besides, it seems less militant and somewhat flexible enough that one might incorporate Jesus in the celebration should one so choose. And ultimately that's the point isn't it?  That instead of being manipulated or coerced into the tradition, that one might freely choose?  Isn't that how Jesus did it?

Truth is truth quote

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Truth is truth quote

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
-Dalai Lama.

Truth is truth quote

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. 
-Mother Theresa. 

Truth is truth- The Demon Driver.

One of the things Ive found is that truth is no a respecter of persons. Truth is as truth is. It's unowned and belongs to no individual person or group of people. Truth transcends time and culture.

Even Jesus once said about people outside of his circle, "You don't know them? You've never met them. They just picked up Love in my name apparently out of thin air, saying the things we say and doing the things we do... and yet they're not one of us.... Foreigners to us...

Don't stop them. For whoever isn't against us, is for us". (Luke 9:50- the story of the unknown demon-driver; paraphrased).

Let me ask you. Was the unknown "demon driver" perfect in his understanding of the truth? Who was he? What were the critical points of his theology? (unknown). What about your pastor yesterday? Did he get it all right? What about the "different" church down the street? The dude on TV? That book you read yesterday?

And how did you and I become the final measure of truth? What about me... Could I have gotten it wrong? What about you?

Truth is truth, and if it begins outside of us, then it must be true for everyone where ever
it can be found. Either that, or it's true for no one at all.