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.

Jews, Tattoos, and The Blues

Ok.  It's probably midlife.  Some dudes do the girl thing....(twenty-somethingish).  Some do the sports car thing.  I remember a guy I started my nursing career with who came in one morning with an earring.  It wouldn't be a big thing except earrings weren't his style at all.  He was an older dude with a big mustache (looked like Rip Taylor), and the sudden earring  (like that ruffly Jerry Seinfeld shirt) made him look like a Male-nurse/Pirate.  Or at least a little desperate; like maybe he was trying too hard.

The truth is that anything midlife comes off as desperate.  If you're gonna do it.... The goal I think is to be honest with it, and keep it somewhat within character.  And for me... tattoos aren't that much out of character.  I mean.  It's not like tomorrow I'm getting hair implants or a rug......

If I were to do something really big, I think I would become Jewish.  Really, I think it's a good fit.  I'm already circumcised.  I'm really familiar with the Old Testament.  (They don't like it when you call their Holy Book the "old" Testament).  And ultimately I think Jewish people understand the blues (One of their worship places is called "the wailing wall).

But as it is, I'm settling for getting  a tattoo  (which is the opposite of being Jewish....  Tattoos- not allowed).  And that's unfortunate because Jews and Tattoo wearer's and Blues dudes all have something in common.  They all take life and mark themselves with it in some way....

Blues guys have the songs....

Jews have it in their holidays and in the normal "stuff" of life... example;  Weekly Sabbath.  (Rest).  Yom Kippur.  (New Beginnings).  Passover.  (Deliverance).

Tattoos are kind of like that.  True... Sometimes people get tattoos just cause they think it's cool.  But sometimes it's deeper than that.  Sometimes it's about saying something about themselves, or someone they've lost.  Or who they are.  What they've come through.

Thats like a jewish holiday, Right?  And it's definitely like a blues song.