Oh, The Joy of Christmas.

You knew it was just a matter of time, didn't you? This just in from the San Francisco Chronicle...

Evangelical Christian pastor Jerry Falwell has a message for Americans when it comes to celebrating Christmas this year: You're either with us, or you're against us.

Falwell has put the power of his 24,000-member congregation behind the "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign," an effort led by the conservative legal organization Liberty Counsel. The group promises to file suit against anyone who spreads what it sees as misinformation about how Christmas can be celebrated in schools and public spaces.

Great... just great, but wait it gets better...

The American Family Association called Thursday for a Thanksgiving weekend shunning of Target stores, saying the chain was refusing to allow the phrase "Merry Christmas" on in-store promotions and advertising.

"I don't know where they're coming from," Target spokeswoman Carolyn Brookter replied. "We have no such policy on Christmas. You can see it in our stores."

At one local Target, in Colma, most of the in-store advertising offers a generic "Gatherround." One of the few advertising mentions of the C-word is above a Christmas card rack that says, "Celebrate Christmas."

That's not good enough for American Family Association President Tim Wildmon, who wants to see "Merry Christmas" signs displayed prominently "if they expect Christians to come in and buy products during this so-called season."

And he isn't worried if they offend people who aren't Christian.

"They can walk right by the sign," Wildmon said. "It's a federal holiday. If someone is upset by that, well, they should know that they are living in a predominantly Christian nation."

It's so good to see that Christians, once again, are making a positive impact on our world. It's also so good to see that the name "Christian" is linked with love and grace, goodness and compassion... and... er'... angry lawsuits.

I think Will's question hits it on the head... Since when did it become Christian to do something so unlike Christ?

If you want to read the rest of article, you can here. Be forewarned, you may need to take something to calm down afterward. [Props to Will Samson for this little nugget of true Christian love.]

Comments

[Friar Tuck]

Yeah....and herein lies the flaw of conservatism by definition. It is about preserving tradition and consolidating power. And why is that so bad? Because it never moves forward, never grows, never takes new ground for the kingdom.

The religious right looks more and more like the grumpy old man on Saturday Night Live.

[wes ellis]

WHY?!

Why do people have to do things like this. It's so frustrating for me.

[Mike DeVries]

Yeah, I know how you feel. Remember this though. Jamie and I were talking about some of out personal frustrations with the conservative, fundamentalistic, evangelical church and we had to remind ourselves of this...

It's not about being critical, or rejecting that expression and mindset of church, but it's about redeeming it, restoring it to what it was meant to be.

It would be easy to walk away in frustration, but I don't think that it what we are called to do. We are called to love the church and to redeem it to be what she has always been called to do... be the new community, putting the risen Jesus on display for all to see.

[David Morrison]

Hey Mike,

I heard you speak in Mexico this past summer, and you gave a message about to 4 cups and what they represented. The reason that I am writing is because I tryed to explain the 4 cups to a friend of mine, but their was one problem, I didn't remember the full explanation myself. I found myself convicted that I shouldn't be speaking when I don't know exactly what it is that I am talking about, so could please write me back and further explain it to me once again, and this time I'll take notes. Also, what book did you read to learn about it?

Thanks for all you do,

David Morrison
dwmorrison33@yahoo.com

[Danny]

I know exactly what this feels like. Last year I was at my girlfriends church and this is what her pastor said:

"When people say to me 'happy holidays," I say to them, 'JESUS is the reason for the season.'"

What a great way to turn people off to Jesus. I found it ironic that the way that Falwell wants to deal with things is to set up lawsuits, has he not read the "Sermon on the Mount?"

[Jered]

Good reflection here, Mike. One of my favorite all-time quotes comes from Oswald Chambers. He said "God grants us discernment not that we criticize, but that we intercede."