What Now?

Another Christmas Day has come and gone but I thought there was one thing that required a bit more reflection.

This Christmas, like those that preceded it, had its share of detractors.

As time has gone by, these detractors have become both more numerous and more vocal.

Some insisted on alternative and meaningless names like Winter Holiday.

Some demanded that government institutions ban decorations that have distinct Christian themes.

This year. there was even contention over a manger scene on city hall property.

When detractors are asked why they object to Christian themes two reasons usually top the list.

Probably the most common reason cited is the canned response “separation of church and state.”

This response however has been very much taken out of context.

When the United States was still in its infancy, the Founding Fathers (another term currently in disfavor) made it very clear that the government would not establish a national religion.

Citizens would be free to choose how they would believe.

They could even choose not to believe if that is what they sincerely desired.

Therefore, separation of church and state was not intended to be a line drawn in the sand with faith on one side and government on the other.

It was simply a guarantee to citizens that a particular denomination would not be forcibly imposed upon them.

Another reason commonly cited is that Christian symbols might make some people uncomfortable.

I find this line of reasoning flawed at best.

As a Christian, I know that some choose to believe differently than I do.

Their choice is simply that. It is their choice.

As a Christian I am supposed to tell others about Jesus but I cannot force them to believe in Him,

I cannot force my belief on others. No one can.

At the end of the day, they remain free to say, “No”.

When they do say “Yes” to Jesus it is because of a change He brings about.

I dare mot take any credit for that.

Likewise, a person of another religion cannot force his or her belief on me.

Therefore, symbols of other religions do not make me uncomfortable.

That said, I do believe some individuals will feel genuine discomfort which, in and of itself, is a good thing.

Discomfort is a wonderful motivation for change.

If I place my hand too near an open flame I will feel discomfort in that hand.

That discomfort will motivate me to change the location of my hand before it sustains serious or permanent damage.

A person who feels genuine discomfort in the presence of a religious symbol, be it Christian or otherwise, feels uncomfortable for a reason.

That discomfort should motivate that person to seek out the reason for it.

It could be racism.

It could be intolerance.

It could be a an emptiness longing to be filled.

It could be something completely different.

Whatever it is, it is an indication that individual needs to incorporate an effective change and the sooner the better.

But Christmas Day has passed and soon all the decorations and symbols will taken down and put in storage for another year.

Why discuss such things now?

People should be able to tell Christians by the way we live and treat others each and every day not just during the Christmas season.

If they cannot, then it as if we have effectively removed the decorations of His love from our hearts and placed them in cold storage as well.

This would be extremely sad because this is would be a choice that we made and not one that was imposed upon us.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 3, 2014.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 10, 2014.