10 lines
2.2 KiB
Plaintext
10 lines
2.2 KiB
Plaintext
<p class="text">Several years ago, I read a book by Vincent J. Miller entitled "Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consuming Culture." The author's point is our culture doesn't oppose religion as much as it consumes it. That is, when the church says to our culture, "Christmas is a special day to us" our culture doesn't say, "You can't celebrate Christmas" but instead says, "Yes, Christmas is a great time of year. Can we help? Why don't we have a sale for you as you celebrate Christmas?"</p>
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<p class="text">The church, of course, takes the deal. Who wouldn't want 30% off on Black Friday? Love is expressed by the size of the present or the cost of the gift. According to our world, it's a great Christmas if everybody buys a bunch of stuff. (Hence the supply chain anxiety in our world of having to face Christmas with empty shelves.) The world starts the Christmas sales earlier and earlier and extends them later and later. Now, stores will stay open until midnight on Christmas Eve and even open on Christmas morning in case you forgot to buy batteries.</p>
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<p class="text">And somewhere along the way, Jesus is lost among the boxes and wrapping paper. The angel's song is muffled behind the recorded Christmas songs about reindeer and snow. (Have you ever noticed how banal Christmas songs are when they try to avoid the Christmas story?) We spend too much. We eat too much. We do everything too much! We crawl out of the Christmas season exhausted, frustrated, broke, and determined that next year will be different.</p>
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<p class="text">We won't travel as much. We won't spend as much. We won't eat too much. We are determined to change things and then we remember this is the year that was going to be different last ...</p><p class="more"><a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/scot-mcknight/2021/december/i-want-our-holy-day-back.html">Continue reading</a>...</p>
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