Jesus is the Reason for the Season...... or not...

Did you hear about the Santa's who are banned from saying "HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Turns out the use of the word 'HO' isn't politically correct in some circles. The past few years of all this political correctness have been humourous to watch. "Happy Holiday" signs replacing "Merry Christmas". Reference to Christ are becoming politically incorrect. How bazzaar really.

I finally figured out what does in fact seem incorrect about Christmas and Jesus to me. For a decade or so now I've been puzzling about the purpose of celebrating a pseudo-birthday for Jesus. No matter what time of year. Trying to understand why and what affect it has on people's view of the message has been something I've pondered now and then. The concept of celebrating the event of Christ's birth is disjointed for me. I feel the same about Easter. Capturing moments designed with spiritual intentions and keeping them in earth time seems to somehow miss the mark with me.

Behind my discomfort is a concern that this approach to the 'life and times of Jesus' is too humanizing. It limits the intention of his story. The purpose in his coming. It isn't cohesive with the message set in other cultural backdrops. In order for the story and lessons of Jesus to hold water for me and for it to have lasting substance, the message needs to be visible across all cultures in the context and from the perspective of every culture throughout human history. When one culture dominates and narrows the view of a universal message to the exclusion of other cultures there is a problem. That's when it becomes religion rather than a spiritual lesson, guidepost, cornerstone, awakening or an enlightenment.

From creation to life to transformation to reformation no matter the religion, no matter the culture the stories come from the same source. They are told with the same intention. They are given to enlighten our humanity... to align us with our spiritual dimension. To evolve humanity beyond conflict into harmony. To reach an understanding of timelessness and the co-existence of simultaneous human experiences. To unite and empower unity.

But I digress.....

Humanizing the Messiah of Judeo-Christianity. Missing the awakening of the spirit. Caught in humanness. And let us not forget that the whole thing started with a culture clash. Culture that had been defined by religion. If you think about it.... Jesus was used as an excuse to discriminate against others. He was used by people who had no sense but plenty of fear to create more fear and to inflict pain on others. I think even a humanized Jesus might take issue at having to destroy his neighbours in order to steal their day. I think it would put a cloud over the whole event actually. Not much to celebrate when you think about it.

I actually have come round to really liking the idea of Christmas. As I get older I seem to value family more. Maybe its because I'm a mother and I want my son to have the benefit of close family ties to last him a lifetime. I think an annual time of family gatherings and gift giving and appreciation for life and relationships is a wonderful thing. I just think that they really should leave Jesus out of it.

The truth, the light and the way. The teacher of all that is good and right. The one called to spiritual-ize the world; to re-connect the earth's people to Creator. I don't think reducing the story of Jesus, the message of his time in our space has any useful purpose. In fact as I think about it more the whole idea of a celebration of Jesus' birth at any time of year is actually distasteful. It is exclusionary, elitist and divisive. It's what has reduced spiritual enlightenment to religion. It has made spirituality a destination rather than a dimension.

I think I'm going to overtly take Jesus out of Christmas this year. I think I'll give it back to the community of the world's people who seek to unite with its neighbours, heal family rifts and reach out to others in need. Not because its' Jesus' birthday but because of the spirit that Jesus awoke in humanity for all of time. Every day belongs to Jesus. Everyday he is born again inside the hearts of people who seek spiritual understanding. Everyday that a person aligns their spirit to the Love which is Creator is a day of new birth.

I babble too much..... lol.