This Year I'm a Christian Gone Bad. No Baby Jesus and my Creche!

[KoKo]

I've had it. I think if I put that out ...I'm supporting Faux News! I think my Preachers have let me down. They support Bush...they support this WAR...and they are too scared to confont him. As a "mainstream Episcopal" I know they don't care about my "Anti-War Views" but the "Christmas Eve" Service will be filled with lots of wonderful "Church Music through the Ages" and the Minister will talk about Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus...and what it MEANT TO THE WORLD.

But I will be "barfing" because I NO LONGER BELIEVE IN ANY CHURCH WHO COULD SUPPORT ...GEORGE BUSH THE EVIL EMPIRE...STEALER OF ELECTIONS...the II or the SECOND.

I've had it...The damned "Asp" has even caused me to back away from my Christian Participation.

BUT....HE HAS NOT CAUSED ME TO BACK AWAY FROM CHRIST'S TEACHINGS! I will observe that through prayer in my home. BUT...I WON'T SUCCUMB TO THE TRAPPINGS.........It makes me nausious.......The LIES ...in "HIS" NAME....THE LIES...from the E-Mails from "so-called Christian Friends" the LIES...IN HIS NAME!

PRINCE OF PEACE and LORD OF ALL (probably one of my favorite hymns) ....that's JESUS! who really understands that was what it was about? :shrug:

[shenmue]

1. Ah, Christmas...

My brother and I used to fight over who got to put baby Jesus in the manger.

Probably missing the point somewhere...

:crazy:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Ruh Allah

in the Islamic tradition, this is a title for Jesus-it means the Breath of God. Knowing Jesus's teachings ARE the Teachings, I think it is an appropriate title. I join you in prayer and in spirit. Salaam.

[KoKo]

7. Salaam.......to you.........and I understand......n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

3. I'm sorry

:hug: My church doesn't stand on issues or anything like that thank goodness. My preacher has only gotten political twice. Once was on the fourth of July about how we're lucky compared to other places in the world because we can worship without fear and all that and thanked those in our mist who had served in the military. The other time was when he asked why we had to be left vs right but why we can't be a better country for God. I have no idea what political party he is of if any.

[Vanje]

4. my family's Scandanavian Christmas custom

was to display a dried and salted codfish in the manger.

[Talismom]

9. LOL! That 's funny! Sounds like a fun crowd! n/t

[Cleita]

5. Don't blame Baby Jesus for the pharisee preachers who support

Bush. He really didn't have anything to do with it.

[Warpy]

6. Well, the Unitarians got the message

and so did the Quakers. Some Episcopalian congregations have managed to get the point.

There's no reason to go to a hostile church. There's no reason for a believer to give up, either.

[KoKo]

8. My post was about HOW I've not "given up." It's that the "trappings" are

so misused that I will celebrate in a much more "closed fashion" this year.

That, this Christmas is so DARK that the "Prince of PEACE" needs to come and not the "baby Jesus" that the Fundies would have us go at.

The "Message" has gotten lost in the Holiday. The message is: REDEMPTION AND PEACE from Jesus as the MAN...and the Sacrificing of his life.

Whether folks think it's a great Myth, or he was a wonderful Prophet, or whatever....it seems like the GREAT FAITHS of the WORLD that have survived...that Jesus's Message was something that "Caught the World on Fire" like Mohammed and Budda ...and the many "break offs" in their philosophy through the ages.

BUT! The message is ALWAYS THE SAME....PEACE! Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself and Devotion to the Principles of Justice for ALL. If one boils down to the "core" the messages of the Worlds Greatist Surviving Religions...one sees a "Theme" a "GREAT MESSAGE." :shrug:

Is what I think very "innocent?"

[Arugula Latte]

10. I'm always happy when someone backs away from church.

Who needs it and the dogma and propaganda that goes along with it, not to mention the sanctimonious and highly annoying parishoners.

[Talismom]

11. I feel for you and also identify with those feelings, since much of what

Israel and many of its supporters have done and are doing fill me with pain as a believer in what I believe to be real Jewish values. Don't give up your basic beliefs and look for an Episcopal community that embraces them--I have many protestant friends with whom you'd be proud to worship and socialize.

[Bellamia]

12. YOU'VE had it?

SO have many of us, as you say,I NO LONGER BELIEVE IN ANY CHURCH WHO COULD SUPPORT ...GEORGE BUSH THE EVIL EMPIRE...STEALER OF ELECTIONS. That's why I am happy there is Bishop John Shelby Spong, only know him thru books and email newsletter. If he had a church here I'd be there twice on Sundays, and definitely Wednesday
night prayer service.;>) ( My Grandmother went to one)

[KoKo]

13. Sadly...this is the way I feel this year....losing some of my FAITH...

I will have to go "Underground" with this because the teachings of the New Testament have been subverted to the dominance of the Old Testament.

It' is what it is...maybe my faith wasn't strong enough .....although it's gotten me through many tough times and perilous situations in my life. I guess confronting the "Devil Himself/Bush and his Crime Family of Deception and Corruption" was the final confrontation for my faith to sustain me and keep me going.

It isn't strong enough this Christmas...this year to allow me to FEEL. :shrug: I hope things will get better...but then...if one reads the New Testament...it doesn't really ever get better if one follows one's PRINCIPLES as taught to us by Christ's teachings.

I guess we didn't count on a "Modern Age" having folks who could lie, deceive and distort our Christianity to this point where there's no Philosophy left it's just some "anointing with oil" and then let's get back to the Old Testament of an "Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth."

It's sort of what Gandi decided: "An Eye for an Eye and the World Goes Blind." How does one cope with this and stay sane in what's supposed to be a highly enlightened civilization where Science and Reason have overcome the Dark Ages?