Orthodixie

With Walmart announcing that it’s now “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” some Christians are, to use the tired and over-used term: OUTRAGED. God love him, Pat’s always peeved.

I heard a caller on a talk radio show say: “Christians should boycott these stores. If it weren’t for our money at this time of year, they would go out of business.” This is probably true.

But he goes on to say, “In the Bible, the Apostles don’t talk a whole lot about Christmas. For them it was mostly all about Easter.” He then went on to rant about Constantine introducing the Feast of Christmas. Poor Constantine, he gets blamed for almost as much as W.

Then, the Houston show host actually said, “Well, the Apostles also celebrated Christmas …” That’s when I had to turn off the noise. I shouldn’t have been listening to it anyway, as I was on my way to church for the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple. Wonder what they would say about that Feast?

I started to wonder if the caller had ever been to a Mass (as in Christ’s-Mass). I doubted it. If that’s so, why is he so upset about retailers not ushering in the joy of the Feast? Perhaps, as a friend used to posit, the malls and shopping centers have become the new Temples of the day. The shop-keep is the priest.

Oh, did I mention the caller actually compared retailers’ not saying “Merry Christmas” to the persecutions against believers foretold in the Book of Revelation?

Gosh.

Last year I posted the common understanding of many about the origin of the Feast.

Here’s another take on the origin of the Feast by the scholarly William Tighe.

I also wrote about becoming a Christmas Reactionary; the often unexpected “miracles” surrounding the Feast — oh, here’s a cute story. Then there was the article that got some good “air time” around the Blogosphere: Christmas & Culture.

But, ya know, when it comes to Santa, I can become like a child again.

I really don’t want to get caught up in the Merry Wars of Christmas this year. If, as Frank Schaeffer says, we are to “work out our salvation selfishly,” then I guess it’s up to us to wish folks a Merry Christmas, not vice versa. Better yet, perhaps we should quietly prepare to enter into the Feast of the Incarnation of our Lord by prayer and fasting.

Ya think?

FRENCH authorities are monitoring a retreat organised by a Queensland New Age guru, whose controversial philosophy has been linked to the deaths of three people.

Ellen Greve, who calls herself “Jasmuheen”, promotes what they call Breatharian, spiritual cleansing by living on air and light alone.

The 48-year-old claims to have eaten nothing since 1993.

The Story.

In case you’re curious, here’s the Orthodox fasting regiment for this time of year:

The NATIVITY FAST is divided into two periods. The 1st period is November 15th through December 19th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but with katalysis for wine and oil on Tuesday and Thursday (some also permit fish on Tuesday and Thursday during this 1st period), and for fish, wine and oil on Saturday and Sunday. The 2nd period is December 20th through 24th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed Monday through Friday, but with katalysis for wine and oil on Saturday and Sunday.

Dispensation is often allowed for those celebrating the American Thanksgiving feast … AND, come December 25th, there’s a big Feast. I usually try “Jasmuheen’s diet” once a year for only three days … at the beginning of the Great Fast. (It’s safer that way.)

He’s a much more patient man than I.

Then again, who isn’t?

But I must confess, when I first read the title of this article, I thought the quarterback — The Man — for the Pittsburgh Steelers was now weighing in on Theology. Come to think of it, he could be chiming in from the sidelines.

As Big Winnie would say: Oh bother.

Anyway …

I am far less interested in Intelligent Design than I am in simply asking questions about evolutionary theory. It seems to me one could be done with out the other, and, in fact, need to be. There is not one aspect of science which should go unquestioned, even by members of the unwashed such as me, and I am a little weary of questions about evolution — about evidence, in particular — being brushed off as the wishful thinking of creationists. They’re not.

It would be quite interesting for cultural permission to be given, as it were, for this particular dogma to be held up to scrutiny and for an honest discussion to be had about the explanatory power of evolutionary theory as well as its weaknesses, flaws and gaps — without anyone getting defensive. Impossible, but it’s sort of what I’m looking for.

Amy, she da man! (Or, well, you know what I mean.)

As Lotz stood up to speak, caught up in what was a deeply stirring meeting, she put away her notes and said to the crowd, “Today, I just want to talk with you about Jesus.” She did so, preaching for more than an hour.

A friend who was there told me that about half way through her message, many of the Anglican priests were muttering under their breath about a Baptist evangelist preaching too long at an Anglican meeting. By the end of her message, those same priests were on their knees, their faces in their hands, weeping with repentance.

The Story.

Church in Virginia joins Church in Uganda …

A small Loudoun County church has become the first to formally sever ties with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over the national church’s elevation of an openly gay bishop in 2003.

Ashey, the son of an Episcopal priest and the grandson of a major lay leader in Massachusetts, said the congregation has joined the Anglican Church of Uganda …

More.