Christian Attacks? Rudolph, Bunnies and Trees

Lately, there seems to be an outpouring of offense regarding Christianity and I am trying to process it...

My mind is flooded now with these thoughts and I am struggling to organize them effectively even as I type.

The secular world is attacking prayer, opinions, stances, traditional families & values, monuments that honor or remember events & people, the Ten Commandments & Christmas traditions and symbols.

As I think about this, I am puzzled not at the world's response, but rather I am puzzled by the Christians' responses.

If we are going to defend our right to pray publicly, ought we not start with private prayer in our own lives.  When is the last time you took advantage of your access to the Father in prayer?  Within the confines of the church, when is the last time you attended a prayer meeting?  How long were you willing to linger there with other believers in prayer?  I am not trying to attack the church or believers, but I am trying to bring awareness to this issue to see that first and foremost, we ought to be a people of prayer first.  No one can stop that.  You cannot remove prayer from the public square as long as there are those who will be talking with God.  It may stop the secular world from praying or participating in a formal performance that gives a nod toward God, but what exactly did this accomplish over the years?  Has it drawn us closer to God in doing so?  Did it point the secular world toward the way the truth and the life?  Did it point them to the light of the world?  Did it set their hearts ablaze to repent of their sins and accept God's solution for them in the gift of Jesus Christ?  Better yet, did it set any believer's heart ablaze?  So what exactly are we defending?  Is it our right to publicly, formally and coldly give tribute to God?  Please don't misunderstand me, I am not advocating these actions on the part of the secular society, but I am not surprised by it at all.  My challenge is one for the body of believers.

It has become more and more popular and acceptable by the secular world to attack traditional family values, opinions and traditional stances.  These attacks come because the secular world sees Christianity as intolerant, biased and bigoted.  The biblical family is one set in place by the Creator of the universe.  It has been an institution that was never really questioned or challenged in the manner it is today.  So let's take a look at the family.  What could possibly be so wrong about it that so many are turning from it for another way?  It was set up to be a small unit of people who are joined together by a commitment to say I will do life with you, I will be a witness to your life and you will be the witness to mine.  We will do life together because it is not good for us to be alone. We will go through life's ups and downs together regardless.  We will have a family together and grow our family (if the Lord blesses us in this way).  We will be part of the bigger families of our origin and our community.  We will raise our children to be a part of this same family and community.  We will teach them to be good citizen who follow order and law within our community so we can all live peacefully together.  Then they will go forth and repeat our process.

So assuming I very clumsily and incompletely recapped this thing that we call traditional family, where in lies the problem?  Could it be that like prayer, we want to protect the institution and the idea, but when it comes to actually entering into its fullness, intent and purpose as Christians, we have taken it for granted and spit on it, mishandled it and even discarded it.  If it is this cherished institution, why are so many abandoning it?  Why are so many children feeling abandoned by parents?  Why are there as many divorces within the church as outside of it?  The attack on this institution is occurring within the walls of the church too.  If we do not honor it and cherish it as precious, why do we expect something more from the secular world?  We need to be living examples.  The marriage of believers ought to be the most joyful and most satisfied regardless of our circumstances.  I am not talking about perfection, I am talking about connection, love, respect, forgiveness and most importantly commitment.

And to address the most recent attacks on Christmas.  There is a sadness and weightiness to the attacks on the traditions of Christmas.  The cartoon Rudolph is being accused of promoting bullying. The song "Baby its Cold Outside" is being attacked by the "MeToo" movement as not taking "no" for an answer.  The wise men perched high in a city building needing to come down.  Multitudes of Christmas trees and manger scenes being banned from the city square.  My thought is so what!   I am going to put all monuments and even the Ten Commandments into this discussion.  So what if you cannot post these monuments.

How many of you actually read and are convicted because you saw a monument of history or commands.  How many of you need a Christmas tree in a public place to enjoy Christmas.  How many need the wise men and manger to think on Christmas and the reason for the season (or even when they are there, did it prompt you to think on the meaning?)  Do I think these should be removed?  No.  I think the attacks are silly and absurd, but they don't concern me.  Some of these do point to a wonderful story that is eternal.  No matter the attack, this eternal story cannot be eliminated. It is a secure event.  It happened. As a matter of fact every monument erected to point to an event in history cannot rewrite the history by its removal.  The risk of removal and attempts to rewrite history is where our concern should lie.  As for the Ten Commandments, these are to be written on our hearts and minds.  Jesus said "I didn't come to do away with the law, I came to fulfill it."  So we are to be living those commands by His indwelling power.  The stone tablets are fine to commemorate events, but whether they are publicly on display or not, those who are followers of Jesus ought to be living them out in the power of His Holy Spirit not necessarily writing them on stones.  Which one is more effective?

And now to address the silliness of attacks on Rudolph.  Ha.  The best part of this movie is that Rudolph overcomes the bullying.  Shouldn't we have more stories that show the underdog winning through perseverance and character.  There are mean people in the world.  Bullies existed long before there was movies to be seen.  This doesn't create bullies.  The song mentioned earlier doesn't promote men taking advantage of women.  If you listen closely, it's a song about a girl and guy who mutually are enjoying one another's company.  She is wanting to stay but has all these concerns if she stays.  Her reputation, the concern of her family and yet she would like to stay longer with him.  He is wanting her to stay and trying to get her to stay longer. Good grief.  Most of us understand this.

But neither of these attacks are attacks on Christian values and beliefs. Many of the attacks on Christmas, Easter and any other holiday traditions are attacks on the secular traditions that have developed over time to Christian holidays.  The spirit of Christmas and Easter are internal to us and eternal.  You can't get rid of these stories.  It is the story of the ages.  The attacks that come cannot touch that which truly burns within our souls.  No one can take that which is stored within my mind and heart and outlaw it.  And if there were a way to do it, I am certain the secular world whose primary leader is led by the enemy of God, they would try to do it.  Hopefully if it became a crime to think on God, meditate on His Word, pray to Him in the power of the Holy Spirit and accept the price Jesus paid for us; I hope the prisons would be filled with Christians on fire for God. I also hope there would be plenty of evidence to convict me.

So during this holiday season, maybe we should be thankful for the country in which we live. Maybe we should embrace all that we are still free to do.  How about speaking up in your sphere of influence about the TRUE meaning of Christmas.  Not getting so offended by the silly attacks on our fun little traditions.  Respond as Christ responded.  Love those around you.  Be kind and compassionate.  Spend time demonstrating the character of Christ.  While out shopping for Christmas presents, remember the reason we celebrate and offer compassion and kindness as you go.  Smile more, let someone cut in front of you in traffic or at the checkout line. Say something encouraging to the cashier.  Think more highly of others than yourself.  Love God, talk to Him and study His Word.  Write it on your heart.  Lay down the offenses and even the defensiveness.

Yes, these attacks are would be attacks on our Christian values and beliefs.  They are even trying to take away our freedom of speech.  However, take inventory of your life.  Of the rights and freedoms you currently have, when is the last time you shared Jesus with an unbeliever.  When is the last time you bowed your head in public to pray over your food, over a hurting friend or just cast your eyes upward toward heaven to ask God for help?  For those in Christ, live the life He dies for you to live.  Stop worrying so much about the attacks of the worldly.  Ask yourself, why are they so offended by Jesus.  The world is offended by an Easter Bunny, an old man in a red suit and a deer with a red nose.  As far as I am concerned, none of those represent my relationship with Jesus.  They are cute and fun, but if they are gone tomorrow, I will still love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and love my neighbor as myself.  Of these things, no man can make a law against that, and if they find a way to do it, LET'S be found fully and completely GUILTY!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!