Heed Jesus

[Perknose]

Jesus taught that he who eateth his grandmother's fruitcake and smileth, yea verily, as he choketh down the all but indigestible crumbs, shall inherit the Earth, or at least be mentioned in the will.

Merry Christmas!

 

[judasmachine]

Um, OK. And a happy winter solstice celebration to you.

 

[Pliablemoose]

LOL, I love fruitcake, send all your castoffs to me

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: judasmachine
Um, OK. And a happy winter solstice celebration to you.

[Rant ] I actually celebrated the Winter Solstice, did you?

But I am also American born and raised -- also raised Catholic -- so Christmas, the time of gifts and increased spending opportunities but also the time of family and light and maybe a tiny bit of spiritual remembrance, is in my bones.

Now, I have evolved quite a bit over the years from the high school senior who wrote a 30+ page paper (10 was our target) supporting the Vietnam War and ending, "America! Right or Wrong!" just as I have evolved out of the primitive Catholicism taught by the medieval nuns in the Catholic school I attended through 5th grade to a more loving and inclusive spirituality.

But I loved and still love our American Christmas, even with all its commerical overlay. As I said, it is in my bones. I'm just not gonna' throw the Baby Jesus out with the bath water. Blessed are the cheese makers.

In public, amongst strangers, I am circumspect, but here, in the pseudo familiarity of this forum, and amongst my real life friends, I will NOT default to the lamely generic and almost meaningless "Happy Holidays".

I will wish you a "Merry Christmas", and trust that you can hear that in the words of whatever seasonal tradition you hold dearest. So stop oppressing me! [/Rant]

 

[judasmachine]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: judasmachine
Um, OK. And a happy winter solstice celebration to you.

[Rant ] I actually celebrated the Winter Solstice, did you?

But I am also American born and raised -- also raised Catholic -- so Christmas, the time of gifts and increased spending opportunities but also the time of family and light and maybe a tiny bit of spiritual remembrance, is in my bones.

Now, I have evolved quite a bit over the years from the high school senior who wrote a 30+ page paper (10 was our target) supporting the Vietnam War and ending, "America! Right or Wrong!" just as I have evolved out of the primitive Catholicism taught by the medieval nuns in the Catholic school I attended through 5th grade to a more loving and inclusive spirituality.

But I loved and still love our American Christmas, even with all its commerical overlay. As I said, it is in my bones. I'm just not gonna' throw the Baby Jesus out with the bath water. Blessed are the cheese makers.

In public, amongst strangers, I am circumspect, but here, in the pseudo familiarity of this forum, and amongst my real life friends, I will NOT default to the lamely generic and almost meaningless "Happy Holidays".

I will wish you a "Merry Christmas", and trust that you can hear that in the words of whatever seasonal tradition you hold dearest. So stop oppressing me! [/Rant]

I'm an astronomy nerd. The sky is my church.

[EDIT] I totally meant that first comment as a joke. Sorry I wasn't more clear. I dunno about the money and that side of things, but I enjoy Christmas too, as I usually get to see members of my family that I don't get the oppurtunity to see very often. [/EDIT]

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
LOL, I love fruitcake, send all your castoffs to me

'Moose, what you do with "fruitcakes" in the privacy of your own home is your business, but if you try to marry one, well, have I got a Constitutional amendment for you! :laugh:

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: judasmachine
I'm an astronomy nerd. The sky is my church.

[EDIT] I totally meant that first comment as a joke. Sorry I wasn't more clear. [/EDIT]

J, I absolutely assumed that, but was grateful for the sideways opportunity to rant. Btw, I am NOT one of those "spiritual" people who looks down, even one bit, on agnostics or atheists. Whatever any one of us believes, none of us know, and I admire thoughtful atheists the courage of their convictions.

In my church, I have even heard people stand up and say they are atheists, only to go on in such a way as to make abundantly clear to me that they have a deep appreciation of the "sacredness" of each and every one of us. And that's all I can ask of anyone.

(I used "sacredness" there for want of a better term, but am not tying it in that use to any religious belief. It just has more punch than, say, "value" -- and such emphais is needed, IMHO, when we talk about the value of us all.)

And btw, the sky is a magnificent cathedral. You should see from my fire pit on a cold Winter Solstice's eve.

 

[judasmachine]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: judasmachine
I'm an astronomy nerd. The sky is my church.

[EDIT] I totally meant that first comment as a joke. Sorry I wasn't more clear. [/EDIT]

J, I absolutely assumed that, but was grateful for the sideways opportunity to rant. Btw, I am NOT one of those "spiritual" people who looks down, even one bit, on agnostics or atheists. Whatever any one of us believes, none of us know, and I admire thoughtful atheists the courage of their convictions.

In my church, I have even heard people stand up and say they are atheists, only to go on in such a way as to make abundantly clear to me that they have a deep appreciation of the "sacredness" of each and every one of us. And that's all I can ask of anyone.

(I used "sacredness" there for want of a better term, but am not tying it in that use to any religious belief. It just has more punch than, say, "value" -- and such emphais is needed, IMHO, when we talk about the value of us all.)

And btw, the sky is a magnificent cathedral. You should see from my fire pit on a cold Winter Solstice's eve.

Yup. No harm no foul. I do feel a spirituality, however it's not what most would call a religious experiance. I'm pretty much agnostic, but respectful of other's views as long as they aren't so fanatical as to deny that even their side has committed terrible atrocities. Generally I'm a live and let live type of person.

And as for the fire pit in the dead of winter, I'm with ya there buddy. I've even lost a girlfriend partially because I drug her out of bed at 3AM to watch the Leonids.

 

[Genesys]

Happy non color specific religious observance to you as well Perky,

 

[jhu]

neutral governor: "if my wife calls, please tell her 'hello'"

 

[digiram]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
LOL, I love fruitcake, send all your castoffs to me

'Moose, what you do with "fruitcakes" in the privacy of your own home is your business, but if you try to marry one, well, have I got a Constitutional amendment for you! :laugh:

LMAO!!!!!!!, literally, hahaha. That's a good one perknose.