R Garfield

God and Christmas Saturday, 24 December 2005

This is something I have been thinking of posting about, especially since I read an editorial letter in the Kingsport Times-News stating that not saying “Merry Christmas” was an offense to God, and that people would have to answer to Him for it.

While very obviously heartfelt, the letter was also very obviously mistaken: nowhere in my Bible do I find evidence that not acknowledging Christ’s Mass is an offense to God. I’ve been wanting, but lacked the time, to respond, and part of my response was that it’s not the birth, but the Re-Birth that is important in scripture.

The Trumpet did respond, and did a beautiful job.

I started my post-high school career as a pre-theology student; at the time, I fully intended to become a preacher, and UVa-Wise (then known as CVC) offered two paths to that end: I chose history. Things happened, I switched majors, and obviously did not enter the ministry.

But that doesn’t mean that I no longer believe in God. I do. If that makes me a superstitious crackpot to various other people, so be it. (It does, in fact. I know names, and because it’s people I like and respect, it’s a bit upsetting.) But I have never advocated and will never advocate belief without question, and without knowledge.

There’s quite a bit of knowledge contained in this article. Go forth and study.