Bill... and the Jehovah’s Witnesses

I do believe I've mentioned before that I enjoy chatting with the Jehovah's Witnesses when they come by...

It drives Mary friggin' NUTS... but I enjoy the philosophical back and forth... AND... they're REALLY nice people!

My buddy Ron (the local head of "our" Jehovah's Witnesses) came over with a colleague (Morgan) who appeared to be of... higher "rank." (He did much of the talking and Ron seemed to defer to him.)

ANYWAY... the discussion turned (at my behest) to Christmas; specifically, to why the Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas.

(*PURSED LIPS*)

In a nutshell... they're Bible focused... text focused... and since the Bible doesn't call for Christmas celebrations... and since Jesus wasn't actually born on December 25th in the first place... and since the timing of Christmas is actually a Christian "takeover" of the pagan Winter Solstice...

(*SHRUG*)

Well... you get the idea.

No problem! I "get" their position. But frankly... I reject it. (Well... OBVIOUSLY I reject it!)

(*GRIN*)

Here's what I told them - in a nutshell:

EVERYBODY loves the Baby Jesus!

EVERYBODY loves ol' Saint Nick!

(Or at least they should...!!!)

Christmas is a season of JOY!

Yes... I'm with the Jehovah's Witnesses in their observation that EVERY day should be a celebration of LIFE...

(And for me every day pretty much is; I know how good I've got it!)

But human beings being who and what we are... a bit of... um... "emphasis" - even if "artificial" in the sense of December 25 not being our Savior's actual birth "day"... ain't a bad thing.

Now folks... raise your hand if you typically attend church services on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day.

I do!

And I love it!

I don't attend church regularly. I'm more a "Barkerist" than anything else; meaning I believe what I believe and if I'm wrong... I guess I'll find out about it when I die. Either there's nothing... no after-life... or there is.

(*SHRUG*)

Till that mystery is cleared up for me (one way or the other) I suppose I'll just assume that The Big Guy is on board with my individual religiosity.

(*WINK*)

But back to Christmas Eve/Christmas Day Mass...

I never feel closer to God than I do when I'm attending either (or sometimes both) of those blessed services.

I actually feel God's presence... feel Him with me... feel Jesus' spiritual "hand" on my shoulder.

To "bottom line" it: I truly believe that God... assuming He exists... is friggin' THRILLED with Christmas!

Hey... continuing to "bottom line" it: ANY God to whom I'd claim allegiance WOULD love Christmas - even if Jesus Christ isn't Lord!

I have Jewish friends who celebrate Christmas. They "get" where I'm coming from.

My son-in-law - who is Muslim - attends Christmas Eve Mass with us and seems to "get" it.

Anyway... I realize I'm rambling a bit... but what the heck... humor me... after all... it's Christmas Time!