Jacob Davis's Blog
deck the halls / 12.01.08, 11:41 AM
two people are dead already.
trampled to death in the mad rush of black friday.
one pregnant woman was trampled, but survived. she is in critical condition, and the status of her unborn child is yet announced.
some people have christmas presents.
two families are mourning, and one is holding its breath.
and what’s worse?
this happens every year.
who the hell will be held responsible?!
the companies? the shoppers? both?
this all our faults!!!!
we’ve bought into it, we’ve rationalized it, we’ve wrapped it a package and put it under a tree.
this is sick, we are the most vapid and undeserving people.
but more importantly than placing blame,
who will stand up to this whorish consumerism?
it’s not just this day. every day people die so we can live our way of life. people might ask “why such a big deal about black friday?”
because this isn’t something that we can justify with distance and displacement from the death. american citizens were murdered just as brutally as they are out here in new orleans, and for just as stupid of reasons. that’s why it’s a big deal.
isn’t the reason for this holiday to celebrate the birth of our G-d in flesh to show the world the way of salvation and redemption? didn’t He also speak out against materialism and money? didn’t He command us to love our neighbor as ourself?
this is blasphemy. there’s no other word for it.
we are brutes. plain and simple.
thank G-d for His unending grace.
the question is, who will take it and turn their backs on this harlotry?
pray for the families of the victims.
G-d have mercy on us.
thankfully G-d’s grace can cover this. and i know that He will use this for the good. but just because israel did bad things to its own people, and G-d used them for the eternal good, it doesn’t mean that the prophets weren’t meant to speak out against it.
G-d calls christians to different things. not everyone is called to the most basic of simplicity. yet materialism is so rapant in america that we are now brushing over the deaths of two people with the deaths of millions that are killed behind the scenes of our daily lifestyle. this is the worst part: we rationalize the smaller numbers with the bigger numbers.
i am thankful that Christ came to show us a new way. so if He has indeed shown us a new way, rather than a cop-out of “well, i don’t feel G-d is calling me to that lifestyle”, maybe we should read what the Bible says and do it. that might not mean giving everything away. but i can guarantee that Christ would not want us to participate in a season like this.
the other day i had a conversation with my roommate david about christmas.
“we’re fighting so hard to keep Christ in christmas, but i’m no longer so sure that He wants His name affiliated with such a holiday of greed and consumerism.” i noted.
david replied, “or maybe, He doesn’t want greed and consumerism affiliated with a holiday that celebrates His birth.”
i wholeheartedly agree.
every day, someone dies for our american comfort, whether directly or indirectly. during christmas, people die in front of our eyes for our american comfort, but we barely even blink.
take back the christmas season with love, simplicity, family, and most of all, a loving reverence for Christ and an open heart for His will.
grace to you all.
all praise be to G-d!
“While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.’ But He said, ‘On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of G-d and observe it.’” -Luke 11:28
“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” -Matthew 12:50
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Dude! Awesome stuff! So glad to see these thoughts getting out there! I remember the holiday season for me last year during my Mission Year was so eye-opening to what we’ve made it, to what we’ve allowed ourselves to believe and buy into.
This season really seems to rip us all of our abilities to think for ourselves, replacing it with blind consuming under the pressure of needing to ‘please’.
Stay in this place, don’t let go of your God who challenges you to live outside of the box we’ve made our culture into. The shadows of that box have been tempting this season now that I’m out of Mission Year and not surrounded by like-minded people. Pray for strength for me, and I’ll pray for yours…
God’s Peace,
Ashley
By Ashley / Dec 2, 05:16 PM / #