Christmas is No Longer What It Used to Be

“Christmas is no longer what it used to be.”  

I’ll bet you knew that.  Keep reading anyway, from the same source —

“It has lost its religious significance in many parts of the Western world and  has become the climax of a season of overspending, overeating, and uncontrolled merrymaking.”

You knew that, too.  Trust me, this suddenly gets good.  Only it hurts.

Ready?  “The new Christmas mirrors its pagan predecessor, which celebrated the winter solstice.” 

Those are all from a book I’m taking with me through this Advent-Christmas season.  It’s by Geza Vermes, and it’s The Nativity: History & Legend.

It’s a great complement to Adam Hamilton’s Advent Bible Study Book many of us United Methodist Christians, myself included, are enjoying, called The Journey.  

Of the 2, I’d recommend Adam’s book to you over Geza’s, for a number of reasons.

But I’m haunted by much of what is in that book by Geza Vermes.  For example, the 3 italicized sentences I quoted above here.

Again: “Christmas is no longer what it used to be.”   Join me in letting that marinate within your heart and head a bit, and I’ll see you back here soon.