As Orthodox Christians it should concern us that we invest so much money and time in the "holiday traditions" that brings more benefit to the enemies of God than to the Holy Church.
I understand more this investment from protestants and Roman Catholics. But it fails me to understand why we Orthodox are so 'materialistically' focused during December.
We run from store to store shopping for gifts, trees, decorations etc to prepare for the big day.
The cost for these things are expensive. Imagine how many monastaries could be helped or starving mouths could be fed ALL year with all the xmas money wasted on trees, gifts etc.
This is the one time of year when Orthodox, Roman Catholic and protestants follow the same 'exact' traditions. NO conflicts at all here. You can not tell one form the other.
All of us take our kids to see and take pictures with that jolliest of elves st nick. We teach our kids to love this man and his whole winter wonder world of flying reindeer, north pole, chimneys, lists, toys etc. All of our kids have "visions of suger plumbs dancing in their heads" by DEC24 (pronounced: DEKTWENTIFORE). I know of many muslims and jewish that keep the same traditions lately. They say that "the decorated tree (christmas tree) is really not "Christian" and niether is the st. nick from the north pole, chestnuts roasting, jack frost,rudolph, wreaths, fruit cakes, jingle bells and so on. They say it is all winter festival traditions adopted to serve as christian".
Interesting.....
I could not really wage much of a defense since I have no biblical knowledge or Orthodox Christian references to support any of these traditions as doctrinal "Christian or at lease accepted "Christian" traditions as defined by the Holy Church.
Not that lack of such info makes these traditons bad or un-acceptable; but it makes you think.
Some of us try to s -q -u -e -e -z -e some modicum of Advent into the fray.
I find the whole matter a little sad.
I would rather we put our money into Church ministries in lieu of gifts to each other and take the money for decorations and invest it in our various church building funds and the food money to go toward food pantries and outreach etc, etc.
My point is we give too much time and money to business which is for the profit of this dead world than toward the hope of the prophets which is the Advent of the Christ and His mission on earth at this time of year.
And we remove our children form the blessing of Advent with all the fables, stories, cartoons, toy, parades and so on.
It is a 'magical' time for the kids indeed. It seems to me that these traditions are hardly edifying God from a strictly Orthodox perspective. "Magical" (which is commonly used to describe the experiences of this time of year) to me is hardly acceptable Orthodox terminology. I have not come acorss this word "magical" within Orthodox doctrine and teaching.
As Orthodox Christians how can we make this a time "souly" spiritual and benefiting to our salvation and the salvation of the whole world?
Can we keep all the things we are currently doing at this time of year and make them truely enriching to the Church of God instead of mans pocket?
Can we remove the "wonder" and "magic" and restore the 'Holiness' and "praise" of God as the ultimate and real anticipation...... a real experience for us and our innocent children at this time of year?
Or shall we remain as is; maintaining traditions that even non-christians are embracing in this new age?
I understand more this investment from protestants and Roman Catholics. But it fails me to understand why we Orthodox are so 'materialistically' focused during December.
We run from store to store shopping for gifts, trees, decorations etc to prepare for the big day.
The cost for these things are expensive. Imagine how many monastaries could be helped or starving mouths could be fed ALL year with all the xmas money wasted on trees, gifts etc.
This is the one time of year when Orthodox, Roman Catholic and protestants follow the same 'exact' traditions. NO conflicts at all here. You can not tell one form the other.
All of us take our kids to see and take pictures with that jolliest of elves st nick. We teach our kids to love this man and his whole winter wonder world of flying reindeer, north pole, chimneys, lists, toys etc. All of our kids have "visions of suger plumbs dancing in their heads" by DEC24 (pronounced: DEKTWENTIFORE). I know of many muslims and jewish that keep the same traditions lately. They say that "the decorated tree (christmas tree) is really not "Christian" and niether is the st. nick from the north pole, chestnuts roasting, jack frost,rudolph, wreaths, fruit cakes, jingle bells and so on. They say it is all winter festival traditions adopted to serve as christian".
Interesting.....
I could not really wage much of a defense since I have no biblical knowledge or Orthodox Christian references to support any of these traditions as doctrinal "Christian or at lease accepted "Christian" traditions as defined by the Holy Church.
Not that lack of such info makes these traditons bad or un-acceptable; but it makes you think.
Some of us try to s -q -u -e -e -z -e some modicum of Advent into the fray.
I find the whole matter a little sad.
I would rather we put our money into Church ministries in lieu of gifts to each other and take the money for decorations and invest it in our various church building funds and the food money to go toward food pantries and outreach etc, etc.
My point is we give too much time and money to business which is for the profit of this dead world than toward the hope of the prophets which is the Advent of the Christ and His mission on earth at this time of year.
And we remove our children form the blessing of Advent with all the fables, stories, cartoons, toy, parades and so on.
It is a 'magical' time for the kids indeed. It seems to me that these traditions are hardly edifying God from a strictly Orthodox perspective. "Magical" (which is commonly used to describe the experiences of this time of year) to me is hardly acceptable Orthodox terminology. I have not come acorss this word "magical" within Orthodox doctrine and teaching.
As Orthodox Christians how can we make this a time "souly" spiritual and benefiting to our salvation and the salvation of the whole world?
Can we keep all the things we are currently doing at this time of year and make them truely enriching to the Church of God instead of mans pocket?
Can we remove the "wonder" and "magic" and restore the 'Holiness' and "praise" of God as the ultimate and real anticipation...... a real experience for us and our innocent children at this time of year?
Or shall we remain as is; maintaining traditions that even non-christians are embracing in this new age?