The No-No

It is said that when you are in a discussion with friends, you should never talk about politics or religion. Let’s just say I will try to heed that… but just a little, and hopefully not stray into deep waters. The reason for not speaking about these two subjects is that they can bring out the worst in us as we retreat to the safety of our little corner and shout from there. The underlying reason is quite simple really. If you don’t agree on something at the start, you will not agree at the end, no matter how eloquent the arguments are made on either side. In fact, a perfectly good friendship can be changed forever. In the hope that we will still be friends, let me take the safer of these two ‘no-nos’ and bring up the subject of politics.

The starting point is easy. In politics both sides whether left or right want to live in a better world, and so bring out their plans to make it happen. These manifestos will be identical in some points, similar in others, and diametrically opposed in a few. The trouble is that these last ones tend to be the things we want to talk about, because they are the most interesting and divisive! We are drawn like a moth to the flame. We try, but we can’t keep our mouth shut.

Now here’s the question I want to leave with you. How do you and I react when we differ greatly on a major part of the manifesto, even with our friends?? I guess for the most part, we humour them (and ourselves) and pass it over as just ‘one of those things’, and that is good. But then there are those other times when we differ (and we will) over something which separates us greatly. It’s not so easy to gloss over these ones, and so we enter dangerous ground. If we stay quiet, they will think we have come over to their way, but then if we disagree as strongly as they have made their case, we will probably say too much and jeopardise our relationship. And anyway we argue (to ourselves) we always said we should be open and honest with each other. That openness and honesty can, and will, come with a cost. And there will be more than a political price to pay.

Come to think of it, whether in politics or religion, the dangers and pitfalls are the same. There are times we must make an informed but calculated decision to speak out about those things that separate us within the Christian church, or stay silent in order to keep the peace. Either way, silent or not, there is still a high price to pay with important relationships. Maybe then the old adage is true after all. We don’t talk about religion or politics in ANY open company. The price is huge, and have you noticed that neither side is ever wrong. Bad enough when it’s politics, but unChristlike when it’s religion.

Belief

Christmas is that time when old and young are faced with the question, do we believe in Santa Claus? This is an important question, especially when adults are in the company of small children. There is a magic to the season, mainly brought about by the commercial side that sees this as the best time of the year to make a profit. In fact, some small businesses rely on their takings in December to stay solvent! Christmas is important!

I wonder what Christmas means to you this year, and in years ahead what will stick in your mind? We have seen the death and burial of a great human of recent years, Nelson Mandela. There has been another shooting at a school in the USA with death and injury. Syria dominates the daily headlines with images of displaced citizens who need basics like warm clothing and food. These things are attention grabbing, and you may look back in years to come, and associate 2013 with some of these stories. But is that all there is to it?

The clue is in the name. CHRISTmas was, and still is the celebration of the simple birth of a baby in an animal feeding trough, who came from heaven to bridge the gap between God and man. Jesus was not just a ‘good man’ or a prophet as some think, but the embodiment of God in our own human form. He laughed, cried, was tempted, betrayed, hurt, bled, and felt just like us. How good was God’s plan to give us Jesus as a baby to grow up in a small town, as part of a poor family who would know the troubles of life? Some of His own brothers didn’t accept His claims and teachings as He went about doing good. He was not accepted in His own town, or with the church leaders. But knowing this, God still sent Him at Christmas time. On the face of it, it doesn’t seem like a good plan, but we know the end of the story and it didn’t end at Christmas, or when He was tempted, beaten and crucified for doing good. The story continued to His resurrection and ascension back to heaven, His earthly work completed.

So the question remains. Do you believe? Not in Santa, but in the reason for the season being Jesus Christ, who is the whole of CHRISTmas, wrapped up in a cold manger, in a draughty stable, surrounded by poverty, but announced and serenaded by angels? I mean believe it enough to see beyond the commercialised side of the month with its trappings of temporary happiness? If you can do that, you will have a very Happy and Blessed Christmas, with all the joy that the Christchild brings.