Little Baby Jesus and The Christmas Tree
I suspect there’s been a Jewish and Muslim rush on Christmas trees to buy them all up before Christians get hold of them.
Now, I don’t know the rules for proving you are a Christian. It must involve some some of mark on your body or something because simply saying you’re a Christian and professing your faith is apparently not enough. Just ask Barack Obama.
Thanks to Nancy for the heads up.
Good grief.
1I will double-barrel bet you a box of doughnuts that if I said to the seller “Yes, I’m a Christian” he’d ask what church I went to, and if I said “‘I’m an Episcopalian” he wouldn’t believe that was Christian. (It’s happened to me. And others of us.)
2OUCH! I guess I’ll have to celebrate the holiday by giving gifts, stuffing my face, and watching sports without the benefit of a tree. Alas! Woe is me!
3I won’t be buying a Hanukkah bush from those folks.
4So I guess the church of “Our Lady of Perpetual Hot Flashes” is out.
5Jesus. Seriously, Jesus.
6I think it involves having ‘666’ tattooed on your forehead. That should be enough proof.
7what possible sense does this make. just like the az. gun dealer who doesn’t want to sell guns to obama voters.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/cope-reynolds-arizona-gun-store-owner_n_2198131.html
they have no sense of, well…anything! i guess
8So they’re cheaper for non-Christians?
9Here ya go folks — a tree for true, real Christians: http://www.bosscreations.net/ Truly really.
10Really offensive to my Jewish “Happy Holidays” self–what carols by what artists are they going to sing?http://www.google.com/search?q=jews+who+wrote+christmas+songs&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
11And all the artists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Jewish_singers
And so the Jews are not left out…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd1Pyu9_rxo
Granted they are not the religious songs, but they do help make the season merry…and spread joy–which oddly enough was what I thought the season was for–in my limited world view Jewish holidays are a bit the same, the shorthand being–they tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!!
So this pagan fertility symbol will only be made available to Christians? (And only to Christians who are not so offended by the hatefulness of the sign that they decide to buy elsewhere.)
12Why would real Christians give their money to intolerant bigots? Go buy a tree elsewhere.
And Lynn is right – Christians borrowed heavily from the pagans. Not only are these people bigots, they are ignorant bigots (OK, that was redundant, sorry).
On a much lighter note:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lce5gWKgMXI&feature=BFa&list=PL8C61A61D646F0865
This should get your “awwww” going.
13Wholly chit! Could I bring a jug of holy water and get baptized on the spot? Here’s an even better question: are those trees baptized? Shoot I don’t really care ’cause us born again Druids worship oak trees anyway.
14Gee, what would be proof of Christianity? A hair shirt? Stigmata? Glowing halo?
I’m a existential panentheistic pagan and hey, I’ve got MY tree complete with fake snow….that tree seller can BITE me.
15Odin and Thor will not be happy about this!
16That would make sense if this were in the New Testament:
Sermon Today
17Location: The Mount
Admission: Free
Loaves & Fishes: Christians Only
Christianity through America’s past = freedom, openness, charity, welcoming, inclusive.
What some people who call themselves Christians in America have become today = mean, hateful, exclusionary, intolerant.
18Thank you for the link Cheryl – that was darling!
EMoon I can relate, as a card carrying Episcopalian (actually we do not have cards, food pantry’s, wassail, women priests and bishops, lgbt priests and bishops but no cards), I once made the mistake of trying to explain to a doubting Thomas that there really was such a thing as an Episcopal Church. Out of exasperation and in an attempt to clarify I commented that we were sort of the sheep who had strayed from the Catholic flock, only to be told that the whole Catholic thing was also suspect. I gave up when shortly after that the individual in question said with deep suspicion, are you sure that it is really C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N?
What can I say about this sign? Jesus would be so proud?
PS – TexasTrailerParkTrash, I could use some info about the church of “Our Lady of Perpetual Hot Flashes” – beats a burning bush, (or is that Christmas tree?), any day and I think I may already qualify for membership!
19Actually, would not “Our Lady of Perpetual Hot Flashes” be best represented by a burning bush?
20I love: existential panentheistic pagan. Can I join your church? I already am a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Hotflashes.
21Nothing could be more representative of the spirit of Christmas than a “Visitors not welcome” sign. Wonder if they sell little burning crosses to put on the tree?
22Could they be more paste eating dumb?
23Look’s like this “Plastic Christian” should sell artificial trees and leave the real ones alone.
24If this thumb-sucking billybob can show me the chapter and verse where “Christmas trees” are mentioned in the Bible, I will pay him double.
I’ve had hot flashes, but I don’t think they’re perpetual, fortunately.
25“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be TO ALL PEOPLE.” Luke 2:10
26Trivia in case you want to bore or aggravate someone like the person who put up the sign:
“Christmas” trees–i.e., evergreen trees decorated in some fashion–are so pagan that many fundamentalist Christians refuse to have one in their church even today.
The first instance of an American pastor bringing a Christmas tree into his church nearly resulted in his own congregation burning down the building. (Ohio, 1851
).
27Another example of Billy Bob shooting himself in the foot.
Why would he want to have a financially successful holiday season?
Stupidity pays so well, doncha know?
28I wonder if I could trade a genuwine scrooge mask for a tree? I might even toss in a “bird” and the “it” could Keep the tree. It doesn’t even know how to spell krischun.
29Jesus himself wouldn’t be able to buy one of these things. Go figure.
30Is there a documented source for this photo? I’d be more comfortable knowing for a fact that this is actually posted where Christmas trees are presently being sold. Fake photos can be very unfunny.
31they are probably direct descendants of the inn keeper in Bethlehem.
32I sold Christmas trees last year and met many “Christians” who tried to scam me for a tree. One 300 hundred lb, 5’2″, toothless person claimed to be a pastor and wanted me to donate a $100.00 tree to her “Church” which just happened to be the double wide trailer she lived in. How’s that for “The Spirit of the Season”?
33Bless their freakin hearts…
34This is what we get for adopting “Pagan” symbolism. Personally, I’m all for it. I’m not Jewish; but, in my adulthood, I’ve started craving latkes at Hannukah. I even make them and invite my Latin American “Catholic” friends, along with my “Jewish” ones. (The quotes are because ain’t none of us religious in any sense). I even served Matzo Ball soup as a first course for last year’s Christmas dinner. That was because my very favorite neighbor is a 93 year-old professed Atheist who, nonetheless, was raised as an Orthodox Jew. And, anyway, I like Matzo balls. That was widely received favorably. They passed the test of being sliced with a spoon.
I just object to Christmas decorations going up before Thanksgiving. The local Whole Foods had Christmas trees for sale in mid-November. I really object to that.
35It’s probably a Nazi thing and he just wants to see if you are circumcised or not.
36OK. Here’s my pitch: give this tree seller a free pix of the cop doing the Christic thing in giving out of his own pocket a pair of warm boots and some socks to a homeless man on the street, even to the point of helping the man put the things on. My odds: 10 to 1 the tree seller would be confused.
37So….. this is what that whole “Peace On Earth….. Good Will Toward Men”…… thing is all about????
Just when you think it can’t get any more idiotic……. it does.
38As another Episcopalian, I can also recall being told I wasn’t Christian. This sort of prejudging for God is pretty uppity.
39Sigh.
40Unfortunately, the celebration of Christmas has little relationship with the actual birth of Jesus. Best estimates are that he was born in the spring of the year. The tree symbolism is not related to his birth. December 25 was adopted by the early church as a means to compete with the Roman celebration of Saturnalia.
41My skeptical conservatard friends are screaming “Photo Shopped”!!! Any idea besides East Texas or Lubbock where this was taken?
42Dave, I am clueless. Nancy sent it. I posted it because I like Nancy. Best i can figure, it came from Unvirtuous Abbey on Facebook.
43Cindy D,
LOL, sure jump right on IN, the Cauldron of Midnight Margaritas is a-bubbling and I am a charter member of the our Ladies of Perpetual Hotflashes. (Those began when I was 37, I am 60 next year and they haven’t vanished yet.)
44With appologies to those of you who are culturally sensitive, easily offended, take themselves too seriously and especially to Texas’ favorite son, Kinky Friedman: They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore.
45@Dave in Austin & JJ – Having scoped out Unvirtuous Abbey and read some of the other satire in which they specialize, I’m ready to label this photo a hoax. Very clever, though. Sure pressed my hot button!
46But, but, But…. Think South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Mason County, WillCo, anywhere in East Texas… Totally feasible in my mind.
47I just checked my wallet – somebody stole my “I am a Christian” card!
48I found this several places online all the way back to 2008 but couldn’t find the original source. Most often found in blogs favoring an amendment to the constitution restricting Christmas to Christians. Whatever the origin it doesn’t really surprise me.
49While I enjoy hearing about The Ladies of Perpetual Hotflashes, I think my church, The Church of the Inner Springs, is more inclusive of both genders.
50