It’s beginning to sound a lot like…
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Singapore does have the largest number of Jews in Southeast Asia (over 200), but they remain low-key most of the time. So inconspicuous are they that the vast majority of Singaporeans have no idea that they exist. Their celebration of Hanukkah is a quiet one.
Singapore is also free of secularists who wish to make this festive season as irrelgious as possible by removing all the references to the incarnation of Christ. So why have I lost my enthusiasm for Christmas this year?
Ah, these fundamentalists – if only they knew the date for Christmas originally commemorated the birth of Sol Invictus, the “unconquered sun” – one of the gods from the late Roman period.
What killed my enthusiasm for Christmas this year is probably the over-enthusiasm of others. My polytechnic – Republic – is awash with followers of Hope Church Singapore, one of the many non-denominational megachurches that one finds all around the city-state today. Their interpretation of Christmas is so horrendous I don’t even know where to begin.
From their advert for Christmas:
"A Series of X-XtRaOrdInarY Xmas Events": Who killed Santa?? Kopitiam ChrisTmas??? Shi zi Lu ko - Christmas style?? Join Us!
See what I mean?
Christmas is now dominated by money and greed at the expense of the holiday’s more important values, but it has not affected me as much as this warped celebration of a Christian festival. I have to admit, the colourful lights and decorations that now adorn Orchard Road are rather pretty. I would sooner celebrate the nativity of our Lord with the Mohammedans than these people who pervert the name of Christ. Have I given in to the Devil’s wiles by allowing my eagerness for Christmas to die so easily? Perhaps I have. Rather, I should endure all this mockery and proceed to celebrate the incarnation of our Lord with joy.
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From the liturgy of St. Basil the Great:
He lived in this world and gave us commandments of salvation; releasing us from the delusions of idolatry, He brought us to knowledge of You the true God and Father. ...He gave Himself as a ransom to death, in which we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending through the cross into hell -- that He might fill all things with Himself -- He loosed the pangs of death. He arose on the third day, having made for all flesh a path to the Resurrection from the dead, since it was not possible for the Author of Life to be a victim of corruption.
This is why Christ was born – to free mankind from the chains of death.
Okay, rant over.
‘tis the season for forehead rug burns
fa la la la la, la la la la
To push away the plate to obtain what our heart yearns
fa la la la la, la la la la
To stare in awe at Christ Who joins our race
fa la la la la, la la la la
So that we like His mother, might one day touch His face
fa la la la la, la la la la
- from Gregory
1 Comments:
Wonderful post, thank you!
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