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[First posted in 2012 and reposted every season when the Filipino tradition of “simbang gabi” or midnight mass begins with the ringing of church bells. ‘Tis the season to remind one and all to respect one another’s freedom to practice his/her religion of choice.—Admin1.]
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Q: Do Sinaites celebrate Christmas?
A: Sure . . . why not? Surprised?
We have had a history of celebrating Christmas when we were Catholic, then Evangelical, then Messianic, and to this day when we no longer regard it to have any specific religious significance—at least for us.
We belong to those parts of the world that have calendared Christmastime as a holiday season with distinctive traditions intended to generate goodwill and peace among mankind, never mind that its roots are questionable.
For a culminating celebration timed at the turning of the year, even in countries without 4 seasons, or the tropics without a winter though still experiencing solstice, it is associated with gift-giving, family reunions, savoring the final week of the year with some introspection, aside from the Christian designation as the birthday of one acclaimed Jewish ‘Messiah’.
Even if we no longer believe the “reason for the season” we still recognize it as a time full of merry-making and joy-full traditions:
- when people who are not in talking terms are moved to reconcile;
- when employers exhibit generosity by giving year-end bonuses;
- when offices and schools hold holiday parties in anticipation of the transition to a new year.
It is a time to remember the neglected with greeting cards and an occasion to show appreciation in any meaningful way. If there was negligence to do this during the year, Christmas is the catch-up and make-up time. We turn into gift-giving Santas as well as gift-anticipating “children” at any age.
In fact for so long now, Christians have lamented that “Christ” has practically been taken out of “Christmas” and it has turned into one big secular holiday where commercial establishments make a killing selling decorations, gifts, holiday wear, seasonal music, etc. Give the business people a break, it IS a good time for business indeed! It could be an appropriate time to unstress except that so much last-minute preparation and shopping craziness cause unnecessary stress. It is also a time when amidst the merrymaking, the lonely are affected by depression on the one hand, while revelers throw all caution away by eating and drinking too much. Not even these negatives succeed in dampening the annual celebration and every year-end it starts all over again this crazy season.
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If you’ve read the article Who really was born on December 25?, you will discover that there have been attempts by religious purists and ‘the intolerant of other faiths’ to censor the religious holiday since its roots are pagan, but without lasting success. Culture, tradition and habit are stronger incentives to continue the celebration and there are fewer purists and fundamentalists than there are liberal-minded people. After all, what is so wrong with generosity, goodwill and—let’s not forget—a really good time for people of all ages? When do we ever see these 3 “G”s come together on any holiday in the year?
Keep Christmas, it is a GOOD holiday season for all humanity, regardless of what religionists turn it to be for their flock and regardless of others’ non-recognition of the religious reason.
Tolerance and respect for all faiths is good to cultivate, there is no harm in ‘live and let live’; Christians, Jews, Moslems and atheists each have their differing ways of observing or not observing this festive time of the year. What does it matter anymore, what the cause for celebrating is? Does it bring blessing, happiness and joy even temporarily in the lives of the celebrants? Then so be it! Each individual knows why he/she chooses to join the throng or not, let’s be thankful we have that freedom to believe in what we choose to believe, as long as it does not cause harm to our neighbor.
my refuge in time of distress,
to you the nations will come
from the ends of the earth and say,
“Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods,
worthless idols that did them no good.
Do people make their own gods?
Yes, but they are not gods!” Jeremiah 16:19-20 [NIV]
We Sinaites are well aware that there is no God but YHWH Who has no beginning and has no end. Aside from religious or observant Jews, how many recognize and worship YHWH as the True God? How many call on His Name? Well, add Sinaites to that minority!
Does that prevent us from celebrating a season held dear by our Christian friends and families? It need not. We celebrate the joy of knowing the truth about Christmas, of recognizing we are all journeying on the same path among God-seekers, of respecting the diversity of God-centered religions, and of people who live the TORAH life even if they’re not aware of it because it IS written in each heart by the Giver of TORAH . . . . and that is a good reason enough for us to celebrate!
Jean Isenberg, 2007
This is a story I share in tribute to a Jewish atheist named Jean Isenberg who had become my friend when I was living in Santa Rosa, CA, circa 2000-2007. In his senior years, he played the violin to entertain the elderly at senior homes; I had worked as a recreation director in one “Assisted Living” facility and met him. Besides our common ministry toward seniors and love for music, we connected on different levels and became dear friends. I was still messianic in belief, but we celebrated Passover together with my three sons— he according to Jewish tradition, and I according to the Christ-centered messianic tradition. The one Christmas tradition he never failed to join year after year was the “Singalong Messiah” where every musician who played any instrument at all and every singer who knows Handel’s “MESSIAH” came together to play/sing the whole composition under one conductor who led the unrehearsed but much anticipated musical celebration year after year. I was part of the audience who couldn’t sing and was familiar only with the Hallelujah Chorus and not much else. It was attended by people of all faiths and no faith, like my atheist Jewish dear friend. He has since passed away but I fondly look back to that one memory of a Jew who didn’t even believe in the claims of the Hebrew Scriptures, much less the Christian Bible . . . and yet enjoyed every aspect of this year-end joyous celebration with his fellowmen, giving a musical tribute to a God whose existence he did not acknowledge in belief, but this is the wonder of it . . . even as an atheist, he nevertheless lived TORAH! That is love and respect for your neighbor’s convictions, something religionists need to learn and cultivate.
Would that people of differing beliefs could all come together under the Baton of the OneTrue God to play the ultimate cantata and join the chorus in one beautiful harmony of different notes, praising “Ha Shem” — THE NAME — symbolized for now in the Tetragrammaton YHWH. Some know His ineffable Name but don’t dare utter it; others call Him by other names. Since there is no God but YHWH, the all-Merciful, all-Gracious, full of Loving Kindness, Righteous and Just God — He most probably tolerates man’s ignorance for a while, knowing He has left His Signature all over His creation and His Revelation for Israel to share and for all mankind to discover. It is only a matter of time for each searching heart to find Him and acknowledge Him . . .and so we wait for each other and prod each other along the way . . . in our pilgrimage. We earnestly believe if we are seeking, we will find Him, that is the promise!
Goodwill toward humankind and peace in our hearts as a result of knowing ‘Christmas’ truth, indeed we join the merrymaking but for a different reason!
On December 25, I received this text message from the president of the Jewish club in our city: “Feliz Navidad.” I texted back, “that is a strange greeting from a Jew.” His answer: “Hey, if it makes one a better person, then all religion is good.”
A merry Christ-mas to our Christ-ian and Messianic friends,
and happy holidays and a joyful year-end celebration
to all others like us, Sinaites, who are celebrating
the meaning of the words associated with this season:
joy, love, peace of heart and mind,
and good will to one and all!
NSB@S6K
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