The Christmas Eve service on base was really quite interesting and amusing more than anything else. From slide-lyrics broken up in strange places to re-reading of Biblical passages (as if the first reader didn't get it right!), with at least three times during singing that the pianist, the slide-changer, or the Pastor brought the singing to a standstill except for us brave and rebellious souls who kept singing through the awkward moments (and those of you who know how I feel about my voice can understand a dimention of how humored I must've been in order to keep singing when it was mostly quiet) and got everyone back into the song.... it was funny. It was pretty at points, and we had a candlelit portion, but more than anything else, it was amusing.

One of the funny side-bars was that I was sitting with my Captain and her husband, because we'd gotten there at the same time. And everyone kept asking her if I was her daughter. I know I look really different out of uniform, with my hair down, and actually *gasp* wearing makeup, but you see me every day!!! I took it as a compliment anyway, of course. I very much like my Captain and her husband, and each of them commented to the other how dangerous it was having me with the one (that is, she first said that her husband and I made too many corny jokes together, and then her husband said that she and I made too many wisecracks together)... And since my own mother and I aren't together tonight, my Captain made as decent a substitute as could be found, I do believe.

The sermon was about people celebrating Christmas and not celebrating Christ. It was, somewhat ironically, about a foreigner visiting the States and coming away with the impression that much of December is a great big party, and learning about Santa and trees and snow, but not ever having an understanding of what Christmas is really all about. He even threw in the whole idea that people now say Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. He also told a particularly morbid story (which I will not repeat here, because I really don't feel it should have been told in the first place) as an analogy of this, trying to drive home the idea of not forgetting about the Baby for whom we are joyful.

Now, I personally disagree with the idea that we should only say Merry Christmas. Granted, I'm really not the outward Evanglistic type, the one who will walk up to strangers and start telling them about Jesus. I believe in getting to know people, accepting them for who they are and being honest about who I am... and if they open the door to interest in hearing about my faith, I will gladly share it. I am in no way ashamed of Jesus, and everyone who knows me for long at all knows that I am a Christian, but I am also sensitive to the heartbreaks and heartaches of this world an the way that Evangelism can be perceived as shoving it down people's throats rather than a genuine interest in their welfare. Care for the welfare they're aware of first, and if they see Jesus in you in the process, they will want to know more naturally... That's what I feel. So because of that, I am a strong supporter of the diversity (religious, cultural, and otherwise) in this world, and a strong supporter of saying Merry Christmas to those you know are Christians and/or are celebrators of some form of Christmas. Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings is a great way to sum up both Christmas and New Year's being only a week apart, as well as the great mix of other holidays that exist in this timeframe. When you don't know what a person celebrates, or when you know they celebrate holidays other than Christmas, it's more than appropriate to wish that their holidays are happy as well. To say Merry Christmas to everyone you meet (except perhaps on Christmas Eve and Christmas itself, or at least to those dressed in festive colors which would lead a reasonable person to deduce they may be celebrating) is just furthering the commericalized, watered-down version of Christmas anyway. If you're not going to stop and have a twenty minute conversation with people about what you believe, why should you believe those two words are going to express to them anything about your true faith and the reason for celebration? Saying Merry Christmas at this point is little different than saying Happy Holidays or putting a Santa Claus lawn ornament in front of your house. To those in a community of believers, it is a sign of common faith and a deeper greeting, but to say it to every passing stranger, it holds no extra significance.

In a similar way, the only reasons a foreigner would come away with the impression about the big party are because 1) no one welcomed them into their midst in a religious context, assuming this foreigner were open to that, and it is the lack of welcome rather than the lack of religious ceremony that is the problem, and 2) because most of Western Culture celebrates Christmas as a cultural holiday, and every decoration we buy or container of red-and-green sprinkles we put on our sugar cookies continues this. Should we stop decorating? Why would we go so far as that? Some have, and that's certainly their choice to make, and one I will support if ever in the situation to do so in their lives. But those who have not so chosen need not be encouraged to stop with the decorations, the candies, the parties.. just recognize that it is one aspect of Christmastime that is very important, and anyone who has been away for December can really attest to how important. A natural consequence of the togetherness and community, of the common colors and decorations that we find in Christmas is that a person not indoctrinated will not necessarily be aware of why we have that togetherness. Likewise, a visitor to a Muslim country may not be aware of why they fast during the day for Rhamadhan and then get together with all their friends and family and party all night long, but this visitor may very well enjoy the party. This visitor could easily leave with a box of gourmet dates in hand and never know anything about the Qu'ran and devotion. Especially if this visitor comes during the Eid that follows, and the people aren't fasting during the day anymore, and it's just three days worth of partying. If this visitor is not invited to a Qu'ran reading or talked to directly by a Muslim explaining their beliefs and practices, the visitor may just think he's had a really wild visit to the Arabian Gulf (or other Muslim area) and never have a clue what was really going on. It's the nature of the beast, Chaps, and it's really not that bad of a thing. Let's diagnose the problem instead of the symptoms, if a problem indeed exists.

I know what you're thinking: "Gee, Patty, tell me how you really feel... and I'd like that in essay form." I know, I know. I'm a little opinionated on this matter. It also has a lot to do with the fact that I would never be comfortable attending this particular church service regularly, partly because of the style, and their own lack of welcoming, and partly because of other issues I'd rather not go into detail about at this time. And so I have so far been more of a C&E Christian than ever I was before, though I still routinely search for other local church services and watch the base Chaplain news for any change in the lineup. And there are so many other factors involved. These thoughts are thoughts I've had for years and have been having especially this month anyway, but sitting through the sermon tonight pushed them over the edge to where I had to get them outta my system.

The end.