Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Snow is pretty

I like the snow.
The snow is pretty.
In general, Seattle drivers are idiots.
Seattle drivers in the snow are really big idiots.


Click on the picture to view the original shot.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Merry Xmas

The following was included in our parish's weekly e-newsletter (I did not write the article):

Every holiday season, newspapers, malls and television commercials urge you to take advantage of "Xmas sales and specials." The word "Xmas" is easier to use in advertisements, and as a result, it's become associated with the commercialization of Christmas. But some Christians take
offense to the word "Xmas" and have called for the abolishment of this truncated version of the word "Christmas."

So why is it so controversial, and where did it originate?

For some, Xmas is a dreaded four-letter word that reemerges every holiday season. The phrase is literally and symbolically distasteful, according to its critics. Not only does it "X" out Christ, the religious figure at the heart of the holiday, it also represents a secularization of Christmas, what some see as focusing more on the presents under the Christmas tree and less on religious observance and the birth of baby Jesus.

Other Christians, who feel that Xmas takes the "Christ" out of "Christmas," believe that the letter X is used because of its resemblance to a cross, or to avoid the proclamation of Jesus' name. This modern trend, they say, must be bucked, so that people can be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.

But it turns out that "Xmas"­ isn't a modern convention at all.It was used commonly in 16th-century Europe, when many people began using the term "Christos," the Greek translation for Christ, to refer to Jesus. The letter chi in the Greek alphabet is symbolized by an X and translates to "ch." So along with the Greek letter rho for "r", the term Xmas was used to refer to the birth of Jesus as an informed abbreviation, not an offensive one. Xmas was a way for Christian scholars to refer to Jesus respectfully in an ancient language -- not to disrespect his name with a harsh symbol. In fact, variations of "Xmas"date back to 1021.

Source: http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/xmas.htm
<http://christmas.howstuffworks.com/xmas.htm>

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

A Blessed Nativity


"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us.'"
-- Matthew 1:23

"Prepare O Bethlehem, for Eden has been opened for all!"
-- Orthodox Hymns in preparation for the Nativity

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Have a merry humbug?

My good friends at the Freedom from Religion Foundation are at it again, further exacerbating our hyper-sensitive world here in Washington State, where having certain beliefs is apparently tantamount to a threat upon the livelihood of others.

I've previously blogged about their proselytizing billboard campaign. This time they have a "religionless" display at the Washington State capitol in Olympia, along with a Nativity scene, a Menorah, and an Xmas tree (apparently the Hindus, Muslims and Buddists et. al, are out of luck).

The lack of foresight that can't seem to recognize or understand the difference between a religious display like a Menorah and an atheist article that openly disparages religious belief astounds me. This FFRF display is nothing short of socially acceptable bigotry.

According to this article, the FFRF manifesto, er . . . vendetta, uh . . . I mean display (yeah, that's it) at the capitol turned up missing within a few hours of being put up. The FFRF quickly replaced it, along with plans to include the well-known religious directive, "thou shalt not steal." Seriously, FFRF? It's easy to imagine that the inclusion of this commandment (held as sacred by more than one major religion) was meant to further ridicule religious belief but you seem oblivious of the contradiction here. I thought the purpose of religion was to brainwash? Now you use it to your advantage, even in jest, when necessary?

I find the foundationally contradictory nature of your organization unfortunate (I would like to note that while I do not share in the belief, I accept atheism as a valid belief system). I find the increasing acceptance of the FFRF in our society at large to be a disturbing trend and, as it bodes for the future, more than a little scary.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Another worthwhile quote

"I have seen pride lead to humility. And I remembered him who said: Who hath known the mind of the Lord? The pit and offspring of conceit is a fall; but a fall is often an occasion of humility for those who are willing to use it to their advantage."

-– St. John Climacus

And another reason to cry, Glory to God for all things!