So...

This morning I read about the thing in Chicago with the merchandising of the Nativity movie. That might be, quite possibly, the stupidest thing I have ever heard of in my life. "Our guidance was that this very prominently placed advertisement would not only be insensitive to the many people of different faiths who come to enjoy the market for its food and unique gifts, but also it would be contrary to acceptable advertising standards suggested to the many festivals holding events on Daley Plaza," Jim Law, executive director of the Mayor's Office of Special Events, said in a statement. Yeah, I guess I see your point. Christmas is totally insensitive when you center it around Christ. Let me crystallize this for you, with the best clarity that I can, in order to make my stance official for all of those readers that we have and the random person that stumbles across this: When I say that there is one God who had one son who is the only way into Heaven you might find that offensive but if you do that it is for what YOU are bringing to it. I say that to point you toward the path. Why you want to avoid, ignore or tear that down is something you bring with you. It doesn't have a thing to do with me. Is it arrogant for me to say that Jesus is the only way? Is it arrogant for me to be unapologetic about who God is? You might think so and if you do I can't help that. I'm not saying that because I think I'm superior, I'm saying it because it's true. Just like I say that the sun rises in the east, I say that Christ is the son of God and without him you're lost. Notice, I haven't mentioned another religion. That's because I don't have to. They have good elements and good people in every faith, and non-faith, in the world but that is independent of the fact that I am called, by God, to claim him and tell people that He loves them enough that He gave His son to die for them. If you expect me to back off of that because of your sensitivities then you don't know me very well. God calls me to love you and that means that if the truth of Christ is going to offend you then your just going to have to accept that about me or move on because just like a surgeon I can't be afraid to hurt you if I know that I have what can save you. I know that I do, and I know that Christ can, be the things that you need in your life. I will never apologize for that. Never. And in the face of the world that wants to tell me to pipe down and not judge and accept anything that people want to do and to give them "the Kingdom of God but take God out of it", I say this: No. Despite what you want to hear, there is a standard set by the one God who loves you and wants your love. Regardless of your best intentions, and your justifications, you will be judged by that standard so accept the grace he offers you and quit wasting your life on illusions. Thursday, my son, who is 6, sat aside his excuses and his illusions to tell me that he knew he has done things that aren't what God wants for him. He knew that these things kept him from being able to be with God. He knew that Jesus died to pay for those things so that he could have a relationship with God. So my son prayed to ask God to forgive him and asked for Jesus to live in his heart and to guide him so that he could live a life that aligned with Gods will. At 6 years old, my son has a better understanding of his own nature, and the nature of God, than most adults in this world. He understands that Jesus loves him and he chooses to love Jesus back , so much so that he doesn't want to put the justifications for his sins ahead of the love God has for him. When you contrast those two things, the way the world acts towards Christ and the way a 6 year old can understand the simplicity of Gods message, it really comes down to people's intentions. People that hate God or offended by him are going to be offended. Period. It has nothing to do with if it's having "In God We Trust" on money or if it's having adds for "The Nativity" in Chicago. Christ causes that kind of polarization because of what he means. People either reject him or they accept him but there is no "in between." You can't kinda accept the truth. You either do or you don't. This PC culture war is just a cover for all of that and I'm not playing the game anymore. Just go ahead get me a gold cross to sew on my stuff and lets get it over with because I'm not shutting up about it and I'd assume my son will grow up to be just like that. Crossposted at Say Anything...