Festivus, anyone? - part 2

I saw on the news this week how some dude in California set himself on fire to protest the local school system's decision to use the phrases "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Easter" as opposed to the more generic, politically correct "Happy Holidays" and "Spring Vacation."

Need I say more? What a freak show... I guess I need to carry a fire extinguisher around with me whenever I deliver my well-intended "Merry Christmas" greeting to people I encounter at the bank, the grocery store, wherever...

Nevermind that a lack of religious language (use of words like "Christmas," "Easter") and symbolism (manger scenes, etc.) is also a religious perspective - meaning, a perspective that wishes to exclude religious perspective is, in one sense, a religious perspective in and of itself. Nevermind that the majority of the people in this country celebrate Christmas... I guess we've re-written the constition to mean "Freedom from religion" instead of "Freedom of religion."

Goobs. It boils down to this: Just because one person might be tired or sick of something shouldn't be reason to spoil it for everyone else. Period. You don't like manger scenes? Don't look at them. Drive by. You don't like someone saying, "Merry Christmas?" Respond with "Seasons' Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." Change the channel rather than wach 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" on TBS. Don't cover your house with Christmas lights. Skip the egg nog. Order pizza instead of eating turkey and ham. No one's making you do it. You're free to hate it.

Just don't set yourself on fire.

Festivus anyone?

Every year, you hear news reports about someone protesting a manger scene or something goofy like that. People cry out, "You're treading on my freedom of religion." Not to sound callous, but I've always questioned the integrity of one's belief system if it's so easily offended by a display of 3-foot high plastic/wood characters kneeling around a box filled with straw with a plastic or wood baby inside it.

To be fair, I supposed I can understand the isolation one must feel if they're not Christian at a time of year when a good chunk of the planet is covered in wreaths, twinkle lights, Christmas trees, and plastic figurines (which, apparently are now replaced by big, obnoxious inflatable globes with styrofoam snow inside). But in a nation governed by the 'rule of the majority,' it bothers me - not religiously, but politically - that one person's gripes can turn the tables on the many. Every person in this nation at some point or another has to bear the influence of something that is contradictory to their belief systems. Period. For some, it's the aforementioned Christmas holiday. For others, it's the increasing explicity of sex and language on primetime television. And though I'm not saying people ought not take a stand for what they believe in at all, I do think that people need thicker skin AND need to know how to pick their battles (and when to change the channel).

For example, one rabbi in Seattle threatened to sue the Seattle airport if the powers-that-be did not put up a menora alongside the Christmas trees. Rather than put up a menora, the airport removed all the Christmas trees, upending a tradition that's lasted for years. After the airport responded this way, the rabbi feared that Jews would now be viewed as Christmas Scrooges. He withdrew the suit, and the trees went back up...and still no menora.

Was he a scrooge? I don't care either way. Once you mix words like "lawsuit" with "decorations," things just look silly to me. Should he have sued? Should the mall have put up a menora? I don't know...

The "War on Christmas" - that's what O'Reilly calls it on Fox News. That may be a bit harsh, but it's a better description than 'controversy.' Even one of our own Decatur Daily editors came down hard on stance in this morning's read, trying to state that Christmas has always had secular roots and that O'Reilly's position has already 'lost' the fight. Strangely, I think this editor totally misses what O'Reilly means by "War on Christmas," since people protesting the holiday are equally protesting the secular elements as well as the spiritual.

This is just the tip of the controversy around Christmas. Don't even get me started on issues of commercialization, Christmas 'myths,' excessive spending, family gatherings, Target vs. Wal-mart over the Salvation Army, and gay nativity scenes (read about that one yesterday).

Festivus anyone?

(to be continued...)

Chestnuts have been freezing...

Ah, a few moments in front of the computer wife-free, kid-free, responsibility-free... Moments like this are few and far between these days... Kailyn's hanging out with some 'grown-up' friends as they're going shopping, Z's asleep, and Stacey's filling in for a shift up at the Wal - of - greens. I might even be able to squeeze in some much-needed naptime in a few minutes...

So far, December has turned out like every other month, just much colder. But cold is good...we need an occasional sharp contrast to the crazy-hot summers here in Alabama.

Church this morning was awesome. Amber sang the worship set with us for the first time in a while, and...holy smokes...that girl can sing. Her talent and energy really added a great dynamic of energy and musical 'quality' to the set this morning.

Last Saturday, I purchased a new koa-top Taylor T5 up at Guitar Center in Nashville. Though I may be eating Ramen for the next 5 years, I think it will be a great addition to the wall of guitars at my house. Spent this last week tinkering with it and getting used to its versatility. With two humbuckers (one hidden under the fretboard) and a 'body-sensor,' I can sound like an acoustic guitar or scream like an electric one. It was nice just hitting an A/B switch this morning to switch from an acoustic sound to an electric one without having to change instruments. I'll have to snap some pictures of my new toy and post them...

I hate the expense of musical gear. If there's one constant in the universe it's that GOOD musical gear is expensive. The only exception I've found to this rule is the sub $400 Washburn 5-string bass I bought last summer. That thing is great. But generally, you have to spend too much to get something that sounds good.

For example: Years ago (in college when I had little money for anything), I scrounged up $200 to buy my first Alvarez acoustic guitar. I loved it. I was happy with it. It was all I needed. Until...I played my friend's $700 (new in 1996) Guild, which I eventually purchased for $300 from him because it sounded so much better than my Alvarez. Not too shabby...until it was inadvertantly destroyed by a well-intentioned middle school kid (at my old church ) who was simply moving it and dropped it. Nothing like seeing the neck snap off a guitar. Ouch. So I went shopping for a replacement. I played a few within the Guild price-range. Then I played a Taylor 410. Suddenly, my other guitars didn't even seem like real guitars. So...one Saturday (one week after I got married), I bought one. My point? Is there a point? Am I caught in a consumeristic/materialistic trap? I don't think so... Taylor makes many instruments that cost thousands more than my 410 did. But why spend what I did? The Taylor is light years ahead of many cheaper guitars in tone, playability, and even 'collectibility.' I like it so much that I almost literally hate playing any other acoustic guitar. Maybe that makes me a guitar snob. Or maybe I've just seen the difference something's that's truly well-made can do for your music.

So, in an effort to sound good and (thus) craft the best-sounding worship service we can, sometimes you have to splurge. So I splurged in buying the Taylor T5, though I did luck out on buying it during a nice surprise sale event at Guitar Center. What's worse about all this, though, is that before some big changes happen in our church, I may be splurging some more before this is all over with. Yikes.

Anyone have any Ramen recipes they can share with me? Heh...