It happens every season. Halloween, Christmas and Easter finds people arguing that true Christians shouldn’t celebrate.

History is used to show how each is just for heathens. And let’s not forget the always used argument from silence that Jesus never told us to have Christian feast days. The secularization of so-called Christian feasts also rises as proof the whole holiday wreaks of demonic deception.

Odd how the world has found nothing in Pentecost to pervert. Of course, it is a hardly observed event in the church, too.

Grace1aWell, I have personal feelings about each of these. And there are some things I would do differently if I could go back decades with the knowledge I have now.

So first off, thanks to all those who enthusiastically discover “new” facts every year to heap guilt on those who celebrate. An open discussion on these things, based upon love (respect for humans and submission to God) and grace (God acting for our benefit when we don’t deserve it) could take us more deeply into faith.

But whatever my personal sense of the value of Christian feast days I feel oppressed by the repeated claims that evil saturates Christian partying in the name of Jesus. A part of me wishes for more days rather than complain about the few we have.

FreeI have experienced oppression, persecution and suffering because I live for Jesus, yet I am happy. I think joy is a bigger magnet than historical analysis to prove some Christians have given into evil.

So let’s talk. Let’s figure out how ritual, celebration and holidays can attract people to faith. Let’s dance (well, that one I might pass on) and sing and parade and dramatize and demonstrate. Let’s bury the agony of evil under a layer of joy and peace.

I apologize if my attitude seems flippant, but after three decades of hearing the same thing I have become a little, um, sarcastic. I’d say this is just my two cents worth, but Canada doesn’t have pennies anymore so I have to sound arrogant and confess this is my nickle’s worth.

Conclusion: Let’s impress people with the joy of God’s salvation rather than oppress them for having a Jesus party.

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This is just more of my Lent Journey about suffering.