Close on the heels of Christmas, let's take a look at a classic movie and think about how appropriate it is. Are we all familiar with the film Miracle on 34th Street? In short, a man who looks like Santa Claus is threatened with institutionalization because he claims to be the real deal. A little girl who believes in him spreads her faith to her mother and a warm-hearted lawyer who attempts to defend the man, Kris Kringle, in a New York courtroom.
Sounds so nice and warm. Spoiler alert, the lawyer ultimately proves Kris Kringle may sanely consider himself the real Santa Claus because the US Postal service recognizes him as such, by delivering children's Christmas letters to him. In short, the argument is this: the government dictates what reality is. Take a look:
That's the ending of the 1947 film. The film was re-made in 1994. In this version, the lawyer argues that while we can't prove that God exists, we still believe that He's there. Likewise, if we can't prove that this man is indeed Santa Claus, if we all believe it, then it becomes reality.
I hope that this offends you, especially if you are someone who searches for truth, which is the claim of most Christians, myself included. To associate the meaning of Christmas with "reality is what we choose to believe" is pure heresy. In fact, the meaning of Christmas is something much different. Ask yourself: are any of the following the meaning of Christmas?
Loving one another
Caring for Family
Being generous
Considering the less-fortunate
Choosing to be a better person
If you answered "yes" to any of these, I'd argue that you have been misled at some point. I argue that the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of God sending salvation to all the world; it's a somber remembrance of the sacrifice He made for my/our own shortcomings and selfishness; it's a wondering at the mystical formula of an all-powerful, everlasting God being incarnated in a helpless baby. In fact it is the realization that ultimate truth has come to the Earth to provide her one true hope. It is the stark opposite of pluralism or "truth is what we agree to believe."
Two brief disclaimers here. First, the things I wrote in that list are all very good things; however, they are effects of Jesus Christ's presence on Earth. In a way, they are evidence of the true meaning of Christmas, rather than the meaning itself. Second, I don't care whether Jesus was actually born in spring or the origins of the Christmas tree. In fact, I don't care when or how Christmas gets celebrated, but I care that it is celebrated for the truth.
The truth is important. The whole idea of communication operates on the idea of mutual exclusivity: when I say "The sky is blue," it must not arbitrarily also mean "The sky is orange." If it did, no humans would be able to relate. Likewise, if Jesus says He's the only way to salvation, it's impossible that He is correct as is Buddha. I'm not trying to bash other religions or shove Christianity down your throat, but which is true? Which is worth putting faith in?
Living in Ann Arbor, I've come across this semi-popular bumper sticker:
For certain areas of the world, it has a strong message about violence and oppression and accepting diversity. For other areas of the world, such as in America, it is shallow. It says, "We should strive not to question what other people believe and accept them as simply different." What about truth? If I believe one thing, and another person believes something else, I must question the validity of his/her belief. There is absolute truth, but this bumper sticker doesn't seem to direct anyone to seek it out.
Ok, now that I've ruined your Christmas spirit, let's make some tea, eat some cookies, and show some of that meaning-of-Christmas-evidence: let's love each other as we seek to know ultimate reality.
