With a week to go before the ordained day, I know that many will be preoccupied, so today I spell brevity.
And okay, this is my final annual lamentation about what this “season” has become. I seem to have been losing out for years. At a macro level. But many will heed my caution. These seemingly – negative perspectives of Christmas constitute my effort to have the overly exuberant temper their contribution to the rampant commercialism – and consumerism – evident at this time. Now that Christmas seems more secular than Christian.
The business sector has its right to utilize, to exploit, people’s enthusiasm – born of a festival’s traditions – in order to sell. Parents (especially) have a responsibility to balance their budgets meant for the home and the children “for Christmas.” Christian or not, we should make time. Much time for the religious, the spiritual – aspect of this joyous story of hope.
So consider my final Christmas–related repetitions below.
***
Faith, Catholics, Christ, doubt
I’m always stimulated, provoked by what Ian McDonald reported on five-six years ago.
Cogitating on the basis of Christians’ belief in God and (His Son) Jesus – the Christ, even the longevity and status of the Roman Catholic Church, McDonald discovered that there seems to be a “struggle” between the traditional orthodoxies and a modern theological liberation within today’s bastion of the various established Christian Churches.
It is evident that modern-day Christian scholar–historians and theologians are discovering some relevant – if seemingly irreverent – untold truths.
Reported McDonald: “Catholic Modernists hold the following to be almost self-evident: that Jesus died without believing that He was Christ or the Son of God; that He knew nothing of the Trinity; that He would have learnt from His mother who His natural father was; and that He (himself) taught the imminent arrival of a Messianic figure whom He never identified with Himself.
This consensus also appears to include the belief that Jesus’ body remained in its tomb and decomposed there like any other body.”
Now what heresy, what blasphemy is all the immediate above when millions are set to be traditionalist and celebrate the Virgin Birth of Jesus?! Surely this is out of place! At any Christian Season! Obviously the Christian (Catholic) traditionalists reject the modernists’ findings even preaching that “anyone dissenting from the church’s approved teachings and who remain in it, is a fraud.”
Fair enough, but what am I to believe? I know that vast portions of mankind need a faith, a religion, a balm. Spiritual reassurance offers motivation and hope. But to me, Frankly Speaking, belief should be built on truth, facts, and yes, divine inspiration. Also to me, religious teachings must indicate rational practical, just guidelines for everyday life. Religious rituals, infrastructure and celebrations must be all tributes to unity, tolerance and love.
Quite a few thoughts at this Christmas-time 2015, huh?
Discuss… Christmas- forever “white”?
My second “repetition” has to do with my strongly held perspective about how successful (globally) the Caucasian Europeans have been in terms of “white washing” many about this Festival (of the Christ) From my own Guyanese childhood to adulthood I too was a victim of all the European customs, songs and imagery of a very white Christmas. With holly, ivy, mistletoe, pine trees, reindeer, and sleighs and yes snow!
I’ve shaken it off even as I do my wee bit to keep Guyanising the festival, full well knowing however, that even its origin was “foreign.” But guess what? I submit that so psychologically successful are the Europeans, that if some Guyanese and West Indians don’t see (images of) Frosty the snowman, jingle bells, chestnuts in firesides and winter wonderlands, their “Christmas” will actually lack “something.”
Discuss… then find out about kwanza.
Dr Clive Thomas’ credibility…
At stake? Won’t the consequences of remarks by the late Walter Rodney’s Comrade, our distinguished Caribbean economist Clive Thomas, made over the past few days, allow us to assess his credibility? During 2016? Credibility has to do with “believability”.
Plausibility also comes to mind. All these could be at (your) stake, Doc. Here are a few excerpted comments attributed to Dr Clive Thomas in the Kaieteur News – never refuted by him- speaking of PPP corruption as well as about NICIL.
“There are intense investigations going on right now and believe me, we here at SARU intend to see that justice is done… those who did the crime will definitely do the time. We are building some irrefutable cases… We have some evidence on certain officials within the PPP who have been involved in serious money-laundering activities and these will be revealed in due time…
When I look at some of these documents it is astonishing. I just can’t understand how people who call themselves leaders could act so callously.
It’s inhumane what they did; we were being ruled by a set of people who had no conscience…”
Dr Thomas, also a Presidential advisor, has given us the assurance of investigative assistance from the USA and Britain and a Guyana-born UK expert on corruption and asset recovery, already appalled at his findings, is active here too.
But it is said that solid prosecution will take time. I say: we must hold Dr Thomas and SARU- To his promises. If he fails, I fear for his credibility. (Jail the proven thieves!)
Ponder well…
Careful Dave, I don’t say nothing to celebrate. Indeed I’ve always written about “10 good things since independence.” I just prefer observance (a thought for you: the poor loves and needs a celebration. The comfortable encourages them to do so.
No death penalty? Okay hard labour then! I dare not say bring back the cat-o-nine tails!
Fair enough, the President and some advise the police not to shoot to kill. So could they also please advise the murderous bandits not to shoot to kill the police?
`Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
