I've been trying to get into the Christmas spirit over the last week, but I think I'm going to have to complain a bit. For one thing, it's always a challenge here in Bali, because there is no Christmas to speak of, except at Starbucks, where they play Christmas music throughout the day. In the midst of the wet season, the heat is particularly oppressive--not at all the sort of holiday weather I'm accustomed to--although I should be accustomed to it by now, after 7 years here. But then again, that has to be compared with 55 in Oregon. The volcano puffing out clouds of ash some 50 miles away seems also decidedly non-Christmassy. As I write this, I'm sitting outside, because there's no seating open inside, it's 6:30 in the evening, 29 degree centigrade (feels like 34 with the humidity factored in), and I'm sweating like a pig. Ho-ho-ho.
Aside from all that, though, there seems to be an especially Grinchy feeling to social media posts as the season progresses. I've mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. Why people become especially vicious about the Christian faith over the holiday season is a mystery to me. I mean, the other day a friend of mine (who is not even a Christian to begin with) posted what would have seemed to be perfectly agreeable short quote from the Pope (something about love and peace), but the general response was one of such bitter vitriol that the ultimate result was not one of comfort but one of depression. What the hell is going on, one wonders? What happened to peace on earth good will toward men? What happened to holiday warmth and cheer? Why is it that people feel so driven to post insulting comics or verbal insults? What harm has Christmas done them?
Aside from all that, though, there seems to be an especially Grinchy feeling to social media posts as the season progresses. I've mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. Why people become especially vicious about the Christian faith over the holiday season is a mystery to me. I mean, the other day a friend of mine (who is not even a Christian to begin with) posted what would have seemed to be perfectly agreeable short quote from the Pope (something about love and peace), but the general response was one of such bitter vitriol that the ultimate result was not one of comfort but one of depression. What the hell is going on, one wonders? What happened to peace on earth good will toward men? What happened to holiday warmth and cheer? Why is it that people feel so driven to post insulting comics or verbal insults? What harm has Christmas done them?
One commentator glibly observed that the whole silly thing (religion, that is) would probably be swept into the ashbin of history anyway within the next ten years. Is she aware, I wonder, that most Christians in the world are not white Americans, but people from other cultures which have not suffered the general malaise of the West? I might agree that western civilization may end up in the ashbin of history within ten years, but, no, not religion. Faith will prevail. It always has.
Well, and of course we're going into the holidays suddenly single rather than married--although happily, in an odd sort of way, my wife was never a very Christmassy person anyway ... but still, it's different to be alone during the season for the first time in eleven years. Perhaps if I put a Santa hat on the big fat brown dog things will seem a bit more cheery.
Speaking of the big fat brown dog, I had mentioned the other day that if she happens to kick the bucket, I might have her stuffed as a cozy chair (given that most of my furniture has moved out of the house). A friend of mine "consulted with a taxidermist" (he says) and offered the furnishing idea in the photo below, should the big fat brown dog pass on.
Cheers!
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