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This time of year brings music, sentiment and declarations of joy to the world. It’s lovely music and a lovely thought but it’s also a lovely lie.
We need a proper understanding of this man Jesus, who is supposed to be the reason for the season. Nothing could be further from the truth. We need a different understanding of the words of the Bible and a different understanding of the meaning of the Christmas and a different way of acting to make this time of year a true Christ-Mass and not X-mas. In mathematical equations, “X” stands for the unknown and for many of us Christmas Day, its symbols and meanings are unknown.
The meaning of Christmas is found in the very word itself: “Christ’s Mass,” an Old English term for “celebration for Christ.” Beyond traditional December festivities, however, the true meaning of Christmas celebrates Jesus Christ’s birth and honors His divinity, His perfect example of charity, and the significance of His impact on the world, according to scholars.
›If one was born to sacrifice his life for the sake of humanity and the redemption of man, should a day in his honor be devoted to drinking, pursuit of personal pleasure and gifts, X-rated office parties and holiday hook ups that bring momentary pleasure but lasting pain, and perhaps an incurable disease?
And, as we close the year, should we close the year engaged in “fantastic foolishness” versus a sober assessment of the year that was and consideration of the year to come?
Jesus was a Black man and scriptures in the Bible speak of him coming with hair like lamb’s wool and feet like brass burned in an oven. In other passages of the Bible, the genealogy of Jesus is discussed and Jesus’ linage is connected to Solomon, who said, “I am Black but comely.”
So what we need is an understanding of the reality of a Black revolutionary Messiah who is connected to Black liberation. You will never get that understanding, the proper understanding of Jesus from the one who enslaved you in the name of Jesus, and who used his righteous name as a cover for their dirty practices in the name of religion.
We don’t need to embrace celebration and sentiment that keeps us distracted from the reality of our condition and the need and power we have to change these conditions.
“Jesus is garbed up and commercialized on by a world of evil and sin and you like this, my people–you love this now. You defy anyone, even God Himself, to try and remove your love of what is false,” The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, patriarch of the Nation of Islam writes in his great book “Our Saviour Has Arrived.”
“You cannot prove that the 25th day of December is the birthday of Jesus and you are preaching out of a Bible which does not carry any such history. … His birth is mocked and disgraced with drunkenness, murdering, gambling, and every type of evil committed on such a day … . ”
Paganism, incest, and drunkenness are tied to this false holiday and not based on Jesus, his life, his work, or his birth, nor his mission. Pagan traditions were incorporated into Christianity to make the transition easier. Did you know Christmas was not always legal in America? “Shocking as it sounds, followers of Jesus Christ in both America and England helped pass laws making it illegal to observe Christmas, believing it was an insult to God to honor a day associated with ancient paganism,” according to an article, The Surprising Truth: Christians Once Banned Christmas by Remy Melina published by www.livescience.com. And, the article said, Christmas activities, especially drinking were banned by the Puritan-dominated Parliament of England in 1644, with the Puritans of New England following suit. Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and the Plymouth colony made celebrating Christmas a criminal offense, it said.
Today the Christmas Season is the “most dangerous time of the year.” In Texas alone, in 2017 “property losses in Texas due to criminal activity were at some of their highest levels around the holidays, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. More than 12,000 burglaries, 45,000 thefts and 3,000 robberies were reported in January following the holiday season,” according to the San Angelo Standard-Times.
The National Retail Federation estimates people are spending more than $1,000 for things like gifts and food. Another analysis says people are expected to spend nearly $800 on gifts alone–and it’s putting people in debt. NerdWallet says 28 percent of shoppers entered this holiday season with debt from last year still hanging over their heads. Americans plan to spend nearly $720 billion this holiday season, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Where is this in the Bible?
In truth, the proper way to observe the holiday season is with love, unity, spiritual values and the joy and peace righteous behavior brings.
Since 2015, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Nation of Islam have called for withholding Black dollars as a political and social statement against the oppression, police killings, disrespect and injustice we suffer. Our theme has been “Up With Jesus! Down With Santa!” as part of the economic withdrawal campaign during the holiday season, furthering the drive for Justice … Or Else!
During a November address at Mosque Maryam in Chicago, Min. Farrakhan said, “This Christmas let’s make it a real mass for Christ.”
“Christ is not interested in you going in the store and making the already rich rich, putting yourself in debt for another year to give out gifts. Come on! Jesus didn’t ask you to do that,” Minister Farrakhan added.
The Minister offered an alternative approach and activity taken from the Holy Quran’s 107th Chapter titled, “Acts of Kindness.”
“It doesn’t cost money to be kind,” he stated. “A smile and kind word to one’s neighbor would be the best gift. But this Christmas, let love break out in the ghetto. They won’t even know what happened the next day when they see a measure of peace.”
What a way to mark the holiday season and what a way to begin the New Year, making efforts to truly bring peace on earth and goodwill toward men. It’s not too late, reject falsehood and embrace acts of kindness to your family, friends and neighbors and prepare for a more purposeful and peaceful new year.
