Christmas Junk

Yes, I fell myself under no obligation to join the mob for Pastor's Christmas Knick-Knack parade.  I am not going to say anything about my non-involvement for fear of being labeled some sort of public Scrooge. However, knick knack paddy wack give the dog a bone. Personally speaking, I can't think of a more trivial and worthless cause upon which to waste my time and energies than that of the right of private citizens to force the government to plant manger scenes and creches on public lands. Like, so? And what sort of fruit will this Catholic ritualistic parade of bric-a-brac produce, may I ask? Sometimes these so-called "Southern" pastors get off on these extremist tangents and what can we poor parishioners do about it? Nothing, absolutely nothing. If we force public acceptance of creches and manger scenes, who is going to block the installment of gigantic Buddha statues and various other symbols of polytheistic and pantheistic and occultic religions embraced by these peoples immigrating here from all corners of the planet? I just don't see why anyone would give priority to this type of religious statement at the expense of the true spirit of Christmas. Jesus really was God having taken on flesh, appearing in human form to meet with us here on earth so he is worthy of our praise and worship. However, some symbolic likeness fashioned by human hands just isn't the same thing. I seriously doubt that early Christians placed any faith in artistic representations of Jesus. That stuff developed later. It is good to be reminded of the historical Jesus always. However, God is spirit and the early church knew that true worship is expressed in spirit and in truth. If no manger scenes existed, would it matter? Would the Holy Spirit be any less powerful if we did not have to fill our houses with bells and baubles and other holiday junk for the season, if in fact we were not even able to do so for some unforeseen reason? What does Christmas really mean anyway? It makes you wonder.