Happy Holidays! Five More Random Questions.
Happy Thoughtful Thursday to you and Happy Holidays! I trust you are relaxing in the spirit of the season and embracing every good feeling this time of year exudes in the atmosphere! In all the excitement and shopping and gift giving and goodwill, I hope we always remember… Jesus is the reason for the season!
Today I have five random questions for you. Five things that are either perplexing to me or irritating to me or both! Anyway, I’m stumped. Maybe you can help! Come back and give me your feedback on these five random questions.
1. Why do people call you AT WORK and say, “What you doing”?
2. Why do I have to put on my turn signal to merge onto the highway when I have nowhere else to go but onto the highway?
3. Why do people who say they are Christians take “Christ” out of Christmas and substitute Him with an X?
4. Why do SEEMINGLY intelligent people send out emails/texts that say forward this message to 10 people and you’ll receive this or that (usually money) and if you don’t forward it and break the chain, you will go broke?
5. Why are the Jacksons doing a reality show?
Holla Back!
Hey Kathy,
For kicks and giggles I will take a stab at this. This is only my opinion not the Gospel
Answers to the Above 5 questions
1. Because they are not working and that is their way of telling you
2. To remind the idiots on the Highway that there are others that have a right to merge on.
3. Because of two reasons: They do not want to offend non-believers or Fear of what may come of it.
4. They believe in the Magic or Luck this may bring and not God.
5. They need Money and for you to hear their side of the story also possibly there chance to get on the Map of Success since Micheal is not an issue anymore……..Mostly Money….
Bless you Kathy!!
@Yolanda Marion – Happy Holidays to you Yolanda!
#1. I disagree. I think people just do it as ritual. Lol. MOST TIMES THEY ARE AT WORK TOO!
#2. I agree!
#3. I am much more concerned about offending Christ than non-believers! You must be in an environment where there are many non-believers. What exactly would come of a Christian saying Christmas vs. the other? (I can’t bring myself to even type it using the X and leaving out Christ)
#4. I get mad every time I get one!
#5. I really think them doing this reality show devalues their “Star” power. They just become another famous family for us to make fun of! To be honest, for me, it takes away some of their classiness and puts them in a category with the Osbournes! No offense, I’m just saying! (although…I think Kelly Osbourne did TONS to increase her family’s “Star” power as she metamorphosed on Dancing With The Stars! Loved her!)
1. I agree with both of you. Out of habit, and possibly they’re at work and bored or need a distraction for the moment. I sometimes call others when I’m on the verge of falling to sleep at my desk and at that point will randomly say just about anything to wake me up.
2. I agree with you both and will add that here in Columbus, on many freeway entrances you have the option of actually getting on the freeway or staying straight so you can go back to the street.
3. I believe that any Christian that allows or puts the “X” to replace Christ in Christmas is a bootleg Christian. Real Christians will take a stand for the truth and not be ashamed. It’s like saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. What may be politically correct to the general population, in this instance should not apply to the true Christian. I take my stand and say Merry Christmas even if someone says Happy Holidays to me. It’s just what’s right.
4. I abhor those messages. No matter how good the message in them may be, please do not send them my way. I usually read them and delete them. I try not to perpetuate the cycle by sending them on.
5. Wow! That one has got to be about the money and possibly showcasing some future Jackson wannabe stars. These family reality shows usually cause more damage than good. For a family with as many oddities as they have, in my opinion, they don’t need to display them to the world only to have them made fun of even more by tabloids and tabloid TV.
Praise the Lord Kathy,
I will make my attempt in answering some of your questions.
1. It’s a cliche that is embedded in our brain cells that comes out of our subconscious. Also, some folks are genuinely interested in what you’re doing at work. Some people have interesting careers.
2. Because driving conditions are unpredictable and varied. Imagine coming off of a ramp onto the highway w/o your turn signal on, on a cold winter night, it’s snowing with blizzard conditions, visibility is 1/4 mile and the roads are slick. I would want you to make sure your turn signal is on. Plus even on a clear day someone could be texting on their cell phone.
3.Well even the most devout Christians don’t understand where the word Christmas came from or what it truly means. The “X” in Xmas is from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of ???????, Christ in Greek. The “mas” in Christmas comes from the Catholic word “mass” which means dismissal. So that’s why non-believers are trying to remove Christ from the true meaning of His birth. Every time we say the word Christmas we are saying Christ dismissed. The word Christmas did not exist before the Roman Catholic Church.
4.I only forward jokes and text that will help or encourage someone. Some chain text I delete.Some people, I suppose, really believe in the power of chain mail and chain text. I personally believe in the Power of God. Hallelujah!!!!
5.I guess the Jackson’s want to keep their family name alive because they feel that it died when Michael passed (RIP MJ).
@Monique Davis – Sup, I so agree with #5 and the Jacksons! I thought about just Latoya and cringed at the thought of this family being exposed. They do have too many oddities to be uncovered like this! Although… To be honest, I was shocked at how much normal they displayed through the Michael death saga.
I will admit I say Happy Holidays but it is not to ignor Christmas, I say that too, I say Happy Holidays to get Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years all in one greeting!
@Ronald Deane – Ronnie Deane you are funny. You about had me on the edge of my seat as you set up the scenario in #2. I get what you are saying about dark and hazardous roads conditions, any and all lights are helpful during those times. I was basically speaking about regular fully lit daytime driving.
#3. So according to your synopsis, are you saying we as Christians shouldn’t be saying Christmas?
@Kathy –
Well kathy, you will have to research the origins of Christmas for yourself and come up with your own conclusions. I personally am starting to question and research many traditions and rituals that were started by the Roman Catholic Church. The root of the celebration of Christ birth should purely come from before the RCC changed the meaning. “Mass” also means “death to”. I believe Jesus rose, He is not dead. I also believe that mary should not be worshiped and praised. I will never hail mary. Like Fred Hammond said…He lives…He lives..Christ has risen just like He said…my Lord and Saviors no longer dead….
Answers to your “Five” questions- 1) Most people don’t know what to say, so that’s probably one of the first things come out of their mouth. 2) Where that’s the law supposely and also to remind others that you are coming onto the highway. 3) Because of three reasons: Society, non-believers use this as a excuse not to offend believers, and because they just don’t know better or they don’t truly care. 4) Following the crowd, once again, it’s really “STUPID”. 5) They are truly jealous of Michael and his fame and they just want to be “HEARD”. Yeah! of course-MONEY.
@Wesley Curry Sr. – #5. Never thought of that, but maybe they are and this is what they need to come out of his spotlight into their own. If I were to talk with the Jacksons, I’d tell them to proceed with caution!
@Ronald Deane – very informative information re: Catholic Church.
1) It’s a habit. I don’t believe they mean anything by it. I personally don’t do it, but I know quite a few people who do.
2) It’s the law. Plus, it’s common courtesy to “signal” the oncoming traffic that you’re entering the highway so that they can either slow down or move to another lane to allow you a safe entry.
3) How saying Xmas instead of Christmas is a reflection of someone’s Christianity does not register with me. There are far more damaging things that so-called Christians do and say that may make some people question that person’s Christianity.
4) I don’t believe it’s about intellect. Some people may feel the message is truly inspiring/encouraging/profound and they want to share it with others and they just hit the forward button without editing the original message. This could be due to a time issue or they may just know the basics emailing someone. All sorts of assumptions can be made, but unless you ask…..you’ll never know the truth.
5) People are interested in them again. It’s their time, once again, for their 15-minutes of fame.
@Kim – #3. Really? You don’t get how in one fell swoop, writing it that way is Xing out Christ? To me, that is when Santa Claus becomes the focus and not Christ. And unless we as Christians, or even just people, know why we are doing something (thanks to Ronnie Deane at least there is some sort of explanation I guess) why would we even use it? And why an X? When I put an X over something, I am deleting it/getting rid of it, etc. Why not Cmas? Why an X? Plus, I was raised in an environemnt that emphasized Christ.
Yes, there are far more damaging things that Christians do, I wasn’t comparing. Just a random thought I get this time of year when I get things from people using X instead of Christ.
Nope, because, to me, that’s reading too much into something and trying to make Christ associated with a particular word and put Him into a box! For me, it does not compute! He is SO MUCH MORE than a word! If you know who He is and what He’s done for you, why in the world would someone limit Him to the word Christmas!!!!!!!!!
Because of the Statement from Ronald, I was moved to research the Christmas and Xmas deal for myself, and thank you Rondald for such intelligent research.
I also found this: Christ refers to Jesus, the whole reason why we celebrate Christmas. And the second part Mas refers to Mass that we should celebrate on Christmas to make it more special. Mass as a celebration.
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning Christ’s Mass. It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038.Cristes is from Greek Christos and mæsse is from Latin missa.
Christmas got its name from a pagan celebrations by the Romans it had nothing to do with Jesus and not a godly celebration.
It’s also not mentioned in the Bible.
What is my take on it? We just took something Un-Godly and Made it Godly according to my heart and my mind.
Thanks again Ronald for making me use my intelect!!
@Kathy, – Based on what Yolanda just posted: “Christmas got its name from a pagan celebrations by the Romans it had nothing to do with Jesus and not a godly celebration. It’s also not mentioned in the Bible”
if that’s the definition of Christmas, how can a Christian who uses X-mas be wrong? How is that reflection on their religiosity? From what Yolanda posted, the definition of the word has nothing to do with Jesus Christ.
It appears that the meaning of the word is based on how one feels, instead of what the word was originally intended for.
@Kim – My question: Why do people who say they are Christians take “Christ” out of Christmas and substitute Him with an X? and your original comment: How saying Xmas instead of Christmas is a reflection of someone’s Christianity does not register with me. There are far more damaging things that so-called Christians do and say that may make some people question that person’s Christianity.- don’t go together. I wasn’t questioning damaging things Christians do, it was simply a thought since, regardless of what research shows, it is taking the word Christ out. I appreciate all the discussion and research shared but it wasn’t that serious to me, especially to start pointing my finger at someone’s Christian walk. That was not my intent.
if that’s the definition of Christmas, how can a Christian who uses X-mas be wrong? I also never said they were wrong! I just think it odd. I grew up where we were called saints, Christians is a more universal statement of any and all who just say they believe, whether they display that belief by walking with God or not. Is it ok to call people Xians? I’m just saying… I really don’t care, it is just one of those perplexing thoughts to me of why a person would do that and put in an X.
Yes, I am one who will make Christmas mean to me what I want it to mean and that is the celebration of Jesus Christ! So although I didn’t intend it to be as serious as it has become (although I like the conversation and interaction) for me, I will never take the Christ out of anything regardless of how it came about (unless somehow it defames His name) or how trivial it is to others.
Isn’t it interesting that already we have two different meanings presented here…
Very interesting indeed! Because although the the word Christ is a part of the word Christmas, it is not an indicator or a level of measure for the personal relationship I have with our savior. Does that make sense? Heck, for me a true indicator of what the word Christmas means to a person is during this season to celebrate Christ (and thereafter), what is that person doing for the less fortunate? Are they giving their time, money, items to people who are less fortunate? Is that person showing love to someone whom they wouldn’t typically like? How does that person respond to those who irritates them for whatever reason? I guess I’ve learned that just because someone states they are a Christian, unless their actions match their declaration, you take their word for what it is – a statement at best. Does that make sense?
Wow, I think we are really talking about semantics here. I will leave the whole Christmas thing alone because it is just one of many indicators of how someone feels about Christ.
I want to talk about the emails. Uh, where does the bible talk about not receiving a blessing if someone doesn’t send an email to 10 people in 10 minutes? That is so ridiculous to me!!!!
I guess I need to teach a class on forwarding an email that means something and removing the requirements that go along with it.
I would like to thank you all for supplying me with more material for my New Year’s Facebook message.
.-= Tom Sawyer´s last blog ..A Business Deal Or A Marriage? =-.
@Kim = yes and I agree wholeheartedly.
@Tom. Occasionally I forward emails to people (not the ones that say send to 10 people or you will encounter doom and gloom) if it is encouraging or something I think someone will benefit from but here’s the thing, I ALWAYS clean them up!!! OMG! I get emails that are nice and have nice messages but by the time I get to what the true email is, I’m exhausted from scrolling down to it and bypassing dozens of people I don’t even know. lol. And there are times when they have links in them and with so much other stuff in it, I can’t (maybe I’m slow) find the link I need to click on! I realize I am a little OCD and a perfectionist at times but some things I just don’t send out as a reflection of me and a junkie cluttered email is one! I’m just saying!
OK…I have to start with question 5 which made me laugh…well I guess my answers to #1, #3, #4 and #5 are all the same STUPIDITY!!!!!
#2 because we have to it’s the law and there are stupid people who don’t know they need to get over.
Do we REALLY have to be subjected to more madness from the Jackson family???? It’s stupid to know even more strange things about them.
Do U REALLY believe your blessing comes or doesn’t come from moving your fingers over a keyboard on a phone to 10 people…stupid…I delete those messages immediately. I KNOW where my blessings come from!!!!
Do we REALLY have to have a dissusssion on X versus Christ? Thanks Ronald for the lesson but let’s deal with the reality of it. Sorry Kim but it’s what we’ve been taught to have a CHRIST CENTERED LIFE. I wouldn’t want someone to put K when they mean Karol in some instances and I’m nobody …but when U talk about our LORD…His name means EVERYTHING!!! Like it bothers me when people don’t capitalized His name when talking about HIM…He deserves honor and respect…it’s just what we were taught and we can’t get it out of us…it does speak to one’s relationship with HIM to me, I have enough love for HIM in me to want to keep His name in everything I can!!!
Really seriously you call me AT WORK and ask that question….not a thinking person.
I’m on my 24 hours of truth guys and I don’t mean any harm!
Disclaimer: I AM NOT PERFECT and don’t ever claim to be! I have many many faults and failures and just because I write something or share something on kleverkathy.com doesn’t mean I always agree with it or am judging others for their stand on it. But like you, I do have an opinion.
This morning I was getting ready for work and thought about how I said the Christ in Christmas thing wasn’t that serious. I was wrong. I felt like a talk show host. I always like Montel Williams because he didn’t care what his ratings were, he always gave HIS opinion and stood on what he believed was right or wrong. I think I somewhat caved in. So let me go back and say… FOR ME replacing the Christ in Christmas with an X is a serious matter. Replacing the Christ that men, women, children, Romans, Catholics, Rich, Poor, or whomever has put into something, for whatever reason, and I have been raised to honor Christ through it, for me is wrong.
I am not saying putting an X in place of Christ in the word Christmas is a ticket to hell or makes one a bad person or anything of the kind, but for me, a person who has been raised that Christmas is about honoring the birth of Christ (yes, I know He was not born on the 25th of December, etc…) I cannot and will not delete Him/X Him out of anything that He is in. Using Christ instead of X may not mean anything to anyone but me and the people that I was raised around, but it does. There is no explanation or researches that could change my mind. If there were other words that I use/say where I could insert Christ, I would!
Norman Wagner preached a message once where he said a question was posed to him by a Christian who asked, can I drink Near Beer? (I guess this is for Christians who don’t believe in drinking). Dr. Wagner answered Near Beer sounds like Near Hell. His point was if you try to do as much as possible right up to the point of crossing the line, forget it! You might as well do what you want and enjoy yourself because you risk getting to judgment and being told you went a little too far with that one and you didn’t make it. Well let me go the other way and say, I would rather score bonus points for using Christ instead of X than risking the possibility of loosing points because I didn’t recognize Him at ANY given opportunity, in any given situation, in any given word or phrase or saying! I would rather get to judgment and have Him say, I appreciate you using Christ instead of Xing me out but I would have still welcomed you into my kingdom!
….and that’s the truth!
@karol ann & kathy – I understand you were raised that way but honestly the way you are phrasing your responses insinuate that people who do use the X instead of Christ in the word ‘Christmas’ don’t honor or live Him as much as those who say/type Christmas. It is so wrong to make that assumption! Sorry, but that’s the truth! Going back to the history of the word, it was a Pagan holiday! Did the Christians back in those days (I.e. Paul, Peter, John etc.) celebrate that word/holiday? Nope, they had nothing to do with Pagan celebrations other than to denounce them. Why in the world are the Christians of today saying that using an X instead of Christ in a Pagan-originated word is a reflection of what Christ means to that person? In my eyes, it still doesn’t register! Sorry, the argument of that’s how you were taught doesn’t mean that that’s the way it actually is. I personally don’t use X instead of Christ but not because it would mean I’m “x’ing” Him out, but because I’m used to writing it out. For me, Christ is so ingrained and represented in every area of my life, that for me to focus on the letter X and make that one letter a huge representation of Him, when he Is sooooooo much more than that, more than one letter can EVER represent, well let me just say again – it doesn’t compute! Sorry! And for me, that’s the truth, the whole truth….. You know the rest!
Since this door was opened, I have some more to say (yeah, yeah, I know, but oh well). Why is it that we as Christians maximize the smallest thing (i.e. X vs the word Christ) and be concerned about losing points for that, but still gossip about others, be in judgement of people you don’t know (as well as those you do know), lie, etc? I mean, God clearly denounces all of those things, but yet, we still do those things without fear of losing points? I really don’t understand that method of thinking. Also, why get irritated about someone using a lowercase h when writing Him. I know and you know it’s about honor and respect. But that person may not know. Why not just tell them instead of getting irritated. That way they’re in the know too! That’s why some Christians are perceived in a negative light. Because they judge instead of teach. I was not raised in the church. I didn’t get saved until June of 2001, but I thank God every day that He continues to put people in my life to guide me in the right direction when it comes to his teachings! It always amazes me that what the Bible teaches and what Christians practice, especially ’seasoned’ Christians, are two different things! I’m trying to understand how that works, but so far, I’m not comprehending it too well.
I think it’s in Matthews (if I’m wrong, please point to the correct location) where it says (and I’m paraphrasing) before making judgement about what someone else is doing or saying, look at yourself first. Are you (and I’m speaking in general here) free and clear of wrongdoing? When, as Christians, do we stop and do that? I think if that approach is taken more often, alot of these types of discussions would be null and void! Anyway, that’s another truth for me!
@Kim Sawyer – I had a whole long three paragraph response written but decided against it and will just say, ok. If it doesn’t compute with you, it doesn’t compute…
@Kim Sawyer – ok, I put my last response on before I read your last response. Can you go back to my original question and see it was NOT intended as a finger pointing, I’m a better Christian than you, kind of RANDOM QUESTION! It was not. I say often in my posts, I am not perfect. I have faults. I sin. I am not perfect. I need to do better. I am not here to judge because I don’t care to be judged, etc. I have never seen you write the word Christmas using Christ or the X so it certainly wasn’t directed at you, IT WAS DIRECTED AT NOBODY!!! However…. the only comments you seem to take issue with are mine and Karolann’s. I have no choice but to assume your comments (except the one where you said you were speaking in general) were directed at me and Karolann. So let me respond for me: I agree; gossiping about others, standing in judgment of people you don’t know (as well as those you do know), lying, and let’s not forget ARROGANCE, etc are all wrong. AGAIN, I am not comparing wrongs, or sins, or faults, IT WAS JUST A RANDOM THOUGHT I HAD AND HAVE EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME!
Please go back and read your comments and try to read them ALL with an open mind, especially the last one. Wow. You don’t even have to read between the lines about judgment! Crystal clear! That’s all I am going to say because I am a Christian or Xian or whatever you want to call me!
Kathy, you posed a question, bound to illicit strong opinions. You knew that, but it’s all good! Okay, to address what you’re saying, trust me when I say, I never took it as a fingerpoint at me because I dont do it. In my opinion, it was an unfair assessment of people who do do it. That’s why I took the stance that I did. And for the record, I am addressing you and Karol Ann because you both addressed me:
FROM YOU: “@Kim – #3. Really? You don’t get how in one fell swoop, writing it that way is Xing out Christ? To me, that is when Santa Claus becomes the focus and not Christ. And unless we as Christians, or even just people, know why we are doing something (thanks to Ronnie Deane at least there is some sort of explanation I guess) why would we even use it? And why an X? When I put an X over something, I am deleting it/getting rid of it, etc. Why not Cmas? Why an X? Plus, I was raised in an environemnt that emphasized Christ. ”
FROM KAROL ANN: “Sorry Kim but it’s what we’ve been taught…”
Anyway, it seems anger is rearing its ugly head on this topic! WOW! Didn’t see that one coming. I only viewed this as a discussion, nothing more, nothing less.
@Kim – I only viewed this as a discussion, nothing more, nothing less. hmmmmm……..
#3: I guess Ella said it best tonight on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. She said: You cannot even say Christmas without saying Christ…
I have NO IDEA WHAT SO EVER where the whole judgement thing came into play here……. I did address U Kim just to say that what we were talking about was answered the way it was because of what has been ingrained in us during our formative years and it’s what we know…. to keep Christ in everything we do and it is about honor to me..I repeat…. to me…. to keep Him in Christmas and always be aware that I honor Him when writing His name. This is just second nature to me and no one else HAS to do it, it just makes sense to me in all I do since that’s the kind of relationship I, Karol Ann want to have with HIM! Yes, it does matter to me and I believe it has impact on how I serve him, but that’s just my opinion and I am not trying to be judgemental, just state MY OPINION IN DISCUSSION just like other comments I’ve made as long as KK has been in existence, it’s just that simple to me. I will end by saying, I do know there are so many other things to focus on for kingdom upbuilding, but I also feel like there are just some foundational things that can be in place in a person’s life as they serve Christ and indeed have a relationship with Him and one of them is honoring HIM in any and every way we can. I’m done, as Jr. says…pray my strength!
You’re more than welcome. We suffer by a lack of knowledge. Everything that we’re taught is not always the truth. @Yolanda Marion -
@Kim Sawyer –
What is Matthews?
@Charles Davis Jr – Hey Charles. Happy New Year! Kim was referring to a book in the bible. The first book of the New Testament.
Ok thanks Kathy… I looked it up. It’s Matthew not Matthews. I thought that was what she meant,but the name change confused me. Happy new year