I'm not big on conspiracy theories, the paranoia and fear which seems to fuel some folks' daily lives as they find boogey men under every bed. But I like one conspiracy being promoted by a coalition of people of faith in the U.S. and which is now spreading into Canada.
It's called the Advent Conspiracy and it invites us to "conspire" against the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. While the Advent Conspiracy advocates for water projects in the developing world as an alternative to Xmas spending, it is much broader in its approach.
As a couple Ruth and I have been talking about our yearning for a Christmas in which Christ is the focus and centre. For some reason the early assault on my senses this year from advertisers and media has got to me. I want the richness of the simple message of God's incarnational love in Christ, not all this other nonsense. How did we do so far off the rails?
Today is the first day of the Advent season and we will watch a two-minute Advent Conspiracy video in worship. http://ac.wcrossing.org/
Are you doing any conspiring toward a spiritual, simple, Christ-focussed Christmas?
Yes. As I get jostled in stores crammed with angry, rude shoppers, before I throw an elbow, I remember that these are God's children who are just as frustrated at the commercialization of Christmas. I remember that they too have had their senses assaulted by media, that they too are spending more money than they wish.
ReplyDeleteThen I throw the elbow......and a knee.