The War on Christmas: What in the World?

    Conflict. 

    Christmas. 

    These two words, in my mind, don't go together.  My Christmases throughout my childhood and adult years have been times of peace, not conflict.

    Did you know that Christians are now seeing conflicts surrounding Christmas? 

    ...employees refusing to say "Merry Christmas" but instead, "Happy Holidays"

    ...the forced removal of Nativity scenes in public and some private places

    ...writing X-mas instead of "Christmas"

    ...claiming that the Christmas holiday was originally pagan and that we shouldn't celebrate it


    The War on Christmas: Battles in Faith, Tradition, and Religious Expression is a book designed to confront the arguments and conflict surrounding Christmas. 

    At first, my thought was, "Here we go, another book on all of the reasons why Christians shouldn't have a Christmas tree, hang stockings, etc., etc., etc."  Well, I was wrong.  This is an excellent book, one that my family is reading through in our evening Bible devotional times together.

    My husband is enjoying this book so much, that he is also teaching about the misconceptions and conflicts surrounding Christmas in our adult small group class on Sunday mornings about church, using this book as one of the helpful resources in his studies.

    For now, though, I want to leave you with a bit from Chapter 14 from The War on Christmas:  Battles in Faith, Tradition, and Religious Expression:     

    What is the significance of the name "Jesus"?

    "Jesus", the name, comes from the roots of the Hebrew language and means "Jehovah is salvation," and "God our Savior".  Wow.  What a powerful name! 

    Did you know that the male name, "Joshua", is also a form of the word "Jesus"?

    Chapter 14 of The War on Christmas pinpoints various Scripture verses from both the Old and the New Testament and shows why the genealogies of Jesus' family history are actually listed in the Bible.  There are important elements we can learn from reading through and studying these genealogies!  Every part of the Bible is inspired by God and has an important purpose.  You'll get a glimpse of the many prophecies surrounding the Messiah and why Jesus is the only God-man who has ever fulfilled all of those prophecies.

    This video, below, shows some of the misconceptions Americans have about the birth of Christ.  I found this interesting!

    Jesus...Name above all names, Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord...

...Emmanuel, God With Us, Blessed Redeemer, Living Word. 

    Those are all some amazing names of God.

    If you have junior high or high school youth in your home, this book could be an excellent choice to explore together as a family.

    Whether you are excited about celebrating Christmas, or you feel it is a sin to celebrate Christmas, I think you will appreciate much of the material in this new book.  We have! 

    You may find that it's easier for each person to have their own copy to read and follow along as everyone takes turns reading from the book.  This particular book, we've found, is easier to read in a quiet moment than to listen to it being read from in a small group.  It's also great for creating discussion that leads to growth!

    We are learning some new things about the Scriptures, and that's always great!

   I received a copy of The War on Christmas for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while watching this movie.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

    In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!

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