Why I Don’t Believe In Christmas [Rated R]

This is one of those impossible posts to write, I have this self-imposed rule of writing posts no more than 250 words. The reason behind it is that I can only blab for so long before you click away to Facebook or some other better written and more interesting blog. How do I know this? Because I do it (I just spent 50 words just telling you this…) So I always try to say whatever crazy stuff I write in the short span of attention I get from you in 250 words, oh well…not this time.

So yea, is “that time” of the year again. I always have so much to rant about christmas and living in the States have fueled my feelings toward what I believe is one of the most meaningless celebrations of all (this is definitely the post that’s going to get me kicked out of church)

Let me start by saying that I believe christians should change once and for all the date christmas is celebrated. First of all, most bible scholars agree that Jesus was not born on December 25. So why would someone celebrate what’s regarded one of the most important dates in their religion in the wrong date? Lets face it, the romans were not ready to give up their pagan holiday celebrated around this time of the year, so they decided to spin it into something more along the lines of their new official religion. If it’s really that important why not celebrate it as close to the real date as possible? I think we should have one those councils they used to have in the early days where leaders of the church would get together and decided this kind of stuff that was not in the bible, plus it has been a while since christians had one of those.

Number two!…Non believers don’t even celebrate christmas anymore, haven’t you noticed how it’s referred to as “the holiday season” and how it’s not about sweet little lord Jesus but about a big-fat-white-beard man in a red suit and his stupid red nosed reindeer? Let’s face it, christians lost it and have done a very poor job at bringing the meaning back to christmas. Instead we just join the fun of spending ridiculous amounts of money in presents most people return the next day (I’m one of those sometimes). Christians have done a great job blending in and acommodating in celebrating what no longer is what’s supposed to be.

Tres…Coincidentally enough other religions have very important celebrations during this time of the year too. Wow, isn’t that something? Don’t believe in christmas? No problem, There are many other choices so you don’t feel left out and do crazy shopping too. So, if christians change the date of christmas; is not like we wouldn’t  be able to celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year”. Think about it, we could celebrate the holidays, go broke, exchange presents and all that, all within its right context; then later on truly celebrate the birthday of sweet little 8lbs baby Jesus in the way that it needs to be celebrated, within the right context. I mean, who said christmas is about shopping anyway? And please don’t tell me is not because that’s what it has come down to, that and lots of good food.

Catorce…If you want to get really dirty and technical we shouldn’t even celebrate christmas at all. There is no scriptural reference that indicates christians should celebrate the birthday of their savior, this is such a roman thing to do. Plus, reading about the kind of guy Jesus was I would even dare to say he hates his followers do this, by no means he sounds like the kind of guy who would have wanted, expected or demanded a worldwide celebration of his birthday with lots of money flowing back and forth and vain and vague gifts that most people return the next day (again I’m one of those sometimes). No way Jose, I can’t see that coming from a guy who is considered to be one of the most humble and selfless guy in the history of human kind. In case you didn’t hear the story, the dude was born in manger.

Why do non-believers even care? These days more than ever there is a lot of tension between believers and non-believers. You have the whole homosexuality issue, the abortion issue, the socialism vs capitalism issue, the democrat vs republican issue (apparently, christians can only be republican), the separation of church and state issue and many more. Why would someone in their right mind take part in a celebration which meaning or religion they don’t agree with at all? Or maybe christmas doesn’t even look a lot like christmas for them to notice it. I’m pretty sure christmas today has no resemblance to early christmases, just like the church…stop it right there, that’s whole other post in itself.

Believe me, I could keep going and going but I think I will leave it at 850 words…so, here is to another year of christmas and frivolous spending…MERRY CHRISTMAS!! and don’t forget to watch the new Vince Vaughn’s “christmas” movie.

I’ll Show You Enjoyable [People And Their Crazy Words]

Jannike turned one month old this week. That’s right, a little over a month ago she was born, it feels like it was yesterday, time flies…

Talking about time flying, that’s gotta be the phrase I’ve heard the most this month: “oh, enjoy these days because they go fast”, well, I’m sorry but I strongly disagree with that. First, it doesn’t really feel like it is going fast enough, when people say it will go fast I was hoping that by this morning when I woke up she would be 18 years old and that was not the case. When it comes to the “enjoy” part I couldn’t disagree even more with people, having to stay up late and wake up two times at night to feed a baby that you can’t interact with is nothing enjoyable, not at all, if that’s something you enjoy then you have serious issues. I’m more than positive that our best days of this daddy-daughter relationship are still ahead of us and believe me I will not miss not even a second of the sleepless nights of fury.

Yes, before you denounce me to social services; I love my daughter and it is awesome to just look at her and see the few unintentional smiles she grant us from time to time, but again, it is far from enjoyable to be totally responsible for a newborn baby. 

So, next time you come and tell me to enjoy these few special days I will shut my ears, close my eyes and go to my happy place where people say stuff that makes sense, unless you have some trick we don’t know of to make these days enjoyable. In the meantime, I have to go to feed my baby.

Clint Takes Photos [Photography That Keeps On Rocking]

I met Clint in Sacramento, CA five years ago and we have been good buddies since then, he is one of those guys you want to hang out with all the time…unfortunately we don’t live in the same town; he refuses to live in a place like Minnesota and I feel the same way about Texas. Clint is full on with his photography business, I don’t say this because he is my buddy, but he is one of the best photographers I know…or maybe one of my favorites, his work is just full of awesomness, I couldn’t believe it when I saw his work for the first time. 

If you are in the Houston area this is the guy you want to take your pictures, or maybe if you have plenty of bucks to fly him where you are, you should do it, he does an awesome job.

As far as we go, all I know is that if we meet again he better have his camera with him because I’ll make him take some awesome pictures of my family and me.

Just go and check his website and his blog.

Clint: Minnesota misses you buddy, especially in January!

Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook For New Dads [Best Book Ever]

I noticed it there on the couch, while visiting some friends who were also expecting, its attractive old-looking cover giving me the look and whispering my name, wanting me to pick it up. I grabbed it and felt its threaded paper cover and saw its drawings, I knew then this was what I’ve been looking for all this time. I opened it and quickly scanned through its pages while reading little excerpts here and there and laughing as what could only be described as ‘my kind of humor’ all I could think of was: “You’ve got to be mine”

The sarcasm, the dark humor, the manliness, its practicality; Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook For New Dads is a must-read for any expecting father. After reading some other book for “expecting fathers” I felt I was left with a void, I felt the author was way too sensitive for my taste, focusing so much on feelings and how we, man, should and it’s OK to experience pregnancy almost at the same level as women with all the emotional stuff and pain, yea I know, weird guy. I won’t lie, I finished the book and I got some valuable information out of it, but nothing Carolyn didn’t know already.

Be Prepared speaks the language guys like me understand best: Practicality and Humor. If you like a good laugh and like things to be told the way they are, this is your book.

Thanks For Your Vote

 

Believe it or not a friend of mine voted for me in today’s general elections in the US…awesome!