And a Happy New Year, from the city of Brampton, Ontario…
h/t Alex.
112 Replies to “Merry Winter Lights”
as a non practicing christian, can anyone tell me what buying cheap chinese made crap for our kids has anything to do with – the birth of Christ? Yes I like traditions, and I’ll say Merry Christmas, but if someone doesn’t repy the same, especially some meaningless greeting from some employee or advertisement from some company that’s just trying to sell their crap to me – why would anyone care – it has no connection the chritian holy day at all – none
some of you need to get back to true meaning of christmas itself before you try to save it.
see linus’s speech from Charlie Brown’s Christmas – shown by all those evil mainstream secular tv stations
Mark Peters
You seem to be quite sure of what God intends marriage to be, and I can only presume your knowledge of the same comes from the Bible.
The problem is, the Bible says many things regarding marriage, many of which, if we heeded each and every one, would contradict others.
For instance, the Bible defines marriage as berween a man and one or more women (Gen 29:17-28, Sam 3:2-5,).
As well, it specifies that marriage shall not impede a man from taking concubines in addition to his wife or wives (II Sam 5:13, I Kings 11:3. II Chron 11:21). this seems to contradict your ‘fornication outside of marriage stance.
It also points out that if a woman is found not be to a virgin when she’s married she should be executed (Deut 22:13-21).
As you can see, there might be a few problems if we observed every thing the Bible says about marriage. Your insistence then, that the Bible has one basic definition of marriage is unfounded.
In terms of Christ we can see that the opposition to gay marriage as pushed forth as a major issue by his followers is false, given that Christ mentioned homosexuality not once – obviously He didn’t feel it was a big issue. As well, we can see there isn’t the single definition of marriage in the bible as you claim.
Remember, Christ said he was not here to deny the old law, but to fulfill it. That is, He is the fulfillment of the promise made by the Old Testament – where the Old Testament proscribed laws relating to God, Christ was, and is, in fact, God. And His new law of love and acceptance overrides everything else.
Those who claim to justify their homophobia in the name of Christ are like the racists who used the story of Ham in the Old Testament to justify their racism – or like Hitler when he tried to justify his horrendous acts by using the Bible.
There will always be bigots who try to use the name of Christ to justify their prejudices. In their obsession with doing so, they offend on two levels: 1) using Christ as cover for hatred – the exact opposite of Christ’s message, and 2)by focussing on this to the exclusion of all else they take give short schrift to the real matters Christ tells us to focus on, and present a false image of Christianity (literally that of the Antichrist) to the world.
Tim in Vermont
Wherever did you get the idea from my post that I think people should abandon their cultural beliefs?
I was commenting on the racism and homophobia exhibited by your fellow posters here. Do you have a problem with that?
My other point was that Christ is worshipped by living by his message. Christ is not worshiped by getting tied up in knots about the side of a bus. You’re mistaking religious belief with cultural traditions. You and everyone else here is free to observe whatever traditions you choose – so why so angry? And the hatred expressed here is the exact opposite of Christ’s message, make no mistake about it.
Anyway, Tim, how come you can’t make your point without engaging in childish insults? (Again, how “Christian”). Do you think it achieves anything, aside from making you feel like a ‘big man’? I’m afraid your ad hominem says more about your character – and the emptiness of your argument – than it does about me.
Hey Tenebris
Thanks for the scriptural clarification. So yes, I do hope that I may be called a friend of Jesus.
I don’t think I feel myself to be more righteous than God. I merely alluded to precepts set out by God through his son which seem to contradict the racism and homophobia I saw in the comments here. I trust you can understand that a person doesn’t have to consider themselves more righteous than God to point out the objective fact that several statements here are racist and homophobic.
I’ll leave aside your bizarre statement about ‘becoming so fixated on your neighbour that he becomes God” because I can’t see that it makes any sense at all, frankly. Thanks for the spiritual pointers, though, and I trust you’ll be quick to apply them to yourself the next time a fit of righteousness overtakes you – as it has obviously done here.
real: “Christ is not worshiped by getting tied up in knots about the side of a bus.”
Come on, real. It’s not the side of the bus, it’s the overall message ON the side of the bus. A “Festival of Lights” is not what Canada and Canadians are celebrating at this time of year.
It’s CHRISTMAS, and if the people who came to Canada don’t like it, then that’s too bad. They don’t need to hijack Christmas by calling the celebration at this time of year something else.
I suspect it’s not the people who came to Canada who are at the bottom of this but the diversity, tolerant aka bigoted, anti-Christian, socialist brigade who are making BIG salaries at Brampton City Hall.
Posted by: No Guff at December 17, 2008 12:36 AM:
WELL said!
Take your scarcer and scarcer, disposable income elsewhere!!
I’m looking for someone to THANK ME when I make a purchase…..
“Ahh well, we still give big A$$ Christmas Tree to the good folks of Boston each year.”
I remember why this happens.
Sorry batb
We don’t live in a theocracy. There’s a separation of church and state. “Canadians” aren’t only Christians – but of amny faiths, and of no faith at all.
That’s the reality. That’s the law. If you’d rather live in your delusions than in reality, fine. But don’t gripe and insult others because they don’t want to live in your delusion.
I’ve been reading a book that takes place in the 1880’s where a clerk working for the City describes himself as “the lowest of the low” in terms of jobs.
I think this perspective has been carried forward to modern days.
F*** you City of Brampton.
What lefty pinheads do not seem to be able to mentally calculate, is that whether you are Christian or not if you do not defend the status quo of our culture it will be lost forever in time.
What that means for those who really can’t comprehend the problem is that you will eventually have burka’s and Sharia law to look forward to. If you think that’s insane, that is because the lefty mind cannot see the facts and reality before their very eyes. The fall of socialist liberal Europe is the canary in the coal mine. Holland the most liberal of all will within a decade or so cease to exist as a “theocracy” as will other European countries shortly thereafter.
Whether you believe in the “spirit of Christmas” or not it is well advised to support it in our society because that spirit is what has protected the likes of the lefty loons from themselves. Unfortunately whether they cut their own throats or not, they insist on bringing everyone else down their delusional path to suicide.
The argument for Christmas is not only a religious one but a cultural one. Meaning self preservation.
Obviously meant – exist as a “theocracy” above. Typing to fast and not giving this dead thead much attention.
I sent an e-mail to Mayor Fennell of Brampton regarding what appeared to be the ‘secularization’ of Christmas by the City.
She kindly took the time to write the following to me and I in turn, apologize to her and the residents of Brampton who will be recognizing and enjoying the spirit of the Christmas season.
———————————–
In Brampton, I take pride as a Mayor who has insisted on the words MERRY CHRISTMAS… and say so at every single public event.
Further, we celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with the lighting of the CHRISTMAS TREE outside City Hall.
Further, we abandon Ontario rules and continue to open every council meeting with the Lords Prayer.
Further, the Corporate CHRISTMAS CARDS say MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Further, my remarks always include the words…. ‘we say Merry Christmas in Brampton’….. and ‘Happy Holidays’ is only to be used for people going on vacation in July’…. those are my well known quotes….
Further… Winter Lights is a registered program, not a Brampton ‘expression’. It is part of the Communities in Bloom program where this City is judged in the summertime and has won National and International Acclaim.. as Canada’s Flower City and now, in 2008, International Flower City.
Winter Lights is the ‘WINTER competition’…. across North America….. Brampton is being evaluated in the Winterlights program..which is a Winter Program for communities, to assist in showcasing the many activities available for families and citizens in each community over the Winter.
The Judges were here last week, one night in Gage Park and Downtown Brampton, met with hundreds of Brampton citizens.. and one night in Chinguacousy Park.. met with dozens of community groups…. You can ‘google ‘winter lights program’ on the internet if you’re interested and want to ‘check out the ‘Mayors response’…
Get involved, Mr. O’Donnell and you’d know more about what is going on in your City. The ‘Winter Lights’ Logo’ed bus was part of our entry, and it has been used in the Salvation Army ‘Stuff the bus’ campaign… where children bring food and ‘stuff the bus’ at our Christmas events……
In Brampton, we boldly and proudly proclaim CHRISTMAS….. factually, over 60 percent of Brampton’s population is Roman Catholic…. one of the highest proportionate population in Canada…
Yes, we are a diverse community.. where we respect traditions…. Christian traditions and other traditions… and no one is pushing aside Christmas in Brampton.. or the Lords Prayer… or any other Christian celebration or tradition. … not as long as I am Mayor… I can tell you that!
Your email is so misguided…. of course, now that you know.. the Christian tradition.. is an apology.
Susan Fennell
Mayor
as a non practicing christian, can anyone tell me what buying cheap chinese made crap for our kids has anything to do with – the birth of Christ? Yes I like traditions, and I’ll say Merry Christmas, but if someone doesn’t repy the same, especially some meaningless greeting from some employee or advertisement from some company that’s just trying to sell their crap to me – why would anyone care – it has no connection the chritian holy day at all – none
some of you need to get back to true meaning of christmas itself before you try to save it.
see linus’s speech from Charlie Brown’s Christmas – shown by all those evil mainstream secular tv stations
Mark Peters
You seem to be quite sure of what God intends marriage to be, and I can only presume your knowledge of the same comes from the Bible.
The problem is, the Bible says many things regarding marriage, many of which, if we heeded each and every one, would contradict others.
For instance, the Bible defines marriage as berween a man and one or more women (Gen 29:17-28, Sam 3:2-5,).
As well, it specifies that marriage shall not impede a man from taking concubines in addition to his wife or wives (II Sam 5:13, I Kings 11:3. II Chron 11:21). this seems to contradict your ‘fornication outside of marriage stance.
It also points out that if a woman is found not be to a virgin when she’s married she should be executed (Deut 22:13-21).
As you can see, there might be a few problems if we observed every thing the Bible says about marriage. Your insistence then, that the Bible has one basic definition of marriage is unfounded.
In terms of Christ we can see that the opposition to gay marriage as pushed forth as a major issue by his followers is false, given that Christ mentioned homosexuality not once – obviously He didn’t feel it was a big issue. As well, we can see there isn’t the single definition of marriage in the bible as you claim.
Remember, Christ said he was not here to deny the old law, but to fulfill it. That is, He is the fulfillment of the promise made by the Old Testament – where the Old Testament proscribed laws relating to God, Christ was, and is, in fact, God. And His new law of love and acceptance overrides everything else.
Those who claim to justify their homophobia in the name of Christ are like the racists who used the story of Ham in the Old Testament to justify their racism – or like Hitler when he tried to justify his horrendous acts by using the Bible.
There will always be bigots who try to use the name of Christ to justify their prejudices. In their obsession with doing so, they offend on two levels: 1) using Christ as cover for hatred – the exact opposite of Christ’s message, and 2)by focussing on this to the exclusion of all else they take give short schrift to the real matters Christ tells us to focus on, and present a false image of Christianity (literally that of the Antichrist) to the world.
Tim in Vermont
Wherever did you get the idea from my post that I think people should abandon their cultural beliefs?
I was commenting on the racism and homophobia exhibited by your fellow posters here. Do you have a problem with that?
My other point was that Christ is worshipped by living by his message. Christ is not worshiped by getting tied up in knots about the side of a bus. You’re mistaking religious belief with cultural traditions. You and everyone else here is free to observe whatever traditions you choose – so why so angry? And the hatred expressed here is the exact opposite of Christ’s message, make no mistake about it.
Anyway, Tim, how come you can’t make your point without engaging in childish insults? (Again, how “Christian”). Do you think it achieves anything, aside from making you feel like a ‘big man’? I’m afraid your ad hominem says more about your character – and the emptiness of your argument – than it does about me.
Hey Tenebris
Thanks for the scriptural clarification. So yes, I do hope that I may be called a friend of Jesus.
I don’t think I feel myself to be more righteous than God. I merely alluded to precepts set out by God through his son which seem to contradict the racism and homophobia I saw in the comments here. I trust you can understand that a person doesn’t have to consider themselves more righteous than God to point out the objective fact that several statements here are racist and homophobic.
I’ll leave aside your bizarre statement about ‘becoming so fixated on your neighbour that he becomes God” because I can’t see that it makes any sense at all, frankly. Thanks for the spiritual pointers, though, and I trust you’ll be quick to apply them to yourself the next time a fit of righteousness overtakes you – as it has obviously done here.
real: “Christ is not worshiped by getting tied up in knots about the side of a bus.”
Come on, real. It’s not the side of the bus, it’s the overall message ON the side of the bus. A “Festival of Lights” is not what Canada and Canadians are celebrating at this time of year.
It’s CHRISTMAS, and if the people who came to Canada don’t like it, then that’s too bad. They don’t need to hijack Christmas by calling the celebration at this time of year something else.
I suspect it’s not the people who came to Canada who are at the bottom of this but the diversity, tolerant aka bigoted, anti-Christian, socialist brigade who are making BIG salaries at Brampton City Hall.
Posted by: No Guff at December 17, 2008 12:36 AM:
WELL said!
Take your scarcer and scarcer, disposable income elsewhere!!
I’m looking for someone to THANK ME when I make a purchase…..
“Ahh well, we still give big A$$ Christmas Tree to the good folks of Boston each year.”
I remember why this happens.
Sorry batb
We don’t live in a theocracy. There’s a separation of church and state. “Canadians” aren’t only Christians – but of amny faiths, and of no faith at all.
That’s the reality. That’s the law. If you’d rather live in your delusions than in reality, fine. But don’t gripe and insult others because they don’t want to live in your delusion.
I’ve been reading a book that takes place in the 1880’s where a clerk working for the City describes himself as “the lowest of the low” in terms of jobs.
I think this perspective has been carried forward to modern days.
F*** you City of Brampton.
What lefty pinheads do not seem to be able to mentally calculate, is that whether you are Christian or not if you do not defend the status quo of our culture it will be lost forever in time.
What that means for those who really can’t comprehend the problem is that you will eventually have burka’s and Sharia law to look forward to. If you think that’s insane, that is because the lefty mind cannot see the facts and reality before their very eyes. The fall of socialist liberal Europe is the canary in the coal mine. Holland the most liberal of all will within a decade or so cease to exist as a “theocracy” as will other European countries shortly thereafter.
Whether you believe in the “spirit of Christmas” or not it is well advised to support it in our society because that spirit is what has protected the likes of the lefty loons from themselves. Unfortunately whether they cut their own throats or not, they insist on bringing everyone else down their delusional path to suicide.
The argument for Christmas is not only a religious one but a cultural one. Meaning self preservation.
Obviously meant – exist as a “theocracy” above. Typing to fast and not giving this dead thead much attention.
I sent an e-mail to Mayor Fennell of Brampton regarding what appeared to be the ‘secularization’ of Christmas by the City.
She kindly took the time to write the following to me and I in turn, apologize to her and the residents of Brampton who will be recognizing and enjoying the spirit of the Christmas season.
———————————–
In Brampton, I take pride as a Mayor who has insisted on the words MERRY CHRISTMAS… and say so at every single public event.
Further, we celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with the lighting of the CHRISTMAS TREE outside City Hall.
Further, we abandon Ontario rules and continue to open every council meeting with the Lords Prayer.
Further, the Corporate CHRISTMAS CARDS say MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Further, my remarks always include the words…. ‘we say Merry Christmas in Brampton’….. and ‘Happy Holidays’ is only to be used for people going on vacation in July’…. those are my well known quotes….
Further… Winter Lights is a registered program, not a Brampton ‘expression’. It is part of the Communities in Bloom program where this City is judged in the summertime and has won National and International Acclaim.. as Canada’s Flower City and now, in 2008, International Flower City.
Winter Lights is the ‘WINTER competition’…. across North America….. Brampton is being evaluated in the Winterlights program..which is a Winter Program for communities, to assist in showcasing the many activities available for families and citizens in each community over the Winter.
The Judges were here last week, one night in Gage Park and Downtown Brampton, met with hundreds of Brampton citizens.. and one night in Chinguacousy Park.. met with dozens of community groups…. You can ‘google ‘winter lights program’ on the internet if you’re interested and want to ‘check out the ‘Mayors response’…
Get involved, Mr. O’Donnell and you’d know more about what is going on in your City. The ‘Winter Lights’ Logo’ed bus was part of our entry, and it has been used in the Salvation Army ‘Stuff the bus’ campaign… where children bring food and ‘stuff the bus’ at our Christmas events……
In Brampton, we boldly and proudly proclaim CHRISTMAS….. factually, over 60 percent of Brampton’s population is Roman Catholic…. one of the highest proportionate population in Canada…
Yes, we are a diverse community.. where we respect traditions…. Christian traditions and other traditions… and no one is pushing aside Christmas in Brampton.. or the Lords Prayer… or any other Christian celebration or tradition. … not as long as I am Mayor… I can tell you that!
Your email is so misguided…. of course, now that you know.. the Christian tradition.. is an apology.
Susan Fennell
Mayor