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>>>So in what sense would someone in community have a >>>choice whether or not to celebrate xmas ? >>>Not that I particularly care if you want to celebrate >>>the thing or not, but it is back to this thing of >>>transparency and honesty. >> >>It was definitely frowned upon in my experience - you >may not be told outright you could not visit your >family on Xmas Day, ...faced with a lot of negative >vibes if you did. I personally would also feel >uncomfortable about going as well as I knew my parents >would buy me presents and I wouldn't be able to get >them anything... I mentioned the Romans argument to >some people in the church when I was there - but this >certainly wasn't adhered to. I think it's misleading >to say you have a choice about this (or about anything >else for that matter) as a community member. It is not >about choosing but about submitting to your leader and >whatever he decides is right, depending on the way the >pendulum is swinging... > >I'm not sure what you mean by transparency and >honesty. From the context can I assume you're saying >you'd like the fellowship's ruling to be clearer >instead of down to the local leadership's choice? In >any case, I agree that it's down to the luck of the >draw whether you had the freedom to choose. I can only >say that once I took Romans to heart I lived by it >regardless of the failure of others to do so. I'm >"clear in my own mind" and had some influence in >fostering that clarity (for celebrating or against >it)in those around me. My household does get frowned >upon by others in the fellowship to this day (they've >had decorations up the last few years and the children >performed a nativity play in the local congregation >meeting) This is probably a pendulum swing, but then >again, so what if people frown? We're justified by our >faith, not by winds of doctrine or mere conformity! > > Laura: I'd need to ask what you mean by celebrating >christmas in a meaningful way? Do you mean buying >gifts, focussing on the christmas story or other >things? What makes it meaningful for you?
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