Not just a movie, "What Would Jesus Buy?" is also a book, and you can win it. To enter, post your answer to this question: What would Jesus say about Christmas in America today?
Would he be proud that the holiday celebrating his birth is so central to American culture? Upset at the commercialization and secularization of the holiday? Angry at the strife and acrimony of the fights over public holiday displays and the holiday culture wars? Let us know what you think by posting your opinion in the comments box below by Christmas Eve, December 24, 2007. Don't forget to include your email address where it asks for it (it won't be made public). The top five answers, in the judgment of Idol Chatter editors, will win copies of the book "What Would Jesus Buy?: Fabulous Prayers in the Face of the Shopocalypse."
"What Would Jesus Buy?" follows Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir as they fight Christmas consumerism--or what they call the "shopocalypse." Watch an exclusive clip here.
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Jesus was Jewish. If he returns on Christmas Eve, he'll be bewildered by modern Christmas celebrations. Items like Christmas trees and holly and ivy decorations will seem "pagan" to Jesus. He won't be offended - the Romans and other pagans had their own festivities and Jesus didn't protest - but he'll feel like an alien if he's invited to some of this year's Christmas parties.
If there's a need, Jesus may contribute a modest bottle of wine to family festivities. He donated wine to a wedding at Cana. In some households, he may provide loaves and fishes. After that, he'll offer a blessing and, early in the evening, he'll probably depart.
Don't expect great material rewards from a wandering Jewish teacher and healer who lived in poverty. If Jesus had wanted material riches, he would have lived a different life. Still, don't assume that Jesus will reject holiday gifts. Late in his life, he expressed his appreciation for a gift of expensive body oils, given by a woman who wanted to give thanks to Jesus. It was a beautiful gesture.
What would "JESUS" buy?
That's a very good question!
Can you, for ONE MOMENT, put yourself in "HIS" shoes & see WHAT "HE" SEES?
First of all, Christmas isn't celebrated, "AT CHRISTMAS TIME" anymore! No,NOW, it starts being "CELEBRATED" before Halloween is over! There's decorations being put on the store shelves & everyone is wondering, "WHAT DO I GET LITTLE BILLY OR SUSIE this year?" Husbands & wives are wondering "How they are going to afford to buy anything, for THIS CHRISTMAS, when they are still paying for things bought, LAST CHRISTMAS?" In the mean time, stores, all over, are stocking up on ALL THE NEWEST TOYS, GAMES, DOLLS & GADGETS possible.
Come the "THANKSGIVING DAY", people start gathering outside, the department stores, at mid-night, trying to be THE FIRST ONE in, to get the BIGGEST & BEST SALES! They do this trying to save MONEY! There's arguments,if a product runs out. Fights over the last item on the shelf. Even killings in the parking lots. Someone dieing over a NEW ELECTRONIC GAME SYSTEM! Stolen from them by someone who either was too late to get it, couldn't afford it,anyway, or by someone who's going to sell it, so they can get the money to buy drugs with.
At home Tommy & Timmy are arguing over who's going to get what from Mom & Dad! At school, kids are ALREADY bragging about getting something they don't even have yet!
You hear about THINGS TO BUY FOR CHRISTMAS on the T.V. & radio almost every moment of the day! Jingle Bells, Silver Bells & most every other kind of bell is playing constantly!
ALL OF THIS IS "SUPPOSE TO BE "THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS"!!
Yet, it's seldom that you hear about "JESUS'" birthday! Or the fact that HE was born on that day, just so HE could suffer & die an agonizing death, to PAY FOR "OUR SINS" SO "WE" WOULDN'T HAVE TO! ALL, so we could "CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS"!
Seeing how MATERIALISTIC, COMMERCIAL-ISTIC, SELFISH & GREEDY, the "CHRISTMAS SEASON" has become, there's only ONE THING that HE SHOULD WANT TO BUY! That's "HIS LIFE BACK"!! I have to wonder how the department stores would advertise "JESUS' LIFE"? Better yet, HOW MUCH WOULD "WE" PAY "HIM" FOR IT? I mean, HE gave "HIS LIFE" for "ALL OF US"! But, would "ONE OF US" give "his or her life" for "HIM"? I THINK NOT!! NO, we are too selfish & greedy to give OUR LIVES FOR JESUS!
So, PERSONALLY, I thank GOD that JESUS is who HE is! I'm thankful that ,although HE may have been human, at one time, HE ISN'T ANY LONGER!! That HE knew when He was born what HE was facing & yet HE LOVED ME ENOUGH, THAT HE DID IT ANYWAY!! That HE gave EVERYONE the ability to, right or wrong, choose how they lived they lives! But, RIGHT NOW, MOST OF ALL I'M TRULY THANKFUL THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO BUY HIS LIFE BACK!!
"MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS"
The Prophesy of Saint Janis...
"O Lord, won't you buy me a plasma TV (revised, updated version)
O Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz...
O Lord won't you buy me a night on the town..."
Perhaps the Prophet of Joplin is not far from the mark. J. B. Phillips warned of the Santa God, among others.
But I still think he would buy me lunch - and I would buy him lunch.
I would think that Jesus would be mad about the way people are sending money on unnessary thing like toys,ent. because this day is about searving him and doing his will, like trying to work on being with him one day. that meams to serve him evary day and moment and hour and secand of the day
I think Jesus would buy some time. He would buy time with the media, and pay with his life once again. He would have a public speech about NOT BUYING ANYTHING MATERIAL at Christmas. He would ask all to let him buy there time and pay with the same thing he paid with years ago, his unconditional love for all. He would tell them what the world needs at Christmas is LOVE-AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AT THAT. He would tell people that loving every human being and every living thing with unconditonal loving treatment would make him happier about giving up his life. He would explain that if we as humans could veiw all living things with the same amount of unconditioal love , then it would be hard to hurt someting that is made just like you, another human. He would tell them if we would love the earth and all its many living things, the world as God made it would last forever and the gift of living would show up in our lives all through the year and not just at Christmas. He would ask if Christmas gifts all year long would be better than only once a year. He know we could have Christmas all year long if we just tried as hard daily to show love as we do when Christmas shows up once a year, all livings things would benefit. He would assure everyone that unconditional love don't cost money, just time.
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