Christmas and the Jesus doll

JESUS AND MOSES FROM THE BEVERLY HILLS TEDDY BEAR COMPANY

I love an after lunch chuckle. Really helps to digest the food and work again with levity. So imagine my joy when I learned that the US Marine-lead charity "Toys for Tots" rejected a donation of 4,000, foot-tall, scripture-quoting Jesus dolls. The toy's maker was "surprised and disappointed" at the decisions. Why deny thousands of poor children the opportunity to hear "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" and "Love your neighbor as yourself," on Christmas morning?

The TFT spokesman Bill Grein said that the Marines did not adhere to one religion over another and therefore could not risk a Jewish or Muslim child getting Mr. Jesus as a present. He added that the Jesus doll didn't seem fun - a strict requirement for toys, of course.

Now as much as I enjoy a little joke at a Jesus (or Barbie, GI-Joe, Einstein) doll's expense..I have to point out a couple of things on the Toys for Tots website that, um, TOTALLY NEGATE their not-religious association spiel.

U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program
MISSION: The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
GOAL: The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources - our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble here, but Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, Savior and son of God according to the Christian church. Don't you think a Jewish or Muslim child would be a little peeved to receive a gift on Dec 25th regardless of what it was? Maybe not..as long at it's more fun than a talking Jesus (if you gave him a light saber, he would look uncannily like Obi-Wan Kenobi...)

Comments

[donna]

Oh, pshaw. Christmas is the Christian name for a pagan celebration called Saturnalia that the Christians co-opted for their own purposes because they hate for anyone to actually have fun or anything.

These days it is the commercial celebration of our overly commercialized culture, and an excuse for consumerism to excess.

[Anna]

EXACTLY! It's the perfect time for a Jesus doll - the exact symbol of a ritual, turned religious festivity, turned consumerist excess.

[sara]

What percentage of North American children would you say actually observe Christmas as the birth of christ? Most kids just like getting presents when all their friends do. So if a charity wants to give out gifts regardless of a childs religion, I won't complain. I've had friends sit around and watch everyone else get fancy christmas gifts, and it really wasn't great for them, despite their religious principles.

I believe the Christian right is trying to bring Christmas back to the relgion -- maybe we could join forces and petition toys for tots to only give gifts to true baptized christians?

[tioedong]

Sorry, but as a practicing Catholic, I think those dolls are blasphemous. They offend me.
Making a "doll" to play with is trivializing Him, and can even be a source of ridicule. Dolls are for dress up, for throwing at your sister, and for pretending.

As a Catholic, I would not "donate" statues of Jesus or Mary to Toys for Tots any more than I would give my husband's war medals to them for kids to treat as toys. You see, the person/image/idea that is represented is holy, to be respected.

As for children celbrating Christmas, well, yes, most Christian kids learn about Baby Jesus from their parents. Most Catholic families have a "creche" i.e. manger scene in their home.

Part of that story is teaching kids Christmas is NOT just about toys, but also giving to charity and helping the unfortunate.

[Vicki]

"Don't you think a Jewish or Muslim child would be a little peeved to receive a gift on Dec 25th regardless of what it was?"

Their parents might be, but I'm sure that any kid would be thrilled to get a (fun) toy at any time of the year! :D

[Keith]

I am a Jesus freak, but I tell you that a jesus doll that quotes scripture would only entertain the Flanders family's kids.

I completely agree with Anna though, it's always nice to see agents of the government quoting their own policies and not getting it right, I think that's an even greater point to focus on as to where our world is going.

As for St. Nicholas and Christmas, GOD BLESS HIM! The man had the right idea, too bad the message was lost in the translation.

As for my faith, I celebrate the Holy Days with my family, letting my kids know that this day is but a day of celebration and that we need to live in the state of giving all the time.

As for ‘Christians’ not liking anyone to have fun, the point of us barging in on the “The Birthday of the Unconquered Sun” should say it all: Once we understood that the messiah had come it was a done deal, and since people generally don’t want to give up a good party it was adopted to make sure we were able to both worship our Lord and have an excuse to celebrate.

One last thing for Sara, I know it’s a habit but as a Catholic (which by the way is Christian) you don’t need to start off everything you say with “Sorry”. If his word backs you up say it, if it doesn’t, go back and check your sensibilities.

But I digress…

God blesses you all, just keep your eyes open for it.

Oh Lord I blinked, did I miss something?!

[Keith]

Good thing I didn't rant about checking my references! Sara, you're off the hook, tioedong my previous message to Sara is really for you. Wait let me double check that... name after post not before... okay, good.

[Cornelis Droog]

Are Your Children or Grandchildren, Kids/Goats?

We really should try to speak like we love GOD and all HIS Creation, especially HIS Children.

In Strong's Hebrew and Greek Concordances: His Children

On your website on Internet we see the words Kid/Kids , if we looked at the language of the Bible we see Goats.

In Strong's Concordance the Old Testament Hebrew word Kid is Strong's number ryes sa’iyr of res sa’ir, bn, zn from TWOT-2274c, 2274e KJV - Kid 28, Goat 24, Devil 2, Satyr 2, Hairy 2, Rough 1.

In the New Testament Greek we see Kid used once. In Luke 15:29 it is also defined in Strong's Concordance number as Goat.

We read in Matthew 25:31-32: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep [His Children] from the goats : And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues [the language of Gods word, the Bible].

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues*, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

* not the language of the world.

Let God be Magnified!

In Christian love,
Sincerely,

[Mick McMullen]

Are Your Children or Grandchildren, Kids/Goats?

I must confess that I myself have been guilty of this error in my life. I thank our Lord that you shared this with me and that I too, by His mercy, will be able to make this correction.

Our Lord is doing a mighty work in these last days*. I marvel that He tells us in Matthew 24:21 that there is a great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world. But at the same time He also tells us in Matthew 24:37-38 that the world will not perceive of this great overturning (Ezekiel 21:27, I Corinthians 1:27-31). I pray that He will give us wisdom to keep us humble in these last days*. We must glory in Him and know that it is all of His work and we are but unprofitable servants doing that which is our duty (Luke 17:10).

* Time Has an End: A Biblical History of the World 11,013 B.C. – 2011 A.D.
A book by Harold Camping.
This book is freely available through Family Radio: www.familyradio.com

[Tom Kuckla]

Are Your Children or Grandchildren, Kids/Goats?

Thank you for this information. We really should try to speak like we love GOD and all HIS Creation, especially HIS Children.

Proverbs 8:6-9 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

Praise GOD for HIS WORD!!!

[a concerned believer]

Thanks for sharing that. I hear that word “kid” used so much, I find myself sometimes saying it. But I remembered Brother Tom making an issue of that on one of the trips and I try to catch myself when I say "kid". Now, I really understand why we shouldn't use that for children.

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.