Something I think many Christians might struggle with is understanding the difference between just being a punk…. and being a punk with a purpose. A punk with a purpose is actually an oxymoron, because “a punk” is defined as a worthless person, not unlike the “punk” you might find in a box of fire works. It’s used to light the other fire crackers but it never goes “bang” itself. It’s that weird piece of incense sitting pointlessly in your box of sparklers. We call it a punk.
A punk with a purpose is simply a tongue in cheek term I use for gently becoming the pebble in someone’s shoe, the grain of sand in their oyster, the mosquito in their tent. A punk with a purpose is a rebel with a clue, someone who knows how to fight back and is willing to take a stand.
Sometimes I think we as Christians have been so inundated with lectures about the horrors of rebellion and defiance, with instructions to “judge not” and “turn the other cheek,” that we often start to resemble doormats for the whole world to just walk on. If that sounds harsh, well, I am a doormat extraordinaire, so I know of what I speak. I’ve lost track of all the times God has been urgently whispering to me, “Stand up!” and I’ve been like, “Lord, would you please leave me be, I’m trying to keep your peace here!” Don’t be like that, in fact, if you find yourself trying to rationalize and argue with God, you’re probably already in big trouble.
So, Gig Harbor is a huge city not far from me. I jest, but they do have ten times as many stop lights as we do, so we call them “the city.” In truth they are nothing but a fishing village, about 7000 people, a small town. A small town whose city officials bent under the weight of some pressure, and prevented residents from displaying a nativity set, something they have done for nearly a decade now.
“A Wisconsin-based atheist, agnostic and “free thinker” organization threatened legal action against the city if it allowed a nativity scene on public property.” -link here
Wisconsin!! Some group in Wisconsin believes it has the right to bully and threaten a small town in another state and dictate how they can and cannot celebrate Christmas?!
Oh, I’d be getting my punk on right now! By the time I was finished, nearly every private residence and business would be defiantly displaying a huge nativity set and my city council would be getting thousands of letters and emails from all around the world. Then I’d video tape all those nativity sets, read some of those emails, and then you-tube the whole thing and send it to Wisconsin. That’s how you handle that.
There’s been some tiny protests. The city council will hold hearings next year. The lawyers are working on a permit process. Just the same, I think the headline in the News Tribune ought to shake people out of their stupor, “No baby Jesus this year for Gig Harbor.”
I’m all for free thought and free thinkering organizations. As it says in Mathew 10:8, “….freely ye have received, freely give.”
See, there's this thing called biology... 
Socrates called himself a gadfly for the same reasons! If you’re in western Washington, you’re just over the mountains from me & my family. We’re east-siders. Merry, nativity-laden CHRISTmas to you 🙂
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Merry nativity laden Christmas to you, too. Nice to have a neighbor nearby 🙂
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I had occasion to mention Gig Harbor in a post yesterday:
http://nightwind777.blogspot.com/2016/12/where-public-nativity-scenes-arent.html
There’s a nice story there too about how a Nativity Scene is benefitting a community though it might be a bit embarrassing to read where that’s happening and comparing it to what’s happening in Gig Harbor.
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Oh, thank you! That’s an encouraging post,indeed. It’s good to see some genuine Christmas enthusiasm from around the world.
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I am not sure about public nativity scenes. To me they appear cutesy, but in a borderline idolatrous way. People who have not accepted the Lordship of Christ get sentimental over them, but they are merely religious statues with undertones of control: Christ the cute baby with ceramic Catholic Mary and the glowing barn animals. Keep him there as an infant — then you can coo over Him at Christmas time while still ignoring His Gospel. Manger/Creche scenes try to freeze in religious time a moment that by its very nature is dynamic and uncontainable, in my opinion. Your post made me think and reconsider.
I agree that it is crazy for disgruntled atheists in WI to dictate to people in OR. Maybe ADF [ http://www.adflegal.org/ ] can review the legality of it all (?)
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I hear you! Sometimes this time of year starts to press on me, too. On the other hand, God really did make Himself small and gentle for us, as non threatening as a baby. That’s the kindness of God at work, His great love for us, not the full nature of who He is. His birth really rocked the whole world, but His presentation was perfect, a really good reminder that He is gentle and humble in heart and not out to needlessly terrify us.
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I saw a blog post once that compared the disciples to young teenaged punk rockers with a cause. I found it funny, but it makes sense when you think about it. There is some evidence that the disciples were likely in their teen years/early twenties when Jesus was conducting His ministry on earth. But more importantly, they were kind of a rough-and-tumble, ragtag gang of guys who were defying the traditional convention imposed by the teachers of the law. Pardon my French, but they were kind of badasses. 😉 But of course, Jesus was the greatest rebel of them all. Whaat? This man claims to be God? He can perform miracles, drive out demons and dumbfound the priests? He’s flipping tables and whipping money-changers?
Yes, Jesus definitely did disturb the peace in His time, and continues to do so, while at the same time bringing peace to many. It’s a wonderful, ticklish little paradox. 🙂
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Thank you for reminding me of that post! It’s quite true,that is what is often on my heart to this day. The disciples really were a rough and tumble bunch of guys, out causing trouble, healing people, casting out demons, often eluding the authorities. The first time Jesus Himself preaches, the people get together and try to throw him off a cliff. 🙂
Merry Christmas, to you and yours!
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So true! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well! 🙂
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I have long thought that you are indeed that “lone voice crying in the wilderness” IB as you do take stands for your faith, our democracy, women, men…you name it.
And I appreciate you doing so.
and like you, this kind of thing makes me so freaking angry….that some kiljoy (for the sake of the decorum of your site I will refrain from using the language I really want to use) that just wants to cause trouble… is picking on a far removed city far from their doorstep…by trying to tell them how to live and run their lives in their small town…
and so all the towns, small and large, cave to the pressure of the few thorns in our sides, as to not to draw their ire, not to be sued, not to fall under the negative spotlight…so we chunk our holidays, our traditions, our celebration, our beliefs for the sake of a bunch of mealy mouthed punks…
and I for one am sick and tired of it….
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I do feel like a lone voice in the wilderness sometimes. On the bright side, there is some like mindedness to be found and that’s a reassuring thing indeed. These kind of people are just bullies and not even particularly scary ones, so if only more people would step into the authority and power of Jesus Christ with a simple, “No,” it would stop.
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Just wondering – Was this atheist organization “anonymous?” (Individual’s names) I notice many wish to remain that way. Certainly a brave way of approaching a confrontation.
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Oddly enough, the left is hardly free thinking at all anymore. It’s become a monolithic, dogmatic, and worst of all – intolerable of any dissent. Such a departure from what their veneer is.
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In the capitol of Arkansas, they are putting up a monument containing the ten commandments. Two out-of-state groups are demanding the right to put blasphemous images on the same public property. So far as I’m concerned, nativity scenes and crosses and other religious symbols should be proudly displayed on church grounds and in front of the homes of Christians… but government property should be kept clear of all religious imagery, just so we don’t have to cater to every group that will take advantage of the opportunity to mock holiness. J.
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Yes, I forget the exact words of the atheist manifesto that has been displayed at our state capitol, but something along the lines of there are no God or gods, religion is oppressive.
You’re more tolerant and “fair” than I am, because I would fight that too and not relinguish government property either. This is a Christian nation, founded on Christian values, and it is those values that grant people the right to believe or not believe. I am not about to grant groups like satanists or Muslims equal access to government property because they don’t represent the dominant culture, nor do their belief systems support the concept of freedom. We DO NOT have to cater to every group that wishes to mock holiness.
Of course, as you have probably noticed, I am not yet Queen of the world, so I lack the power to make it so, but that really is how I feel about it. 🙂
Let the satanists and atheists have their displays on private property. Our Gov exists to protect their human rights, not to ensure they have an equal say and influence.
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Poor dear Gig Harbor, joining the ranks of Californians here in LA County who had the cross stripped off the county seal. From the LA Times: “A divided Board of Supervisors voted in 2014 to reinstate the cross on top of a depiction of the San Gabriel Mission, which appears on the seal among other symbols of county history. They were sued by the American Civil Liberties Union. ” A judge ruled the cross had to come down. I suppose this is a little different because this suit was put in motion by the SoCal chapter of the ACLU, but still, changing history to suit an unbelieving segment of our population is extreme. Honestly, this is the kind of thing the 1st amendment was intended to protect us from.
We need more intentional punks to stir up action. I like the nativity scenes in every window idea!! 😀
Becky
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In the name of freedom of religion, a satanic pentagram was set up next to a NATIVITY scene in a Florida park this week. No ACLU protest. So, either we accept all ‘appearances’ of so-called religious expression – or we must settle for NONE on public property?
Too many people have forgotten (or stubbornly defied) the INTENT of the original ‘separation of church and state’ ideology. It is to prevent the stater from interfering with the free expression of religion – NOT – the opposite!
In this time of critical review of liberal extremism and promises to ‘drain the swamp’, perhaps a more conservative form of civil liberty should be revisited. Lord, help us to include rational, reasonable limits to our tolerance of opposing views.
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Good twist at the end…
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dude, i love the first paragraph. may i asked for your permission to steal that paragraph. Not 100% plagiarised btw, just taking the awesome concept that you had presented..
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