I thought I should get in on the action here, the murmuring about everything, the chronic and perpetual offense. ‘Tis the season and all. And why would I do such a thing? I suppose because hidden behind the sheer foolishness of all our complaints is the fact that we really do live in a first world country where we have the freedom to navel gaze and obsess over the trivial and the petty.
In the olden days we would simply complain about the weather, being one of those small talk, impersonal things we really have no control over. We’ve been robbed of that great pleasure however, because now we have weather controversy and any mention of the weather is sure to trigger great offense, like how obviously you are a science denier who hasn’t got with the global warming program. Er, I mean climate change. Regardless of what the weather is actually doing, I assure you it’s going to get much worse and it’s totally our fault.
I tend to avoid any conversation that is heavily tainted with, it’s going to get much worse and it’s totally your fault. I’m not a big fan of fatalism and shame and the world seems to be just marinating in both of them right now. But of course it is! I mean, we’ve also pulled away from Christ somewhat, and where is all that shame and fatalism supposed to go now??
The cure for fatalism and shame is actually grace and redemption to be found at the foot of the cross. Without those beautiful things, we simply have to blame somebody or something for our troubles.
Enter Christmas music or really worship music of any kind. How do you know you’re living in a first world country? When the music begins to offend you. And so we’ve had a lovely week of picking apart, lamenting, and actually banning some Christmas songs. “Baby it’s cold outside” for example, is now all date rapey and very bad.
And now I’m offended, because two of my favorite Christmas songs just so happen to be, “Baby it’s cold Outside” and “Mr Grinch.” I’m not certain we should actually call them “Christmas songs,” at all, because I’ve never heard them sung in church nor are they in anyway related to our faith. Just the same,they are two favorites of mine and now bad, very bad. We have now gone and hurt the Grinch’s feelings by singing about his total depravity.
I cannot beat them, so I’m going to just join them and confess, I love Christmas music when we are singing it together in fellowship with one another. Nothing delights me more than a good rendition of “Joy to the World”……in August. Oh come let us adore Him, in the summertime too.
But the Christmas music in the stores, on the radio, at work??Ai yi yi, I made it about four hours in before that relentless 24/7 perkiness just began to wear on me. Every darn song has the same tune and it goes like this “shop shop shop and shop some more, fa la la la la….”
Grrrrr……we people are not little wind up toys running in circles as fast as we can, nor should we be inundated with background music that keeps us on beat, More,more, more, mmmore! Moar.
Ack. Make it stop please, I just cannot bear it anymore.
So actually I am feeling quite blessed as I roll my eyes and plug my ears, because what an amazing and incredible problem this is to have. What astounding evidence that God is good indeed, that He has shed His favor upon us. How blessed we are to be so free of the cares of the world, so “not suffering,” that we have the time and the energy to lament and bemoan the petty stuff. Not saying that’s a good thing, just saying, it’s a wonderful life when we can celebrate and wallow in our trivial offenses.
But that relentless beat, I’m telling you, just kill it with fire…..
It’s taken everything in my power not to write a lengthy post about the absurdity of all this nonsense. The song, Rudolph, Charlie Brown Thanksgiving… doest world indeed. Thank you for pointing us back to reality and the cross.
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LOL! You have greater self control than I do. Some of this stuff is so absurd, I’m not sure if we should respond or just pretend we don’t see it. 🙂
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At least you used it to point to something decent and good 😂
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“Christmas” music is one of my pet peeves. One I’m refusing to address on my blog. Besides, I already did one Christmas peeve rant. I need not address the 24/7 christmassy tunes invading every store and radio station in our hemisphere. You’re welcome. 🤪 Great post!
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LOL! Glad to know I’m not alone. 🙂
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Ha! Never alone!
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“Enter Christmas music or really worship music of any kind. How do you know you’re living in a first world country? When the music begins to offend you.”
Yup, we’re living in a marshmallow world. 🙂
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Are traditional Christmas carols offending the cheer out of your holiday season this year? Try some progressive Christmas carols!
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Ha! 🙂
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Yeah, saw that Baby it’s cold thing too. So let me get this straight…now I have to be TOLD what is and is not rapey? I don’t get to decide that for myself? Sheesh, all this time I thought that was a cute little song. A little flirty maybe, but certainly nothing in comparison to, say, your average rapper. Couldn’t they just bleep out the offending parts like they do for profanity? C’mon, at least be consistent :-p
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You make a really good point about some modern music and rap that is just atrocious. It makes “baby it’s cold out ” sound innocent and naive.
Good point too about being able to decide for ourselves what is rapey. That actually really concerns me, in cases of marital rape especially. There was an elderly man charged with rape of his wife because she was disabled and somebody decided she couldn’t legally give consent. He got off, but it was such an invasion of privacy, of human dignity.
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If I hear “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” one more time, I’ll… I guess I’ll roll my eyes and grit my teeth and bear it. First world problem indeed. But I’m looking forward to a Holy Joyful Christmas, so they can keep their holly jolly. J.
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“When the music begins to offend you”. Yes that’s exactly it! Life must be pretty darn good if you’re finding time to complain about Christmas songs, good Lord.
Funny I was getting some dental work done recently when my dentist decided to go on a tirade about ignorant deniers who are destroying the planet. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was one of those deniers, not with while he held a drill in my mouth anyway. Is no space sacred anymore? Sheesh!
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LOL! I always enjoy it when dentists start a heated conversation and you’re powerless to respond.
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I love the Grinch. Some have confused me with him. That is NOT a joke, I promise. In fact, when I call my wife, that is the song that plays on her ringtone, I kid you not. I call her and her phone wails…”You’re a mean one…Mr. Grinch.” I always hope she answers before it is revealed that I really am a heel.
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Ha! Love it Wally, that is very cute. I set my hubby’s alarm to play the theme song from Jaws once. Shark music, he called it.
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That’s funny lol
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