Merry ???

Blue Santa-Coca Cola

I will preface by admitting that this is not a particularly researched article, but rather a fairly short philosophical and deduced one. I am not certain however, that much research would greatly limit the speculative, philosophical nature of such a post.

I see seasonal decorations on a corporate site minus any textual or contextual explanation.

The meaning of the decorations are philosophically left open for interpretation.

A difference from decades past seems to me, even in a secular context.

There are wreaths on this site without Christmas lights and with rather dull colours.

Frankly many of the wreaths remind me of funeral wreaths...

There are some rather moderate Christmas lights on site I admit, but not the elaborate Christmas lights that will be viewed in the general public, which I have blogged on previously. Many to be viewed at residences. 

Christmas wreath-The Guardian

Funeral wreath-Blogger-Google+Ajay

On this site there is one rather intriguing tree that simply reflects light. Perhaps this is a 'green' idea to save energy. The tree actually looks well lit and very impressive from a distance, but close up looks metallic and dull and it becomes clear it has no lights. I will admit it is quite creative I suppose as an optical illusion from a distance.

I remember that growing up in previous decades in a very secular British Columbia, even in secular corporate contexts, Christmas decorations would often have textual and contextual explanation for the Christmas season and holidays.

This would usually include combinations such as:

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings

If there was not a nativity type scene present there was often some kind of Santa Claus, perhaps with reindeer, scene present.

But now on this corporate site I see absolutely no textual explanation or contextual explanation of the decorations.

It is basically 'Merry ???' or whatever one wants to make of the decorations and days.

Now, I can understand to be clear that there is a difference between decorations at a corporate business site as in office buildings and decorations at corporate places of business.

The latter decorations being more elaborate in order to entice more purchasing of Christmas related gifts.

Philosophically, however, in corporate contexts, I gather from observing modern 21st century society online and offline, the secularist elite largely want Christianity out of Christmas, therefore, 'Merry Christmas' cannot serve as textual or contextual explanation for corporate decorations.

I also understand that the majority of Western society is not Christian. I do not think Christian faith and philosophy should be forced on anyone.

But the last couple of decades by observing the media and especially online there seemingly has been a conservative backlash against a secular only type of Christmas celebration where the Christian tradition, has been negated.

After-all, Christmas traditionally as known, is a Christian celebration and holiday and it makes little philosophical sense to completely remove Christianity from it.

To do so, is to remove its core meaning, as in the birth of Christ and the related Gospel message.

Today, visually there is no Biblical nativity scene on site.

But on this corporate site even secular textual and contextual terms of explanation are missing such as:

'Happy Holidays' and 'Seasons Greetings'

Therefore, according to the secular elite, perhaps even these need to be discarded in a corporate secular context for the sake of political correctness today?

There is also no Santa Claus, no reindeer, because perhaps that could offend those that view Santa Claus as replacing Jesus Christ as the core of Christmas?

Even with Christians being a minority of the Western population, perhaps in regard to Christmas, there are enough conservatives to raise concerns with this issue, even if not Christians.

As a Christian theologian and philosopher, the adapted cultural concept of Christmas, which is not in the Bible, to celebrate the birth of Christ, should centre around the birth of Christ as the synoptic Gospels describe.

From

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

But in moderation, I do not have a problem with the Santa Claus fictional concept when used by parents in regard to children as a type of Christ, in the sense of a finite, fictional character that sacrificially gives of himself to the world by providing presents each year.

Biblically, via religious documented history, the infinite God the Son, became incarnate as a finite man and gave himself for sin to save humanity, those in Christ (John 1, John 3, Mark 10: 45, Hebrews 7-10, Ephesians 1-2).

With no Jesus Christ, with no Santa Claus and no textual explanation or contextual explanations these decorations represent to me an attempt at celebrating Christmas with no definite meaning. Leaving it ambiguous enough in a politically correct fashion to hopefully from a corporate perspective not offend anyone.

There is minimal corporate meaning as there is no corporate, as in societal agreement, on what the decorations and season represents and means.

The meaning is left to individual private interpretation.

What this corporate type of treatment means for the long term future of Christmas as a Western holiday, time will tell...

Additional: For balance I should add that at one building on site, for which I am familiar, traditional Christmas music is being played.  I suppose this provides some contextual explanation for the season.

Don't Get Funny With Me!

Facebook-Google+ 

I visited Mr. Matt in the Vancouver snow after work late Friday night, once again.

It has been several weeks and so situations could change.

As usual Matt stated to park in front of the small parkade gate as 'no one' parks there that late. He later received a call on his mobile as we were meeting.

We needed to head back to my car and there a group of people were waiting for my car to be moved.

There were complaints to Matt.

I simply stated that I parked where I was told.

I then see some Euro like gentleman follow Matt outside, behind me, very angry stating 'Don't get funny with me!" to Matt.

Not sure why he did not speak with me. It was my vehicle. Maybe because I am larger and more intimidating? I was in my corporate security uniform (covered up by civilian winter jacket).

The first thing I thought was 'Inspector Clouseau' with that 'Don't get funny with me!', comment. Clouseau, once I moved my car stormed off away in his car, having been robbed of a precious whole ten to twenty minutes, perhaps.

Another late night, early morning klassic, thanks Matt.

Bob Ross

Daily Mail November 27

Cited

'John Cleese says you can't make jokes about Muslims - because 'they'll kill you'

The British comedian argued that political correctness is 'condescending'

He said it starts out as 'a halfway decent idea' then goes 'completely wrong'

Cleese added that you can make jokes about Muslims but 'they'll kill you'

The comedian was being interviewed on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher

He also said that he finds any type of fundamentalism 'terribly funny''

Cited

'The British comedian then goes on to say suggest that the reason you can't make jokes about Muslims is because 'they'll kill you'. 'Who are the people you can't make jokes about?' he asks

Maher who instantly responds: 'Muslims'' Cited 'He said: 'Because the thing about fundamentalism is that it's taking whatever the book is - the book Qur'an or the bible - absolutely literally. 'I've met some pretty smart people in life and you know not a single one of them was literal-minded.''

End citations

Mr. Cleese makes some reasonable and good points that Muslims (Islamists) are not joked about, at least not much, I would state, as it is not considered politically correct.

Also because of fear.

Fear of death.

Fear of other types of political and social persecution, I would suggest as well.

In regard to not being literal-minded, it is not necessary for a historical religious text to always be written in wooden, plain literal language. A text can be written in sections in figurative literal language, as there can be metaphorical language used, as is the case in apocalyptic literature, found in sections of Revelation, for example.

This would make strictly 'plain literal' 'fundamentalistic' interpretations of sections from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, not always very accurate ones.

However, to remove all literalness from religious texts, including the Hebrew Bible and New Testament is to downgrade them to fictional, mythology and not religious history.

Both an English read of these texts and a serious academic, scholarly study of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament demonstrate neither contain texts intended as fictional mythology.

But texts intended as religious history.

Therefore, those texts had to be written literally by original authors and read literally in proper context to be understood correctly.

Read by literally-minded persons and scholars.

The gospel message, the life and ministry of Christ and his death and resurrection are primarily written in plain literal language in order to demonstrate events as historical religious events.

Yes, Christ is called the 'gate' in John 10: 9 metaphorically, for example, but again predominantly the gospels and gospel message feature plain literal language and need to be interpreted as such.

I would disagree would Mr. Cleese if he would attempt to interpret the Hebrew Bible and New Testament as fictional, mythology for some solely humanistic purpose devoid of God's revealed message.

Saudi Arabian Restaurants Ban Single Women As Supposedly 'Mentally Unstable'...

Daily Mail 

On a satirical note with those black 'outfits' I would not be shocked to find out that few supermodels and beauty contest winners originate from Saudi Arabia...

Daily Mail November 24

Cited

'Saudi Arabian restaurants ban single women from entering because of their 'mentally unstable' behaviour such as flirting, smoking and using mobile phones

Restaurants in Saudi Arabia ban single women from entering premises

Some owners have put signs up on their doors saying 'women not allowed'

Complaints of 'mentally unstable' behaviour such as using mobile phones

Saudi Arabia is one of the worst nations in the world for women's rights

Women cannot drive and should be accompanied by a man at all times'

Cited

'Restaurants in Saudi Arabia have banned single women from entering because of their 'mentally unstable' behaviour such as using flirting, smoking and using mobile phones.

Opine

These attitudes arise from centuries and millenniums of male dominated culture and associated religion (s).

A contextual and reasonable worldview instead from the beginning of Scripture would view both male and female as made in the image and likeness of God, the creator (Genesis 1: 26-27).

Both finite male and female humanity representing, although limited, the infinite nature of God.

Therefore, even acknowledging a human fall (Genesis 3, Romans 1-3) and human imperfection, certain particular female like qualities, feminine qualities, which would tend to differ from male, masculine qualities, would not necessarily be 'mentally unstable', but would instead represent different aspects of God's human creation.

Several restaurants have put up signs that say 'women are not allowed' in another blow for women's rights in the conservative Muslim kingdom.

There is no law banning women from travelling alone in Saudi Arabia but deeply-held religious beliefs dictate that they should be accompanied by a male family member when out in public.'

Cited

'Bloggers in the Middle Eastern state also described women who smoke and use mobile phones as 'mentally unstable'.

'One wrote: 'The best thing is to keep women away from restaurants unless they have a male custodian. 'That way the restaurant is not shut down because of the misbehaviour of an adolescent or mentally unstable woman.'

Saudi Arabia is one of the worst nations in the world for women's rights, with women expected to be accompanied by a male Saudi Arabia is one of the worst nations in the world for women's rights, with women expected to be accompanied by a male guardian in public

The blogger added that one woman crossed the line when she came in alone and 'focused on her mobile'.'

Cited

'Saudi Arabia has one of the worst record's for women's rights in the world. Women will be allowed to vote and run for office in local elections for the first time next year but are still not allowed to drive.'

Cited

'Women can ride bicycles, but only in 'recreational areas' if they are wearing full Islamic body coverings and are accompanied by a male guardian.'

The New Testament does encourage young women to marry and submit to husbands (Colossians 3, Ephesians 5) and raise children 1 Timothy 2.

This can be traced back to Genesis 2-3 and the natural order of creation; but there is a problem of evil in creation and it is not a perfect realm.

This problem of evil can certainly be seen in relationships, or lack of, marriages and related not working perfectly in love in how the Bible would command.

However, the natural order presented does not cancel out what is previously presented in Genesis 1:26-27. 

By disrespecting and downgrading females and treating them as less than males in value, although not the same functionally, admittedly, any culture or religion that does so is not true religion from God and is certainly not compatible with the Biblical Gospel or Scripture. 

Saudi Arabia-Apple

Perhaps On The Bright Side, The New Art Form Of Circular Saw Tattoos Could Be Created...

Facebook/Google+

It appears that much of North America, although not this area, has Winter like weather in Autumn.

Religion On The Record

I noticed yesterday that both of my academic blogs are listed here. I am not certain of the site credibility, but I received a pageview from the source.

It is good to receive recognition. There are multiple reasons for me to blog academically. These include to keep studying within the Scripture (2 Timothy 2: 15) and also to continue with theological and philosophical research and other related study.

I hope to offer a good ministry, although limited of course in an online context, to others and also promote myself for potential work with my PhD and related degrees.

More shenanigans from work...

Verbal report @ work...

'The black guys are not giving a briefing at shift end'. There is only one black guy...

I then shared this report with the one African at work, also a Christian friend, and we laughed and he semi-seriously stated it was racist. However, one would think his name would be known by now, and it should be known that that the other African gentleman had left the company weeks ago.

This leaves a bizarre possibility that the other so called 'black guy' according to consensus was a Sikh security officer with a turban.

On the other hand, it is true at least that my one friend from Africa refuses to brief at shift change, instead racing out of the office building near shift end.

Racism?

Doubtful.

Corporate shenanigans?

Likely.

Daily Mail November 23

Cited

'Now former Playboy playmate accuses Bill Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1970 - as his lawyer brands mounting accusations 'increasingly ridiculous'

Former playmate Victoria Valentino, now 71, claims Bill Cosby 'drugged her at Hollywood dinner in 1970, tried to rape her friend, then raped her instead' She claims she didn't come forward because 'what credibility did I have?'

Cosby's lawyers blast the 16 sex abuse claims as 'increasingly ridiculous' 16 women including supermodel Janice Dickinson have come forward'

End citations

Without judging, in ignorance of many facts, guilt or innocence, based on news and media the evidence is building against Mr. Cosby and I reason he is likely finished as a career celebrity in a similar fashion as was (is) O.J. Simpson.

Images From

Answers.com

A new K-9 sunscreen? With that attitude toward the public that K-9 should apply for security work at our corporate site.

A sort of, car wash. 

Hmm, should I warn any of the people below, or take matters in my owns hands and break these icicles when no one is below to prevent a potential injury to the public? Nah, there is a hockey game on, this is just a commercial break.

Even if that police officer is perhaps 'Deputy Dog', that idiot reaching for the gun looks like one dumb pothead...

Perhaps on the bright side, the new art form of circular saw tattoos could be created...

A new reality television show? I think it stinks and looks bad for the environment.

No problem, one just needs a 4x4 truck to make it up this incline; therefore the real estate agent just needs to find a buyer with a 4x4 truck. However, the garage does not look large enough to house such a vehicle...