The Christian Christmas Condition: How Does Our Lord Feel About Christmas Today?

by Scott Rankin

Cultural conditioning is causing mental boundaries in Christians, preventing us from seeing our Lord the way HE wants to be seen!

Social norms have diminished full appreciation of God. Let’s rediscover the awe of God and fellowship with a worthy Father and His Son the way HE desires this Christmas!

Using Christmas as a platform for discussion… we will unwrap the forgotten fullness of our Lord that's been hidden under holiday habits!

Listen! Can you hear Jesus calling for Christmas to be more than what it is today? He’s calling for a return to love Him FULLY! Everyone from the Holy Land to the heartland, from the independent woman to the family man, from the housemaid to the handyman… when celebrating Jesus, ALL should imitate Christ.

As Christians we should never lie. Especially to our children. We want them to think Jesus loves me (not Santa). At night we want them to pray, trust God, be inspired by God, and the last thing they say is good night GOD, falling asleep with dreams of HIM blessing them. Santa Claus has been embodied as the alchemist (or magical wizard) Satan wants us and our kids to focus on MORE than our Savior. The devil wants us distracted, but Jesus’ alternative plan is that we stay focused on Him!

During the ritual we all follow from November through December 25, we spend 55 days focusing frequently on a conjured character… and spend zero days aptly appreciating a righteous redeemer! Jesus always should be the main focus as reminders of him are everywhere in life. But if we're not looking, it’s hard to see Him!

Today we find ourselves in a strange new world where culture dictates how we should experience and celebrate Christ. But we’re being mislead! Culture tells us how we should honor God. But God’s expectations are counterculture. God says live HIS truth. Culture says live your truth. God says one thing. Culture says the opposite. We’re now embraced by a whirling storm of chaos and confusion desperately desiring a cerebral serenity in the storm! But what is the right thinking for a culture in chaos? The right thinking is to stop overthinking and LET GOD LEAD!

We will explore how to be still and know that He is God! He wants to show us HIS happy place, and take us way beyond the story of a simple baby in a Manger!

But the decision to experience a bigger God than ANY culture can offer… is within ourselves. It starts with us. When we seek Him and discover the verity of His vast Love, it ends with us experiencing our Lord in a much bigger way!

Culture pressure is burdensome and works at reshaping and changing our mind to try and suppress a living testimony. But be resilient and encouraged! We will not be silenced as the praise in our voices rising to Emmanuel increases with a year-round Christmas spirit that hopefully… starts another Jesus Revolution that will outlive generations to come!

So don't hold back! There's no reason to hide our faith and praise behind captivating cultural traditions anymore. Stand strong! Whether you're parenting teens or toddlers, or if you just want to be a woman of wisdom, or man of faith - grab your Bible and follow along using God's word as the firm foundation to grow your faith.

This book is designed to be highly effective Discussions cover how Packed No matter your Christian beliefs, we hope this reading experience leaves you knowing that God’s love does wonders in our lives when we seek Him first -

ALL YEAR LONG

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

196 pages, Paperback

Published November 25, 2019

Reviews

[Katelyn Sansom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Christian Christmas Condition by Scott
I give this book 3 stars because I understand and respect what Scott was trying to do – provoking thoughts about how we think about Christmas and forcing us to reassess how much of the Christmas season is spent thinking and celebrating Christ’s birth. I also applaud Scott for making me question how I do Christmas traditions and their true meanings.
However, much of this book does not seem to be influenced by sincerely praying for answers from God, but rather is fueled by skepticism and a distrust for most of the aspects of Christmas that brings people joy. At least, that is the tone I get from it. Before submitting this review, I did my own personal scripture study to let the Holy Spirit in and correct anything I wrote.

For context, I am a Christian (LDS – Latter Day Saint) and do agree that we should rethink how we celebrate Christmas, and make sure we have our priorities straight, but we don’t need take away Christmas trees or Santa.

The following notes, thoughts and criticisms are basically in the order that I read the ideas from the book.

Side Note on how the author was talking about not knowing the exact birthdate of Jesus: It’s actually been speculated by scholars and faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS church) that Jesus was born in the spring. Some say April 6th, some say April 10th, but others have guessed December. Spring time makes the most sense to me though – the wise men did not see the star and travel all the way to Bethlehem in just a couple days, it probably took a couple months, depending on their starting location.
So, the reason why “...no birthday date was ever mentioned by [Apostles] throughout the entire New Testament” was because different calendar systems have been used by different peoples over time, and they weren’t very exact back in the day. Our current Gregorian calendar is still relatively new in comparison to human history. Back then it was based off of the seasons and whatnot.
Just because we can figure out the exact date of Christ’s death, doesn’t mean there aren’t valid reasons to celebrate His birth.

The author writes as if he has a perfect understanding of God and His Word, intentions, etc, but there are ideas littered throughout that reflect a lack of understanding. It just feels like Scott read certain parts of the Bible and made assumptions, all without the influence of the Holy Spirit and instead led by some sort of rage and dislike for absolutely anything connected to paganism, including the “borrowed” traditions that are Christmas trees, etc.

Example 1: The author writes, “God hates ___” a couple of times. Our God is not primarily a hateful God and this is not how we should approach thinking about who Heavenly Father (God) is. He is a loving God who wants us to be happy and follow Him and His Son (to say the least) so that we might go through trials on earth and one day live with Him again. I firmly believe that God does NOT hate Christmas trees. I could not find a single verse that supports this idea. It’s a part of our culture, of significant family traditions, and is not a means of worship! I’ve never met a single person who “worships” their Christmas tree – where did this idea come from? Putting up the tree with its lights and beautiful (often Christ-themed) ornaments is a joyful way to do something together as a family and to celebrate the season. Seeing the Christmas tree & decorations everyday during Christmastime is a wonderful way to trigger a remembrance of what time of year it is and what we’re celebrating.

Example 2: In addition, there are times where the author states that “God hates every single tradition the pagans have used to worship their gods, every single one!” Well, according to the verses referenced, It talks only about how God hates all the abominations, not specifically every single tradition!

Also note: on page 136, Scott talks about not worshiping God “using pagan worship tools or rituals because He abhors it and He commanded me not to (Deuteronomy 12:29-31)”. While I might agree with the statement, the scripture reference does not directly support the claim. The same goes for many Bible verses cited that do not support the claims they are attached to. It is this fact that makes me skeptical of the facts supporting your premises.

We as humans are perfectly allowed to have celebrations and our unique cultures, as long as they are good in the sight of God and are not signs of idolatry, vanity, etc. Just because families put up Christmas trees are part of Christmas traditions, does not mean we are worshiping idols – even if it’s a “borrowed” idea. I believe it IS possible to take on ancient traditions and turn it into something good in the sight of God, in some cases. Otherwise, who can say that we humans, who are a mix of good and bad, can’t repent and become good and pure again? Not to mention, everything that is good is of God!
In addition, it’s not a sin to celebrate birthdays! With the way this book talks about not celebrating things, you’d think the author was a Jehovah’s Witness. Birthdays are a way for families to celebrate the birth of their children and other family members – it’s an exciting time, especially when they are young! My little one is due in August 2022 and you can bet I’m over-the-moon excited to celebrate that event! And Jesus’s birth is the pinnacle of birthdays to celebrate. It’s the day that Heavenly Father sent His only Begotten Son to earth, to learn & grow up, to teach the gospel, heal the afflicted, help people around Him, and especially to Atone and die for our sins. The day He was born was the completion of anticipated prophecies, a true & pure Gift from God, and a sign of hope and light!

To me, this book just does not feel inspired by God, like the Bible, Book of Mormon (read it if you don’t believe me, seriously), or words spoken by prophets of God, nor does it feel written with the Holy Spirit as a guide and influence (though Scott might say otherwise and I’d be interested in having that conversation). It’s a book more or less speculating and being over-critical about Christianity, Christmas, and generalizing how Christians today celebrate the Holiday (there are still people who focus on the birth of Christ, and there are plenty of people who do their best to help others in need this Christmas season). It honestly feels like he hates the “Spirit of Christmas”-type concepts and it saddens my soul to see such a skeptical, critical stance when this is a time to be jolly and remember Christ, our Savior, being born under humble circumstances. Christ was born after years of prophecy, hope, and faith, and that is something to be celebrated – even if we aren’t sure of His exact birthday, and even if it’s not on December 25th. I also believe that Heavenly Father helped guide people to make this wonderful Christmas season line up with the end of the year –it’s a time to reflect on the year and be thankful for the people in our lives and the things we have, as well as appreciate the Gift that is Christ.


However, I can somewhat agree and will rethink what we tell our children about Santa Claus, but if we tell those stories it will be with the intention a) of encouraging our children to watch how they act, b) for entertainment and a Christmas tradition, and c) teach them to be selfless and give freely, like Christ. After all, St. Nicholas was a real person. Plus, the legends of Santa somehow brings a certain magic to children and adults alike. I don’t want our children to never experience that.

Scott frequently points out how “God did not say [specific thing]” or, quote: “God did not institute a holiday to worship the birth of His son Jesus” (said in the form of a question). Heavenly Father did not get too specific with many things in the Bible because we have our own FREE WILL to choose and create how we wish, as long as it is good in the sight of God. Jesus, in His lifetime, visited people of various lands – did He point out their specific culture and tell them not to have it? If celebrating Christmas the way we do nowadays and when we do it is how people remember the birth of Christ, then let us have our culture and traditions! (as long as they are good in the sight of God) The end goal of remembering Him is still accomplished. People, societies, cultures, and traditions change over time and place – it would be a restriction of our agency to specifically note in the Bible that we can never celebrate Christmas in a way that involves decorating trees, giving gifts, and doing other FAMILY activities together, and so on! And by telling people to not put up a beloved Christmas tree, you’re attempting to cut off our agency in how we celebrate this Christmas time! Where is your heart? How can you, in good faith, really say that the joyous traditions beloved by millions of faithful Christians, for decades/centuries are terrible? Have you really not considered all of the happiness, joy, heartwarming experiences, and heart-changing times that Christmas and its traditions can bring?

Additional random book note on Halloween:
Once again, here we are Scott, on the topic of Halloween. I read all of the scripture references and realize your premise that “horror films, haunted houses, and Halloween overall are terrible things and should never be celebrated/done” is false! (Sorry, this is a passionate topic for me). The Bible verses you referenced are really saying – don’t fear God (but rather, respect Him and follow His words). It is NOT saying that putting yourself in situations where you MIGHT feel fear is a terrible thing. It’s like saying not to fear venomous snakes or fear dangerous situations – a moderate amount of fear can actually be healthy for you, can keep you alive, and could even keep someone from acting extremely reckless. I will defend Halloween until my dying days – it is a valid holiday that brings people (including families) joy. People watch scary movies for their own reasons, so you shouldn’t generalize why we do it – I watch scary movies for the stories themselves, so that I might a) learn from those mistakes, b) make sure I don’t end up in bad situations, and c) be prepared for worst-case scenarios. Everyone celebrates Halloween for different reasons, don’t assume its paganism or for evil intentions. If you had let me have more time (when we were talking about this in-person) to explain myself instead of having a one-sided conversation, maybe I could have articulated this.

A note on Santa:
I do understand where you and other parents are coming from – you don’t want to lie to your children. I 100% understand that and can agree. At this moment I don’t entirely know what Santa will look like in our children’s lives. I do know that I want to tell those legends & stories & traditions and bring that magic into their lives. I want to teach about Santa Claus because he, like St. Nicholas (who he’s modeled after), is a “type” of Christ. He was selfless and giving, and helped people around him without expecting anything in return. Remind you of anyone? That’s right, Jesus Christ has these attributes and more. If kids can learn about Santa and his characteristics, then eventually they can come to understand and know Jesus as well. It’s the “lying” part that we’re still trying to work out – I do know that when my siblings and I were kids, we loved believing in Santa, and when we found out he “wasn’t real”, we weren’t betrayed, like Scott said kids would be. We were disappointed, but still loved going along with it for our younger siblings, and we’d even stay up late years afterward. But the magic of believing in Santa can still be found in reading the stories and watching heartfelt movies with Santa, like “The Polar Express” or “Mickey’s Once/Twice Upon a Christmas”. We humans have this amazing ability to create, to bring beautiful stories into this world that help us understand things better, and I believe these ideas and stories should not be thrown away but rather, used as tools to help children and adults alike understand Christ better and learn to be more like Him.

Scott, you said that one alternative idea for “Christmastime activities, fun, and thankfulness” was the snowflake tradition. To make snowflakes every year as a family – laugh, talk, bond, etc; Discuss how no two snowflakes are alike just like people, and God knows that; Sign the snowflakes with names, write dates on them, and put them up with new ones next year. How is this different from putting special ornaments on a tree? Your suggestion, ironically, is a perfect parallel to what people do when they put up the tree and decorate it with meaningful ornaments. We laugh, talk, bond, listen to music, and put up ornaments with certain messages, specific dates/years, ornaments about Christ and/or His birth, etc. So why are making snowflakes fine when decorating a Christmas tree is the same concept? Remember, Christmas trees are NOT means of worship, which I think is where your line of thinking went in a different direction….


Sorry, this is about to get a bit personal… but these are the final thoughts I wish I could have told you in person, that I’d like to get off my chest.
Scott, when I worked with you, it never struck me that you were a happy person, despite the fact that anyone can be happy no matter any dire circumstances of ill health, etc (those are personal, unique challenges to everyone and I’m not saying that you need to suddenly get over your problems, just that I know you can find happiness even in the darkest of times). You weren’t happy despite the fact that you’re a firm believer of the Bible. You were always so skeptical of the world, so over-critical. Have these criticisms of Christmas really made you a happier person? Were you praying earnestly to God whether the things you were saying in your book (ex: God hating certain things) were true? Or have these criticisms turned you into a Scrooge-like figure? The Christmas traditions my family and I celebrate bring true joy to us, and bring us closer together, and I will defend that. And yes that includes putting up the Christmas tree, ornaments, other decorations, and watching various Christmas movies. I am stoked to bring Christmas joy to my siblings, parents, cousins, other family members, and especially our own children as they miraculously come into this world. I can only hope and pray that you and your family find joy and happiness too. I do not wish to offend you, I only wish to bring an alternative perspective to your criticisms of Christmas traditions.

Sincerely,
Kate Sansom

[Cheryl Malandrinos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christian Christmas Condition brings you through history to uncover how traditions like the Christmas tree were repurposed into symbols and celebrations of Christ's birth. But, is that how God wants it to be? Are we honoring Him and glorifying Him when we re-purpose a pagan tradition? Is it right to tell our children about the existence of Santa Claus and his expectations of being good to get gifts? When we finally tell them Santa Claus is made up, how can they believe us when we tell them an unseen God who loves and provides for us is real? These and other topics of discussion may have you reconsidering your holiday traditions.

I have to be honest with you: this is not an easy read. It's an excellent book, and it poses important questions to Christians about family traditions, but you can't help but feel uncomfortable by them. Who wants to be told their time-honored tradition of an evergreen tree harkens back to the time when Romans celebrated a festival where no one could be arrested or convicted for a variety of horrible crimes? I sure don't.

One, however, can't argue against the Biblical stories of Gideon and other ordinary men and women whose obedience to God came with great rewards ...just like the rewards our obedience gains for us. Rankin put together the puzzle pieces into an inspiring and encouraging way to allow us to see how Christmas can be so much more. I love how he reminded readers that God didn't focus on His Son's birth. He focused on Jesus as our Savior ...an act that was thirty-three years in the making. His birth isn't the important part. His death and resurrection are.

Am I ready to pitch my Christmas trees in the fire? I can't say that I am. However, Rankin has given me a lot to think about. I'm glad he shared how his family phased in changing their Christmas traditions, because, admittedly, he also felt there was nothing wrong with the Christmas tree and Santa Claus traditions when his wife first questioned them. Rakin encourages each of us to discover the direction God desires for us and reminds us not to be afraid to ask the question, "What does God say about this?"

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child, I attended numerous churches of varying followings. By my early teens, I'd settled on a particular denomination; only to have it ripped away when we moved two states away. Ever since, there hasn't been a church that I have felt so comfortable and accepted within. It has taken several churches and bad experiences to discover that it isn't the church/denomination itself, but the people and their connection to God.


I've spent many hours in my life staying in my lane, the safe zone. This includes with the books I read. The Christian Christmas Condition pushed me outside of that comfort level with being a Christian. With all that is going on in the world around us, I find myself yearning for a closer relationship with God -- even if that means I'm going to be pushed and uncomfortable.


Like many others, I've fallen into the man-made corporate trap of what Christmas entails. Immediately, I felt myself pushing back against what was being pulled directly from the Bible itself. Accepting that previous traditions don't align with my goal of growing in step with the Lord is quite difficult.


Honestly, a little over halfway, I was ready to close the book and brush it off; but something kept gnawing at me to finish. I'm grateful that I did because of the new point of view. The ending is particular enlightening.


Highly recommended for anyone wanting to dive deeper into Christmas beyond the commercial view!


I received a complimentary copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

[Ashley Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. The author does a really good job of calling Christians out for what we have let Christmas become. He didn't do it in a harsh way, but it absolutely made me stop and think. When he says at the start we all think 'Christmas isn't what it used to be'. That's completely true. We need to turn the focus back to God and not material things.

I agree with most everything he says through here. My children never were told that Santa existed, the exact opposite actually. But I never saw any harm in the concept either....until I read this. I believe he is right that we need to put more of the focus on God and what the Bible says, no matter what the world says, labels us, or pushes back. Christmas is literally supposed to be a celebration of Christ's birth. We need to remember that and make sure that is what we are focused on.

It was a 4/5 for me. It truly was thought provoking.



Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book via PUYB. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian books are always hit or miss for me. It's hard to read one without them coming off too preachy. That being said, I think this one was very well balanced. Scott Rankin gives us plenty to think about and evaluate without "telling" us what to do. This will make you think and self-reflect. It's a great read if you want to open your eyes to the holiday season and how The Lord is glorified and how we can fix aspects where he is not.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, it felt odd reading this book in the heat of summer.

That being said, the points made and the message are powerful and important no matter what the time.

It's important to keep our minds open to our faith and always think deeper into our actions.

Grow in your faith, open your mind, and find a deeper connection.

[Gina Stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Christian who would like to take a deeper look into Christmas and everything that surrounds the Holiday as we know it today.

It’s great to have a reminder sometimes, even as a Christian we tend to overlook things. It’s good to have time to self-reflect. This is a great reminder.

I highly recommend this read.