This is one of the most odd postings I have read in a very long while.

I won't pretend to be a theologian of any description, and so I'll concede that (so far as I know or care) every biblical reference and intepretation in this piece could be spot on. But even admitting all of that, the article remains one of the best arguments for secularising Christmas that I have read in a long time.

Whether Christians like it or not, Christmas has now become a parallel holiday - on the one hand, Christians celebrate the birth of their Messiah. On the other hand, Christians and non-Christians alike aspire to generosity (of spirit and of material things) and family togetherness which is not usually possible in our fast-paced, personally isolating world. In this secular Christmas, family does indeed loom large.

The idea that somehow family gets in the way of true service to the Christian god has me scratching my head in bewilderment. If that's what it means to be a Christian then thank goodness I am no such thing.

Anthony

I thought this was odd myself.