Pastor Mark’s Blog

Poor Donald Trump.  Not everybody is wishing him a Merry Christmas.  Trump came out with his very own line of shirts and ties that are being sold exclusively at Macy’s this Christmas.   There was just one little marketing hiccup.  You see, for the last couple of years The Donald has been railing against unfair Chinese competition and the fact that US jobs have flooded offshore.  He actually makes a reasonable point if you look at the data.  Where things get a little dicey for the flamboyant and out spoken billionaire is that his new fashion line is being made in… you guessed it… in China!  Consequently, an online petition has surfaced to try to force Macy’s to Dump Trump.  So far 680,000 people like the idea and have signed the petition.

Most of you know that I am a huge Donald Trump fan.  I supported him in his run for the Presidency.  Read Here  If it were not for buffoons like Trump, amateur comedians like me would have no material at all.  If Macy’s dumps trump, I doubt his fortune will be in much jeopardy… but they would have to take down the Donald Trump Christmas tree.

Of course this blog is not about Trump at all, but about a real Star… the one born 2000 years ago in Bethlehem.  In the gospel of Matthew there is a fascinating narrative about the wisemen (Magi) from the Orient.  It says they followed a star, that they had seen in the East, looking for the new born King of the Jews.  When they got to Bethlehem, it states that the star they had been following stood still over the place where the child was laying.  What are we to make of this celestial sign? With the advancements in astronomy there most be a way to figure out if this happened and what it was that they saw.   Astronomer Michael Molnaractually has written an entire book on the subject called, The Star of Bethlehem:  The Legacy of the Magi.  His research is nothing short of fascinating.  His search began when he first purchased an ancient Roman coin for $50 that was in circulation at the time of Christ.  The coin showed a ram looking over its shoulder to a luminous star.

After buying the coin Molnar began to try to unravel the meaning.  With his knowledge of astronomy and a keen interest in ancient astrology, Molnar knew that all of the constellations of stars have names and that each one of them was assigned to one of the ancient peoples.  The Ram is  the constellation of Aries and was considered to represent the Jews.  The second part of the mystery was the star that appeared with the ram.  In 6 BC an extraordinary event took place called the occultation of Venus, and it happened in the constellation of Aries.  This is when the planet Venus becomes eclipsed by the moon and ends up shining particularly brightly.  In ancient times people thought Venus was a star not a planet as they had no knowledge of such things.  It was considered the Royal star as it is the brightest celestial object seen from earth.  To the Magi, who were likely astrologers, the star illuminating brightly meant a new king was born.  The fact that it appeared in Aries was the reason that they were looking for a king born to the Jews.

After the wisemen visited Herod, inquiring as to where the king was expected to be born, the star appeared again.  This time standing still over the place where the Child was.  This seems problematic in that celestial objects cannot stand still (outside of a miracle like in the book of Joshua where the sun stood still) as the earth is in constant rotation.  Molnar discovered that the occultation of Venus happened twice in 6 BC.  The second time was in December and this time the rotation of the earth fell in sync with the orbiting of Venus thus making it look like the ‘star’ was standing still for the period of about one week.

The last piece if the puzzle is the year it all happened.  Most people believe Jesus was born in zero BC.  Turns out that Dionysius Exiguus the Roman Catholic monk who set the dates of the Roman calendar in AD 527 got it wrong.  King Herod died in 4 BC.  Which would mean that Jesus, who spent 2 years in Egypt until Herod’s death, would have to have been born in 6 BC.  Booyah!

Whether you can buy Molnar’s explanation or not (it is head and shoulders above any other theory), the fact remains the birth of Christ is the single most significant event in history. Without it, we would all still be dead in our sins and we would be on a one way ticket to Hell.  For God so loved the world that He sent his only beloved Son, that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life.  He, without equal, is the greatest Christmas gift of all time.  As we get caught up in the festivities of the holidays, let’s not forget that Jesus is the reason for the season and wise men still seek Him today.

Merry Christmas everyone.

When I was growing up, if someone would boast of some small victory, we might bring them down to size with the remark; “What do you want… a medal?”  It was always a bit demeaning. Being the consummate Smart Alec I would always reply, “Yes, make it gold.”  Sometimes the put down was made even more disparaging by saying; “What do you want, a medal, or a chest to pin it on?”  Those of you who are old enough to remember the Wacky Races Cartoon will recall that when Muttley did something brave or heroic, Dastardly would say to him, “What do you want? A medal?” And Muttley would say, “Gimme, gimme, gimme!”

I had a bit of a Muttley moment last month when I was nominated for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.  In honour of the Queen’s diamond jubilee the medal is being awarded in ceremonies all across Canada to a wide variety of people who have “made a significant achievement or contribution to Canada”.  Frankly, I was little surprised to find myself on the list.  The night of the presentation 37 Manitobans gathered at Government House and received the Medal from Lieutenant Governor Phillip S Lee.  It was a unique mix of business leaders, university professors, scientists and ethnic leaders.  It appeared that I was there, at least in part, as a representation of the Christian community as there were Sikh and Muslim leaders as well. The event was actually very multicultural, with people from many visible races and religions.

As much as I could not help but feel undeserving, I was grateful that the work of the church was being recognized.  When was the last time a Christian preacher was publicly esteemed for anything?  I don’t have a persecution complex, but I do think that it has been open season on the Church of late – to criticize and often belittle.  In the last couple of decades we have in many ways been sidelined as an archaic and irrelevant group.  So when my Member of Parliament Rod Bruinooge put forward my name, I decided I would accept on behalf of the Christian Church, or at least my little corner of the vineyard.

Although I clearly feel I was undeserving of the award, there are a few Christians that made the list that might actually deserve a medal.  Saskatchewan MP Maurice Vellacott nominated Linda Gibbons and Mary Wagner for the medal.  Gibbons is a grandmother who has spent 10 years on and off in prison for violating injunctions in front of abortion clinics, and Wagner is in prison in Milton, Ontario awaiting trial right now for the same thing.  When Vellacott was criticized for awarding the medals to convicted criminals he responded  “It’s a pretty upside down world when we honour abortionists like Henry Morgentaler for killing over 5,000 babies and imprison precious women, like Mary Wagner and Linda Gibbons, who try to save babies from such savagery. They are the real heroes of humanity!”  Incidentally, Morgentaler was at one time a convicted felon himself and served months in jail. His conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court.  Then in 2008, he was awarded the Order of Canada – our highest civilian award.  In response, several awardees, including some high profile Catholic clergy returned their Order of Canada medals claiming the award had been tainted by giving it to a murderer like Morgentaler.

When you look at the big picture it is hard to reconcile who really deserves a medal for anything. The Noble Peace Prize has been awarded to men that were widely considered terrorists by many. Yasser Arafat and Nelson Mandela come to mind.  But then, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.  Barrack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for doing… what was it? I forget now… oh yeah, I remember… nothing!

At the end of the day… I mean let’s face it, none of us deserve a medal for being a Christian!   It is hard to escape Jesus words, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matt 6:1)  What do you want… a medal?   Actually no, not when you put it that way.

Update Nov 24, 2012:  Astute reader Bruno has observed that I now have something in common with Justin Bieber.   Except I feel like I might have over-dressed for the event.

World War I officially ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 with the signing of the Armistice by Germany and the Entente.  Since that time we in the British Commonwealth have taken pause on that day to remember all those who have fought and died in all wars for our freedom.  Originally called Armistice Day we now call it Remembrance Day.  It is a particularly important day for Canadians as we paid a very dear price in both the world wars. We are grateful for the American contribution which tilted the odds in the Allies favour at the end of the second World War, but they never joined in active European conflict until 1943.  Canada had been there since 1939.   We lost 46,998, with another 55,000 injured.  In WWI we lost 66,665 men – mostly young sons and fathers.  It was Canadian soldiers that decided the eventual outcome of both wars.  This is the image of when Canadian troops liberated Holland in May 1945.

In the last ten years we have lost another 158 in the war in Afghanistan.  I personally believe we have no place being there in the first place.  But for these young soldiers who have lost their lives, that is not a sentiment they are allowed to hold.  They must go where they are sent, and must do what they are told, and they do it out of a profound sense of duty.  Every time we see that motorcade travelling down the Highway of Heroes carrying another dead Canadian soldier we need to remember that there are still people out there laying down their lives for us.

Our freedoms have come at  a very great price.  In Winnipeg there is a war memorial with these words on it; “They gave their tomorrow, that we might have our today”.  It is an extraordinary thought that should cause us great pause.  They have given up their future for complete strangers like you and me.  Jesus said, No greater love does a man have than to lay down his life for his brothers.

Last week Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger paid our veterans the ultimate insult when he decreed that children in Manitoba schools were now permitted to opt out of Remembrance Day observances if they so desired.  Specifically he said, “We have religious freedom in Canada and if there’s a very specific reason why people, for religious purposes, don’t want their children (to attend), that is an option that they have.”  What?  What religious reasons?  Remembrance Day has nothing to do with religion.  It has to do with honouring our war dead.  Even if one is a strict pacifist (for religious or other reasons), that does not change the fact that someone laid down their life for their freedom to be a… pacifist.  This is not rocket science.  This is simple common sense reasoning.  You cannot opt out of the historical fact that individual Canadians have had to defend our freedoms at great personal cost.

If it is somehow a thinly veiled reference to immigrants of world religions other than Judeo-Christianity, again, that does not change the fact that someone else died for their freedom to come to Canada and practice whichever religion they chose.  I am appalled at the Premier’s decision and equally appalled that there has been almost no public outcry in support of the veterans.  I do give full marks to Federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney who bluntly tweeted, “I find it offensive, they don’t opt out of the freedoms secured by our war dead.”

I would expect a provincial Premier to be a little smarter than this.  This is yet another example of religious pluralism gone bad.  Elected officials do not have the right to rewrite history in an attempt to accommodate those that might be offended by it.  If somehow parents find offensive the fact that Canadian men and women are willing to sacrifice their lives for their children, then they can keep their kids home from school that day.  But let’s not promote ingratitude by revisionist history.

Halloween has gradually become one our cultures most anticipated and beloved observances. Kids look forward to the night for weeks. Parents everywhere will be sending their children out in the streets to go door to door so that they can beg for candy.  They can dress up as a cowboy, fairy princess, favourite superhero, cartoon character… ghost, goblin, horror film slasher, the grim reaper or maybe Satan himself.  Oh what fun!

I will make no bones about it, I think Christian parents who are sending their kids out for Halloween are naive and uninformed.  Whenever I bring this up, well meaning parents think I am making too much of a big deal about it and that it is just good harmless fun.  Really?

Even on the very surface it is easy to see that Halloween is clearly rooted in the occult.  It goes back to the time of the ancient Druids in England.  These were Celtic pagan nature worshippers who celebrated their most important religious festival at harvest time called Samhain.  They believed that on this night the barrier between the natural world and the supernatural was removed, and the souls of the dead were able to move freely among human beings.

In AD 835, some year after Christianity was introduced to the Celtic people, Pope Gregory IV moved the ‘Feast of All Saints’ from the spring of the year to November 1st in an attempt to supplant Samhain and break the stronghold of paganism.  The night before (Oct 31st) was know as ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ (Halloween) and was a prayer vigil.  It wasn’t long before the original pagan traditions had crept right back in and reclaimed the night as their own.  The Druids believed that on Halloween wicked souls that had died in the past year returned to their original homes. In order to free yourself from their evil influence you had to set out food and provide them with shelter for the night. If they were satisfied, it was believed they would leave you in peace. If they were not satisfied the ghosts would cast a spell on you and wreak havoc in your home.  Historically this was the basis for dressing as ghosts and goblins and going from house to house asking for a treat, lest you give them a trick.  Today the night before Halloween is called ‘Gate Night”.  Again it is a throw back to Samhain and is considered the night when the these evil spirits are released from the underworld.  Delinquent youth use it as an excuse to roam the streets causing mischief and doing acts of vandalism.  Hello!  This should not be so hard to connect the dots.

Why on earth we have allowed our little children from their earliest age to participate in this blatant celebration of evil completely escapes me. “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer. (Deut 18:10)  Apart from the fact that what we are doing is completely forbidden in scripture, there is at least one more reason to take a pass on Halloween.  When we entertain anything occultic or demonic we are giving Satan an invitation to intervene in our lives.  Eph 4:27 says, “Do not give place to the Devil”. Satan is not permitted to just run roughshod over us.  He really needs an invitation of sorts.  Jesus lived completely free of demonic interference.  On one occasion the crowd tried to kill Him and could not.  They tried to push him off a cliff… but He just walked through the crowd.  He clearly stated that no one could take His life but that He would lay his life down Himself.   Throughout His earthly walk, try as he may, the Devil could not touch Him.  Why not?  John 14:30 tells us;  “… for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

There are all sorts of ways that we can invite evil into our lives; sin, disobedience, unforgiveness, drugs, spiritual neglect etc.  But nothing is more dangerous and damning than deliberate spiritual invocation through pagan rituals, witchcraft and the occult.  Like it or not, that is exactly what Halloween is.  It is unbelievable that an entire culture has bought into celebrating Halloween.  I will call it what it is; modern day, family-friendly, pagan witchcraft!

For the 25 years our church has been in existence we have always provided a Halloween alternative for our kids.  Some will think even that is an unacceptable compromise.  I don’t.  It is pretty hard to explain to a 6 year old that you are going to stay home with the lights off and spend the night praying, when at  the same time, all the kids from their school will be going out collecting huge bags of candy.  Instead we counter-program the night and do an indoor carnival at the church.  The kids wear wholesome costumes, play carnival games and win tons of candy.  Last year we had over 500 kids come for the evening, plus their parents.  I won’t lie, it is organized mayhem, the place becomes a complete zoo, but at least it offers a safe and superior alternative to inviting the Devil to make our lives a living hell for yet another year.

Whoa Mark, you are stepping on some toes here.  Good, I sincerely hope so!  I think every parent, Christian or otherwise, needs to ask themselves this question; Is Halloween a trick or treat?  Trust me on this one. It’s a trick!

I do hope everybody understands that I am not standing in judgment of your choice but rather trying to provoke a deeper look at Halloween.  When we have been raised doing something (like Halloween… as I also was) it is very hard to see any hidden or inherent dangers.  I have been to countries were spiritism is very much part of their culture.  Places like that celebrate Carnival (Brazil), Mardi Gras (New Orleans), etc. live under incredible spiritual bondage.  These kinds of Halloween type festivals exist all over the 3rd world and have profound spiritual impact.  In many places they have become intertwined with their Catholicism.  In Uruguay we were in an evangelistic meeting where hundreds of people were under the influence of demon possession and needed deliverance.  Once you see firsthand the wholesale spiritual bondage that is possible, you would never ever consider Halloween harmless fun.  There are also hundreds of books written on the subject of Halloween many by people who have studied the histories of these spiritually bound countries.  But instead of reading them many Christians will naively defend their dearly held Halloween traditions.  Do a little poking around for articles online.  You might be surprised what you discover.