The Grinch

[missmuffet]

What do you think a born again Christian's attitude should be toward the Grinch

at Christmas time? Is it only a secular thing?

 

 

[glff]

Titus 1: 15:

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

[Sower]

1 hour ago, missmuffet said:

What do you think a born again Christian's attitude should be toward the Grinch

at Christmas time? Is it only a secular thing?

Quote;

The author, Dr. Seuss, wrote the story to rediscover his love of Christmas, which he felt had gone wrong. He also drew inspiration from his own sour friend, the Grinch.
 

"The film has strong messages about family and making the best from what you have. However, the most important message shown is that if you are hurt, that does not mean you have the permission to hurt others. The Grinch never had a family of his own and felt left out at Christmas, so he tried to take that out on others.

The theme of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is that the Christmas holiday is not about stuff.

 How the Grinch Stole Christmas  tells the story of an outsider with no formal power who deliberately connives to swipe Christmas from those who celebrate it, precisely because it bothers him that they do. The Grinch is a crotchety hermit who lives alone on a mountain that overlooks a village, Who-ville, that happily celebrates Christmas annually. He watches them celebrate, year after year, until he figures that if he steals everything from them, they won’t be able to celebrate. But when he makes off with all their decorations, presents, and foodstuffs, he finds that they still celebrate Christmas either way, and do so gratefully and joyfully. This shocks him. As the narrator says,

“… And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!

‘Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.”

The verdict in How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is that Christmas is indelible and non-material; it is ethereal and internal. It is about community, and love, and gratefulness, and so cannot be determined by material factors. The celebration will still happen, no matter what he does to try and stop it"

The rest of the story. Thanks mm

[missmuffet]

The pro's and con's of The Grinch

Pro's

1. The Who's teach the Grinch that coming together

is showing kindness.

2. The movie shows that material things are not

the source of Christmas.

3. How God can transform hearts.

Con's

1. The Grinch is an atheist.

2. The coldness of his heart.

3. He hated Christmas.

4. He was greedy.

5. He was prideful.

[nebula]

It is a good lesson on love and of choosing what we celebrate over the material and commercial focus.

[Sower]

26 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Con's

1. The Grinch is an atheist.

2. The coldness of his heart.

3. He hated Christmas.

4. He was greedy.

5. He was prideful.

Sounds like me before someone shared the gospel to me...

[missmuffet]

10 minutes ago, Sower said:

Sounds like me before someone shared the gospel to me...

Most people have a secular past. But that is history. We now have a new life with Christ.

That is what we need to focus on. If my mind goes back to the past it can cause stress,guilt and all

kind of negative feelings. Perhaps that is why Jesus said to only focus on the day you are living.

[Sower]

28 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Most people have a secular past. But that is history. We now have a new life with Christ.

That is what we need to focus on. If my mind goes back to the past it can cause stress,guilt and all

kind of negative feelings. Perhaps that is why Jesus said to only focus on the day you are living.

Dr. Seuss, the author,  was disgruntled with the way he perceived the Christmas celebration was turning into just getting a lot of stuff. The made up character 'Grinch' was a means to show his point, NOT an actual person. He, Grinch,  was lonely and angry that he had nobody. He was jealous of what others had, which was the joy of the season. He tried to take their joy away by taking presents and food etc but failed, as everybody still had the true joy of what Christmas was about.

33 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

We now have a new life with Christ.

That is what we need to focus on.

Yes. And how can we be good stewards this new life in Christ. By remembering how we were once lost, in need of something, just like Grinch, and share the good news that Jesus loves him/them. Passing on the blessings we receive from the Father...

Thanks mm. Good post..

[missmuffet]

19 minutes ago, Sower said:

Dr. Seuss, the author,  was disgruntled with the way he perceived the Christmas celebration was turning into just getting a lot of stuff. The made up character 'Grinch' was a means to show his point, NOT an actual person. He, Grinch,  was lonely and angry that he had nobody. He was jealous of what others had, which was the joy of the season. He tried to take their joy away by taking presents and food etc but failed, as everybody still had the true joy of what Christmas was about.

Yes. And how can we be good stewards this new life in Christ. By remembering how we were once lost, in need of something, just like Grinch, and share the good news that Jesus loves him/them. Passing on the blessings we receive from the Father...

Thanks mm. Good post..

That is a good analogy

[Who me]

Some great comments in this thread.

A suggestion on how we can open the excesss  of Christmas to possible a discussion  on Christmas.

Most of us and our relatives  don't  need expensive presents, so why not give a token present a.nd a card saying X amount went to this Christian charity.