The following “Letter to Editor” titled Christmas, 2012 was compiled and sent to North Renfrew Times (Deep River) for publication. Also it was circulated to few friends to read the writing.

Christmas, 2012

The time rolls on and we are here once more to celebrate the Christmas holidays .

Some people are a bit annoyed that the holidays have lost its adjective ” Christmas” and have taken a new   adjective ” Seasonal “.   This is to accommodate many Canadians who are atheists , agnostics, non-Christians amongst us. For example I am a Hindu born in a Jain family.   Personally, I would prefer it still     be called what it really is – it is a ” Christmas Holidays ” .  

We all enjoy the festivities and to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on this earth.   He was a   personification of divine attributes that lie underlain in a human soul.

He is believed to be a “saviour” by his followers.   This coming of Jesus was heralded and anointed by the three wise men from the East . The history of his struggles and ultimate crucifixion is well known and recited many times by his followers and others. He was arrested, tried and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged and finally executed on a cross.

The world learnt the lesson of love, fellowship and forgiveness from the message expounded by Jesus Christ.   The Roman Empire was at the time very mean & rough on the conquered and also on its own citizens . The injustices were very prevalent and Jesus came on this earth to open up a new understanding and divinity of human life.   This was not welcome by the Roman Authority as they were rather frightened by the revolutionary message of love and dignity for all.

So when the message started to spread, it took some years before King Constantine, the first Roman emperor, converted himself to be a Christian and proclaimed the tolerance of all religions throughout the empire.

The “Saviour” is unfortunately being mistakenly presented as he is only a Saviour for the followers of Christianity. This does not rhyme well from his message as when he proclaimed these divine messages, there was no labeled “Christianity” religion.   One can follow Jesus’ preaching without being converted to so called Christian religion.  

Most wars and destruction came by colonial powers and within the so called Christian nations during the Spanish War, 1st and 2nd World wars – many within the European continent and around the world were decimated. There was death & destruction. Jesus remained an anchor for many, individually, during these distressful times . His sacrifice and message of love and forgiveness, over the time, gave to the realization of justice, equality and racial harmony in many nations as well as codification of human rights .   Through many trials and retributions, the human race is slowly coming to mutual respect and love for the living. A spiritual thought which will carry us in this life and life after.

My family & I wish all a very Happy Christmas holidays and a Happy new Year.

Pravin Shah