19 December 2010

Day 267: Confessional

Confessional by Jack Higgins.  ISBN: 9780002229173.

Oh what the hey, let's talk about Jesus.  'Tis the season after all.  There is a really wonderful moment between Liam Devlin and Russian pianist Tanya Voroninova that takes place in the Louvre.  It goes something like this:
(referring to El Greco's Christ on a Cross, although may actually refer to Christ on a Cross Adored by Donors)
"I was not raised a Christian," she said.  "I see no savior on the cross, but a great human being in torment, destroyed by little people." 
As someone who does not profess to the Christian faith, I can still admire the suffering, teachings, and life of Christ.  They still hold meaning and value for me, in the same way that the teachings of any religious leader might.  Jesus provides a good example of what it means to be a good human being.  In addition to this, I can respect and love him as a son if God, if not necessarily The Son of God.  For me, that is what the Christmas season represents.

Even with all the seasonal wrapping paper of Santa Claus and Christmas trees and maxing out credit cards, I still mostly see Christmas as a means of celebrating the common humanity we all share.  This is not an easy thing to do most of the time, as some individuals but their needs and rights above others in a way that makes them downright unpleasant to associate with.  Some days, remembering the things that Jesus went through without calling down the wrath of God upon his fellow man is the only thing that keeps me from calling my fist down upon their heads.  This is why I find calling upon Christ in times of need, despite not believing in him as my savior, to be so comforting and powerful.

So to everyone who has wished me a Merry Christmas so far instead of Seasons Greetings/Happy Holidays, thank you, it's pretty much prevented me from raging my poor angry little heart out.  I hope that your Christmas is a good one, and I hope that the days you spent ignoring Hanukkah, Kwanza, and other religious holidays were also good days.  In other words, Happy Holidays, regardless of what you celebrate, because it means I still hope you have a good day for the ones that you don't.

My review can be found on Goodreads.  Well...at least I'm giving attention to books that don't have much.


-I won this book from Forgotten Bookmarks as part of one of their giveaways.  It is not related to publishers, authors, or publishing industry, and I'm under no obligation to provide a review.

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