Christmas Miracles

Just in time for the holidays we have some "genuine" Christmas miracles.

Our first miracle comes from Decatur, AL:

Family bible remains unharmed in Decatur church fire

DECATUR, AL (WAFF) - An equipment failure is suspected in a church fire in Decatur but investigators are working to pinpoint the exact cause.

Fire investigators said the fire at the Fairview Baptist Church appears to have started in a mechanical room on the third floor.

Insurance agents spent the morning Friday looking over the fire scene which destroyed the sanctuary on Decatur's Magnolia Street.

The Church Pastor said a large family Bible placed on a communion table survived Wednesday's fire.

In fact, the Bible was found still opened to Luke Chapter 2 and the story of Jesus' birth.

The congregation at Fairview will hold their services Sunday afternoon at Faith Baptist Church on Beltline Road at 1:30 p.m.

Church leaders hope to be able to clean up the church's fellowship hall enough to be able to begin holding services there by Christmas weekend.

©2010 WAFF. All rights reserved.

Then we have the miracle from Toledo, OH:

Toledo man sees Christ, Virgin Mary in Christmas candy

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - It seems to happen every few months: someone sees an image of Christ -- in everything from French toast to a grilled-cheese sandwich.

Now just a few days before Christmas, a West Toledo semi-retired man thinks he's found the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus in a piece of hard holiday candy.

The piece of hard tack nearly gave James Burrows a heart attack. The 63-year old immediately saw the image of Christ in the Christmas candy, along with the Virgin Mary.

"I looked at it and it just struck me," Burrows said. "This time of year. for this to come up-- it was just kind of unusual, really: a great experience."

Burrows found the sweet scene while buying a container of candy at Fresh Market, where he also works part-time. He advised skeptics take another look at the Christ candy next to a more traditional image of the pair and let their imagination go.

So how sure is he of the resemblance?

"I'd say somewhere between 80- to 85-percent," he estimated. "I've showed it to several people even without the postage stamps to compare it to and they couldn't believe the similarity. It's uncanny."

So is Burrows worried about criticism from skeptics who don't see baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary the way he does?

"No, not at all, not at all. It's a piece of candy," he said with a grin. "If you see beauty in something, then you should enjoy it - and if you can't, you should move on."

The Vietnam vet isn't sure what to do with the Christ candy, but said he'll listen to offers. If Burrows does sell it, he wants to donate the proceeds to veteran's charities and his church.

After all, as Burrows points out, He is the reason for the season.

There are pictures at Fox Toledo's web site but I'm just not seeing it.

Another Fine Post from: No 2 Religion - Just Say No!

Merry Christmas All

Image via Wikipedia

Why am I wishing all a Merry Christmas? Well it's not because I suddenly believe in Christmas. It is because it is Christmas day and it is appropriate to say Merry Christmas, at least to Christians. Likewise it is appropriate to say Happy Hannukah or Ramadan Kareem on their respective holidays.

Christmas is a day and not a season so the only time it should be appropriate to say Merry Christmas is on Christmas day. We don't go around saying Happy Easter for weeks or months prior. Nor do we say Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Fourth of July or Viva Cinco de Mayo for weeks or months prior.

If there is any real "War on Christmas" it is over the complete hijacking of the months of November and December as "Christmas".

Principal Gets Christmas Right

Image via Wikipedia

Much to the chagrin of parents and at least one board member, Principal Erik Brown, has chosen to make Walsh Elementary School's Christmas celebration into a Winter Festival.

Principal Under Fire Over Christmas Spirit

By YVONNE NAVA

Updated 11:27 AM EST, Tue, Dec 8, 2009

A Waterbury principal won’t be getting a holiday card from some parents this year. Erik Brown, of Walsh Elementary School, is being criticized for his downplaying of Christmas symbols.

"If a symbol of Christmas takes away from the joy and spirit of Christmas, then those symbols have to go," Brown told the Republican American. "I'm going to pick kids over the symbols of Christmas."

The hubbub began last week, when Board of Education member Paul D’Angelo told others about his plan to get Brown to allow teachers the freedom to celebrate the holiday, the paper reports. D'Angelo also circulated a policy proposal to the Board on Monday that would allow educators freedom to observe holidays as they saw fit.

Soon after, a firestorm of complaints ensued. The elementary school has received endless e-mails and calls from as far away as Delaware, the Rep-Am reports. And it's been covered all over,  including in the Digital Journal.

The messages were nasty and, according to school staff, one person on the other line said “Merry (expletive) Christmas.”

So far, the district has no official policy and principals in the city's 30 schools and educational programs decide what's appropriate.

"As long as the line is not crossed between "teaching" about a holiday and "endorsing" the religion, this is acceptable, but no public school should promote any religious observance," the holiday gatherings memo on the school district Web site says.

Principal Brown says Jehovah's Witnesses are a big part of their school. They find secular Christmas decorations like Santa offensive distractions from Christ. Other parents agree.

"It's ridiculous," said Lisa Enwerem, who attended a student awards ceremony Monday. "There is separation of church and state, and this is a public school."

On the other hand, many other parents thought extra focus on Christmas would be nice.  Walsh parents and teachers who have spoken out on the issue seem to support Brown.

Walsh's upcoming "Winter Festival" will include songs from Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Christmas. Shortly after becoming principal, Brown ditched Santa Claus to have someone dressed as Frosty the Snowman pass out gifts at the festival.