What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more? - Dr. Seuss
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Ok, so yesterday our pastor Rick told us about this movie that just came out from the same guy who did “Supersize Me”. It’s called What Would Jesus Buy? (seriously, watch the trailer) and its a spoof with a tele-evangelist character named Reverend Billy and his church, The Church of Stop Shopping. He and his Stop Shopping Choir are out to warn the world of the coming Shopocolipse, by doing things like exorcizing a WalMart sign, singing special Christmas carols in malls with lyrics replaced by Stop Shopping messages, and praying that the boy who plays video games come to see the difference between the virtual world and reality.
This is not a “christian” movie or anything, and yet this guy can see that there is some obvious idiocy with buying butt loads of presents for a holiday that is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, who was perhaps even anti-materialistic, a Man who gave gifts of sacrifice and service and used his resources to help the least of these. This year we’ve decided we are not buying more than one or two gifts for each other and are sending family and friends cards, letters, and a cd of family photos to be “near them” during Christmas. It’s more than “Jesus is the Reason” and corny conservative church cliche’s- its about spending less money on material things, giving to the needy, and spending more time in worship and contemplation.
Again, I don’t want to sound cheesy here, but perhaps if you get a chance to check out this movie (I know its only in select theaters) or just spend some time this year considering why the hell we spend so much on gifts at Christmastime, we can start to make a difference in the way Americans celebrate this time of year.
Ok, I’ll leave you with song lyrics from the movie, which are just too funny:
Beatitudes of Buylessness
Blessed are the Consumers, for you shall be free from Living By Products…..
Blessed are you who stumble out of branded Main Streets, for you shall find lovers not downloaded and oceans not rising.
Blessed is the ordinary citizen who holds onto a patch of public commons, for you are the New World.
Blessed is the artist who is not corporate sponsored for you shall give birth to warm fronts of emotion and breakthroughs of Peace.
Blessed are you who confuse “Consumerism” with “Freedom,” for you shall be delighted to discover the difference.
Blessed are the advertisers and commercial celebrities, for you are waiting for the remarkable restfulness of honesty.
Blessed are city neighborhoods that people have flown from in fear, for your children shall return to illuminate the dark economy.
Blessed are the workers in the supermalls, for the town your employers’ killed shall come back to life!
Blessed is the breadwinner with out-sourced dreams who sits in the SUV stuck in a Christmas from Hell, this year a gift will set you free
Blessed are the young women in sweatshops, for the things you make will fly you like magic evening gowns to the City of Light
Blessed are you who disturb the customers, for you might be loving your neighbor.
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