Festivus and Two Kingdom Confusion (Re-Post)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 08:33PM 
I must admit to a certain amount of glee when I read that Washington State officials have added a "Festivus Pole" to the "Holiday Season" display in the state capitol (Click here: Coming to Capitol: 'Festivus' display | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional).
The brouhaha began when a group of atheists demanded to be allowed to post a "Winter Solstice" rant against all forms of religion right next to the capitol's nativity scene. Of course, Christians turned on Washington's governor for allowing the atheists to display their sign in the capitol during the Christmas season.
The State of Washington reasons that if you have one religious "holiday" display in the capitol building, then you can't turn away anyone else, including the pranksters who want a "Festivus Pole." BTW--if you don't know what Festivus is, you are missing out on one of the great parodies of all time.
Of course, the more important question is what is a "holiday display" of any sort (including a nativity scene) doing in a state capitol in the first place? And why all the Christian outrage at Washington's Governor for allowing other religions to be equally confused about the two kingdoms?
If this were a case of local governments forbidding Christians from putting up nativity scenes on private or church property, well then, there is a real legal issue at stake. But why is any religious display allowed in the state capitol? The State of Washington's position on this is essentially, "if Christians are confused about the two kingdoms, when why shouldn't atheists (and others) be allowed such confusion as well?"
Meanwhile, I can't wait for December 23 when I can air all my grievances and undertake the feats of strength.
Kim Riddlebarger
This years "feats of strength" will include picking up several trash cans filled with wet leaves (after the eight inches of rain we have received this week), and the "airing of grievances" will center around the Yankees poor showing during the winter baseball meetings.
As for my "festivus miracle" . . . I'll just have to wait and see.
Reader Comments (16)
The question I have is, Just where did you get that photo? I think you just helped me zip up my Christmas shopping. Related trivia question: what precipitated the Festivus Celebration?
I got the picture from the same place all other bloggers go to get pictures--a google image search.
Didn't Kramer going out on strike (at the Bagel Store) prompt Frank Constanza to call down fire on the commercialization of Christmas, and recount how he invented Festivus years before because he couldn't buy the doll he wanted? Something like that . . .
Yeah, the fighting over a doll (for George) is what prompted Frank to begin Festivus - "A Festivus for the Rest of Us!"
Who is going to participate in the "feats of strength?"
Ahhh... I love Seinfeld...
(Yeah, I suppose the www.festivuspoles.com in the pic probably should have tipped me off.)
Correct. After a 12 year hiatus from H & H Bagel due to a strike on minimum wage disputes, Kramer wants December 23rd off, is denied and resumes his strike--this time on religious grounds. This prompts a conversation between two mental giants:
Frank Costanza: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Cosmo Kramer: What happened to the doll?
Frank Costanza: It was destroyed. But out of that a new holiday was born: a Festivus for the rest of us!
Cosmo Kramer: That must have been some doll.
Frank Costanza: Oh, she was.
But let's say that the government DID prohibit churches from displaying nativity scenes on their own property. My questions are:
1) Why are we doing nativity scenes anyway? Is seeing Jesus in the Word of God not enough for us? Or are we still clinging to something like medieval passion plays? I like HC 97 and 98 here.
2) Are we to take up the weapons of this world's warfare (e.g., the court system), since there would be "a real legal issue at stake?" Or do we submit since we are not being forbidden to do anything that God's Word specifically COMMANDS us to do?
I like two-kingdom theology... especially pre-Constantinian two-kingdom theology. I think it will be just as helpful for the Church when the U.S. government revokes her tax-exempt status and starts ordering her around as it is to have a Tridentine Pope again.
Zrim you can get all sorts of Festivus merchandise, cards, etc on the web. Just Google the "Festivus." BTW Seinfeld is not the second best, it is by far the best sitcom ever.
MV
In fact a day hardly goes by without some reference to Seinfeld being made. We even tried to figure out which of the WHI staff was which character. Using an on-line quiz I turned out to be closer to... Elaine.
Mark
What are your recommendations for the best book covering two-kingdom theology?
Thanks!
I humbly suggest that M*A*S*H was the best American sitcom ever. It's the King, "nobody beats it!"
Mark,
I have not taken that quiz. But I am told by close family and friends that I have Jerry's personality (their consensus on this kind of creeps me out). That might have something to do with having seen every episode 86 times.
DON'T pik up the cans with leaves !
DRILL a small hole in the bottom edge
let the water drain - leaves settle to the bottom.
As for the rest - not sure what to say anymore
JESUS is the REASON for the season.
ATONEMENT for his people- nothing can top that
HAPPY CHRISTMAS everyone!