Christmas Shopping

As Christmas nears the shopping frenzy becomes more intense. If only Christmas were only a Christian celebration and the emptiness of shopping could be removed. The retailers don’t want Christ involved in Christmas because if all Christians adhered to the teachings of Christ the last place they would be would be a shopping mall searching for some useless, advertised frippery. Retailers don’t want the teachings of Christ involved because, I believe, he would have cast everyone out of the mall and told them not to desire these mere things while they neglect their souls. Consumerism has become a religion. The constant craving for the next new thing be it the latest movie, mobile phone, clothing or electronic gadget has replaced the time that should be spent with family and friends. All of these things and the craving of them takes us away from those experiences that could make us better people capable of experiencing joy. Things, and the constant craving of them, prevent the experience of joy. Would Christ have preached to the masses encouraging them to shop and spend and waste their lives in the pursuit of empty, meaningless pleasures? I am not a Christian but even when I read the parables that Christ preached the last thing I want to do is step into a mall.

I suppose this could be viewed as self righteous and who the hell am I to judge the motivations of people I don’t know. For all I know all of this shopping could be a healthy thing. But I suspect that it is obsessive and has more to do with what others think than with what the buyer feels. The majority of purchases are a form of show and status display and are therefore empty.