The Fellowship of Life
a Christian-based vegetarian group founded in 1973

|

Letters By Margaret Lawson

Christmas spirit

Soon the pagan festival of Christmas will be upon us. I can imagine how shocking these words will appear to your readers. But let us think for a moment what Christmas means for the millions of animals and birds which are killed annually for this festival supposedly in praise and thanksgiving for the birth of the Prince of Peace and Lord of Compassion.

These creatures, moreover, have for the most part suffered lives, or rather, living deaths, of darkness and confinement prior to their cruel slaughter. Alas, the joy of Christmas is not for them. Who among your readers can really search their consciences and still say such a celebration is in the spirit of true Christianity? It is, in fact, a hangover from the pagan festival celebrating the winter solstice, a degrading compromise by the early Church.

So please, ministers and lay people, stop and think what you are actually doing when you tuck into your turkey or what-have-you. And may this, the Christmas of Animal Welfare year (August 1976/77), see the beginning in the Church of a swing to what is a holier, kinder and indeed healthier lifestyle based on justice and mercy to our fellow sharers in God's creation.

Life and Work
December 1976

http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/lifework/index.htm

Return to Margaret Lawson: Letters

  Homepage/About Us

History

Articles

Literature

Letters

Prayers

Links

Your comments are welcome


This site is hosted and maintained by The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation
Thank you for wisiting all-creatures.org
Since