The only thing I like about this time of the year and the holiday of Christmas is that in my perverse outlook is that it points out in a glaring statement the hypocritical nature of Christianity. Forget the obvious date discrepancies. Here is a holiday that is promoted as a time for giving, in honor of the birth of a child that gives the world the greatest gift of all.

Even among my Christian friends the disconnect between this meaning and what it has become is something to be lamented. Yet, they can not bring themselves to make the break that would disassociate this holiday from their religion.

I must say that I see that as one of many ways that the memory of this revolutionary thinker has been perverted. I say revolutionary with the utmost respect. If you take the teachings of Christ and place them in context of the historical times, you don't get the basis of a religion but a revolution. It wasn't viewed by his followers as soon enough or direct enough and they deserted and betrayed him. The religion did not follow until many years later.

I'll cite only one scenario, among many, that might illustrate the disdain that this man might exhibit in regards to our celebration of his birth. The story is told, that upon entering the temple and seeing the vendors selling their wares, Christ pulled out what can only be described as a "can of whup ass". How do you think he might react today upon entering a mall?

I have a proposal, a revolutionary way to celebrate Christmas and "the Christ spirit". I believe that if a major department store came forward and stated that in lieu of decorations and advertising was going to donate that money to charity. That all discounts were going to handled the same, that the PR and the spirit spread among its customers would exceed any Christmas before, even on the bottom line.

So I offer this idea free of charge in the Christmas spirit to anyone in retail who has the courage to be a revolutionary.

Many people speak of life as a series of choices. I can't really dispute that, but would like to offer some insight as to the nature of choices.

In my personal paradigm I make this distinction between choices; small c and large C. Small c choices are those we make every minute of everyday, what shall I have eggs or cereal. at the intersection do I go left or right, or Coke or Pepsi. You get the idea. Big C Choices come as matters of honor or integrity.

Now most people look at the choices they make constantly as usually trivial. I differ every choice one makes no matter how trivial at the time is viewed as ultimately life and death. You turn left instead of right and a dump truck runs over you, you choose Pepsi today and someone has poisoned Pepsi,
and so on.

Now I realize most people don't carry their small c choices to that extent. Warriors do, "you pay your nickel and you take your chances".

Now big C Choices are the ones everyone seems to concern themselves with. These Choices of integrity and honor seem to me as easier to make.

I find that these Choices usually come down not as spontaneous but instead you make these Choices on a series of choices you have made throughout your life. As a adult, when the shit hits the fan, those that and face the fire and those who run and hide was decided along time ago.

Yet, paradoxically someone who can go against his Choices of the past and truly chooses a path of honor and integrity can truly be called courageous. So I actually hold out hope that everyone
can make the "right Choice" and watch out for those "choices".