OMG! The Provo tabernacle burned down! But it was a miracle because a picture of Jesus got burned all around the edges leaving just the figure of Jesus in the middle! I can't believe it! It must be a sign from the Good Lord Himself! Here's a link to the story here.
What does it all mean? Is the second coming closer now because of this miraculous good fortune? Is Jesus going to descend and make his first stop in Provo whilst miraculously rebuilding the Provo tabernacle!? I like that it is a "Christmas" Miracle no less. This must mean that Jesus was really born on December 25th! No wait, that's not right, he was supposedly born in the spring...well it must mean that Jesus loves the fact that we adopted a pagan holiday festival for his birth because He gets all the glory in spite of the fact that it's not his actual birthday. I can't dog on Jesus too much, though, He's just a symbol. The Guy probably doesn't really care very much at this point what property burns and which survives. Of course it just cracks me up that, if Jesus is somehow orchestrating all these events, Jesus would decide to spare a part of his picture, but allow an entire structure, a place that was built to allow his worshipers to congregate in his memory, to be completely burned out. Maybe Jesus' message is that he doesn't require houses of worship, just pictures of himself to meaningfully celebrate him and his mission. But wait, we can't interpret it that way, because we have to continue to have places to meet...even though Jesus taught the people in his day in the great outdoors or borrowed places. But that is no way to run a church...people have to have places to meet and honor him. The messages are so confusing...
Don't get me wrong, I mean absolutely no disrespect in what I am saying here. The burning of a great historical landmark is so immensely tragic. I do not in any way condone the mocking of the loss of such a great place that brings many fond memories for so many. My observations here are strictly in relation to the elation communicated by people over the apparent miracle of the Lord Jesus' picture surviving the fire.
Has anyone seen the movie playing on the Hallmark channel called "Finding John Christmas"? My wife loves that movie. I tried to like it, but it was just a hair over unbearable for me because of the supernatural aspect of it. What is it about supernatural events that people are so drawn to? Is it that people who have faith in something are constantly looking for signs to confirm what they believe? But I thought sign seeking was wicked and adulterous? So we're not supposed to seek signs, but the faithful secretly hope for them and really love it when they are encountered? After all, they remind us that God is in the "little things".
Part of me wants to go along and find comfort in the Christmas season and all the miracles that go along with it (even if they are small and meaningless). I love the time of year. I love the lights, some of the music and the goodies that numerous people send our way. This is a very difficult time for me as well. This is really the first Christmas that I am going through being where I am at with the church and all. My eyes are being opened to all of the ways which religion has so infiltrated a great pagan holiday. I also take comfort in the fact that the holiday is somewhat returning to its roots so to speak. There is so much that Jesus has successfully been left out of, that for people who no longer buy the whole story of Christmas b.s., it is actually quite bearable. I had to notice that it seems like many of the Christmas songs (played in stores and on the radio, unless you are in Utah I guess) that mention stuff about Jesus are usually musical renditions only and they leave the lyrics to the imagination. Now we just need people to come up with good lyrics to go with the music we all associate with Christmas.
One final thought about what would truly be a miracle. It seems that there was a musical group who were going to be performing in the Provo tabernacle who had left all of their sound equipment in the tabernacle which was all lost in the fire. What would be the real miracle is if the church put in the money to pay for all the equipment that was lost. Last I heard the group was soliciting donations to be able to replace it all, but nothing was mentioned about the church putting up funds for the group. That would be the real miracle!
Merry Christmas!
(Shared in the most temporal and pagan way possible)
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