I'm not ashamed of my Christianity, and not of my Catholicism, either! So there!

Wandering around in Blogland (tho' I should register in St Blog's Parish, probably), I was at the Shrine of the Holy Whapping, where there's an entry about a tacky fiber optic Nativity with comments, with a link to the Cavalcade of Bad Nativities--even a nativity belt buckle!! (GAG!) And at Holy Whapping, I asked a question in those comments, something I had thought about driving to the house of my SFO orientation directors' house on Friday night: how many Nativity scenes have you seen around?

I have one. I really wanted one of those that are about two grand just for the basic set, but like most of middle America, I have to settle for Wal-Mart. It's actually not too bad, the figures aren't too cartoonish, and they fit perfectly under my juvenile trees out in front.

But as I was driving around that neighborhood on Friday, it was just dark, and lights were coming on in peoples' yards. Tons of those silly and cute inflatable Santas that pop in and out of the chimneys; lots of snowmen (in Phoenix?), some nice light shows, the grapevine reindeer, and the like. Nice and unoffensive stuff.

But out of maybe two dozen houses I passed, I saw ONE house with a Nativity in the yard. And it was tiny, as if to be inconspicuous, maybe enough to be ashamed--and was a little too Precious Moments for my taste, but... Gasp! I was all excited, however, and rolled down my window and applauded.

It got me thinking: are we of the Christian faith ashamed to be so in this day of secularism? Are we skeeeeeeeeered? Are we so inundated and fearful that we as a whole are bowing to the tiny but hugely squeaky wheel that claims offense?

Not me, dammit.

And so far I've gotten a lot of praise and no griping so far. And nothing has been stolen yet, even with a plethora of teens in the neighborhood.

I will post a pic as soon as I find the charger to the camera. Promise.

And I am, at this jucture, assless--have to wait until I can afford one. No ox either, and no wisemen or other "accessories." I have a lil sheep, though--Does that count?