norway

Church Neighbors Complain Illuminated Cross is a Health Hazard

Although 70% of the Norwegian population are members of the Church of Norway, only 2% attend church regularly and up to 25% of the population is non-religious and do not believe in either God or other higher powers.

But Christians in general and evangelicals in particular are a divisive and disruptive force even in secular countries. Practicing evangelicals may be a minority in Norway, but they cause problems way out of proportion to their minuscule numbers.

An Evangelical Lutheran Church in Skien is a disruptive force in its residential neighborhood. Neighbors are complaining that the light from the cross on top of the church tower is too bright and constitutes a health hazard.

Christians are supposed to be a light to the world, they are called upon to magnify the light of Christ’s love, compassion and peace. But evangelicals, especially in America, have turned their backs on the light of Jesus, and are blinding society with the neon light of extremism and religious hucksterism.

The light of the evangelicals doesn’t warm the soul and it doesn’t illuminate the truth, on the contrary it sears the soul and blinds us to the beauty in the world.

The Skauen church in Skien should replace their illuminated cross with a simple wooden cross, they should seek to minister to their neighbors instead of antagonizing them.

See: https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/17510/church-neighbour-says-cross-is-a-health-hazard

Norwegian Commercial Depicting Romance Between Santa & Harry is the Heartwarming Video We Need This Christmas

Good will and good cheer are hard to come by, especially during the holiday season. People are too busy dodging shoppers in malls, getting drunk at Christmas parties and fighting holiday traffic to contemplate peace in the world and good will in their neighborhoods. At this time of the year there’s a plethora of Grinches and Scrooges and nary an angel to be found.

But in the midst of all the chaos, confusion and strife of the Xmas season I’ve found a small treasure, a commercial from Norway of all things.

I rarely watch broadcast TV because I hate commercials; I barely have the patience for a ten second Internet ad. But a four-minute commercial for Norway’s postal service called “When Harry Met Santa” kept my attention for every blessed second.

This commercial depicts the sweet romance between Santa Claus and a man he only sees annually. Harry is heartbroken that he must wait so long in between visits.

At the end, Santa tells Harry, “Well, I arranged some help this year, so I can be with you,” and then the two kiss.

If this sweet and innocent commercial doesn’t give you the Christmas spirit, your heart is smaller and stonier than that of the Grinch.