Well, it is time to bring it on.

And we've got an interesting question

from Larry, who says, "I'm a Christian

and read the Bible daily and trying

to obey the commandments of God.

All my life, I was always brought up

celebrating Christmas, which included Santa Claus, Christmas

trees, presents, et cetera.

My son tells me that I am committing sin

because Christmas is a pagan holiday

and Jesus does not approve.

He also says Jesus was not born on December 25,

and I am worshipping a false idol.

I'm confused about how to celebrate Christmas.

My son says when he-- my son says when he has children,

he will tell them there is no Santa Claus.

Have I been committing a sin all my life?"

No, you haven't.

You know, the Catholics-- I guess, wise or something,

but when they came into the culture,

they found out what is the predominant worship

of this culture.

And what they did was Christian-ize it, you know.

So they found the winter solstice

and the Teutonic things.

And they had yule logs and all that.

So they said, OK, let's Christian-ize it.

And that's what happened.

The same thing with Easter.

I mean, Easter is Eostre for Astarte.

And you know, that was a pagan holiday too.

And they had the winter solstice,

and they had the vernal equinox and all this other stuff,

and that they Christian-ized them.

So you know, God is interested in your heart.

What is your heart?

Do you have evil in your heart?

Do you bear malice toward your fellow man?

Are you filled with slander and anger?

I mean, that's what he's looking at.

Does that make sense?

The fact that you've got a Christmas tree, I mean,

like who cares?

And if you want to have Santa Claus-- you

know, you go back to Saint Nick, he was a Christian saint.

So we have changed him quite a bit.

And sure, Christmas now is a commercial pagan orgy,

there's no question about it.

But you can also worship Jesus.

But for your kids coming up, what I did with mine,

you tell them what Santa is.

You know, I tried to tell my son that Santa was a myth,

and they wouldn't buy it.

I said, we've seen Santa.

I said, look, there's a bunch of really old drunks

on the street out there.

They picked a bunch of them and put red suits on them.

I mean, these are--

And they wouldn't buy it?

They wanted to believe.

Oh yes.

So I finally had to say, OK, Jesus is real,

and Santa is make believe.

They did go along with those.

OK, Santa is make believe and all the reindeer and all

that stuff.

And Jesus is real.

And that's the way you get through to them.

All right, what else you got?

All right, that's a good one.

All right, well, "Dear Pat, my husband and I

have been married for 34 years and have two grown sons

and a new granddaughter.

I've been a Christian for the last 17 years, but he is not.

A year ago, after much badgering from him,

I told him of an affair I had eight years

into our not-so-good marriage.

He had a couple of one night stands

before that which he confessed years ago.

I have lived through a living hell ever since I told him.

Things are slowly getting better between us,

but he still verbally abuses me, especially when

he drinks too much.

I pray every day for his forgiveness and his addictions

to no avail.

I regret the affair to my core.

I believe the love is gone from our marriage.

What is your advice?"

Um, my advice is something that you've already done.

I really don't think you need to have this breast-baring kind

of stuff.

I think what you've done is under the blood of Jesus

Christ.

And it's your secret to tell a spouse look,

I had an affair while we were dating 8 years ago,

10 years ago, 15 years ago.

But they were married.

Ah, so they were married.

So who cares?

I mean, it's one of those things, so you did it.

So you committed adultery, so you repent it and you're sorry.

That's between you and the Lord.

But I don't really think that-- sometimes, it's

important to bring these things out.

But more than in your case, it's ruined your marriage.

What would you do?

You need marriage counseling in the worst possible way.

And it may be-- I mean, you both have grounds because he's

been cheating on you, you both have grounds for divorce

if you want it.

But I just-- I don't know what else to say, except it's

a tragic situation.

We are human beings, ladies and gentlemen.

And human beings have failings and God gave us appetites.

We have appetites for food and for drink

and for sexual activity.

And unfortunately, some people give

yield into those a little bit faster than others.

So God is willing to forgive if you will repent and come

to him.

And we should be willing to forgive others.

But you know, you remember that "Scarlet Letter"?

It was Hawthorne's famous book that this woman had committed

one act of adultery and they made

her go around with a big A on her dress

for the rest of her time.

And that colony was just awful.

So I mean, we forgive these days.

God is a God of forgiveness, but just don't

keep doing the same stuff.

Amen.

Amen, learn from your mistakes.