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No to XXXmas Party Games



I'm a team player. But I have limits. There are a lot of occasions that these limits are tested, even on Christmas parties. These scenarios could really dampen the joy of the season, but someone has got to say no. Someone has got to voice out the truth. I choose the joy of the Lord.


As it was, for being part of a company management, and being known as a Christian, I was tasked to do an opening prayer and prayer for the food.

And pray I did.

Then the games began. In a company of mostly women, the guys are always picked. In fact, we were so few that we had to recruit the men from the caterers.

But just before this program, my wife sent me a text message. It was very timely.


And so there I was, standing in front with my game partner and other players, when my jaw dropped in unbelief as they demonstrate how to execute the game with the balloons.

My game partner is a fellow Christian though from another church. Immediately I told her, “I’m opting out of this game.” Another colleague, a table seatmate, who also knew me to be “conservative,” was shouting that I use a pin or something to easily pop the balloons. I guess, in her mind, I could lessen the embarrassment of performing the indecent gesture to pop the balloons. Getting wind of this bold tip, the game master started adding that no other stuff is to be used in the game, just our bodies.

And while they were laughing and jeering at the demo, I slowly slipped away at the side and went to the restroom. When I got back, I waited at the door to make sure the game is over. I don’t want to add more of those images in my head. While I stood there, re-reading my wife’s text, and then pretending to engage more with my cell phone, I was brimming with disgust on how we have ever come to that level.

With that, I was reminded of my mother’s office Christmas party way back in grade school. The game master called for a group of guys who were drinking in some isolated table, and they were partnered with some single ladies. The game was for the ladies to pass a 1 peso coin from a man’s one pant leg to another. And they did this with some innocent kids with around!

Just how wrong can this be?

When Christians don’t feel remorse over these lewd sexual acts, then our consciences are seared. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit again. Let us go back to the basics.

God is the author of sex and gratification. He created our bodies, and He knows fully well the measure of our pleasure.

But sex is only truly beautiful inside marriage. Outside of marriage it becomes a perversion. That’s just what the devil does. Our accuser perverts all that is godly and beautiful. And all who follow after him become perverted as well. Needless to say, those games portraying sexual acts are perverted. 

And to make matters worse, not everyone in the room are married. Not that it‘s okay if all of us in the party were married. Again, those sexual acts are supposed to be discreet. This is a sample consequence, for both married and single: Those perverted sexual acts that were enjoyed in public in the company of friends and colleagues are not really funny. They act as seeds of desire that can grow into uncontrolled passion. It wouldn’t be a surprise if some of those single ladies will be pregnant outside wedlock, or some married folks commit adultery. Why? Because they had just laughed about it as a norm.

I’m sure that there were other decent people there in the party who wouldn’t have had such horrible experiences of lewdness if not for that party. They are weak. They are intimidated by peer pressure. They don’t know that they can say no, or go out of the room for a while.

When I slipped out before the game, some of them felt bad. How could I be such a killjoy! Oh dear, the feeling is mutual. I felt bad. How could they kill this joy of good ‘ol clean fun?! 

Christians in right-standing before God are very lenient and gracious. We just look the other way. It is the presence of sin that demands conformity. Sin does not tolerate. Evil wants everyone in the same boat. Misery loves company.

-=w=-

With the exception of this blog (where I document some moments), I don’t go around my colleagues telling them how nasty the games were. I just make a stand. I make a statement with my actions, and smile at everyone. For now, I’ll catch more flies with honey than with a swatter.

Then, at an opportune time, in much intercession and preparation, I’ll have the opportunity to share the Gospel. Then the Holy Spirit will do what He does best: convict the world of their sin. It’s not my job to convict them, but only to share the Lord’s saving grace.

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