Tag Archive for: Christmas

Europe’s Left Whines As Christians Defend Christmas

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European right-wing leaders are facing accusations of exploiting Christmas for political purposes as they increasingly center the holiday in their campaigns, according to Politico.

From condemning the phrase “Holiday Season” to hosting Christmas-themed political events, leaders like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have made defending Christmas a core part of their political identity. Critics view this as virtue signaling designed to boost party support, the outlet reported.

“How can my culture offend anyone?” Meloni said of public nativity scenes, arguing such displays teach children the real meaning of Christmas.

Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party held a Christmas-themed political festival called Atreju, complete with a Santa visit, ice-skating, and a Christmas tree lit in the colors of the Italian flag.

Un grazie sincero a tutti coloro che oggi sono venuti ad #Atreju ma che, per i limiti di spazio, non sono riusciti a entrare in sala.
La vostra presenza fuori, così numerosa e partecipe, è stata un segnale forte che ho sentito chiaramente.
Grazie di cuore per l’affetto, il… pic.twitter.com/x22cjKiHeu

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) December 14, 2025

One attendee drawn to the festival by its Christmas decor told Politico he hadn’t realized it was political and didn’t want to be associated with the party running it.

“For us, traditions represent our roots, who we are, who we have been, and the history that made us what we are today,” Brothers of Italy MP Marta Schifone told the outlet. “Those roots must be celebrated and absolutely defended.”

While political leaders say the culture would benefit from embracing traditional Christianity, Politico characterized such messaging as “almost beside the point,” claiming the leaders themselves are “not especially devout” and use Christianity as a “civilizational shorthand that draws a boundary between ‘us’ and ‘them.’”

Daniele Albertazzi, a populism researcher at the University of Surrey in England, told Politico that “the radical right largely kept its distance from the church” in the 1980s and 1990s.

“That changed between 2010–15, following Islamic terrorist attacks in Europe, which were framed as a clash of civilizations,” Albertazzi said. “Christianity became a cultural marker, a way to portray themselves as defenders of traditional family, tradition and identity.”

Albertazzi called Meloni’s Christmas festival a “very intelligent” political move.

“They have tried to reverse the stigma of their past [on the far right] by becoming a broad-church modern conservative party, and this is part of the repackaging,” Albertazzi said.

Other conservative parties in Europe, including France’s National Rally and Spain’s Vox, have also resisted efforts to replace religious imagery with neutral seasonal language, fighting to preserve nativity scenes in town halls.

Germany’s Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, has criticized the secularization of traditional Christmas markets, framing it as appeasing Islamic traditions at the expense of Christian heritage, according to Politico.

The outlet noted that while the left points to Christmas commercialization as a similar exploitation of holiday spirit for profit, European conservative leaders continue connecting their policies to Christmas values.

“We’re not embarrassed to say ‘Merry Christmas,’” Brothers of Italy Senator Lucio Malan said at the festival, according to Politico. “I have always promoted religious freedom and know not everyone is Christian. But Christmas is the holiday people care about most. Let’s not forget its origins.”

AUTHOR

Derek VanBuskirk

Reporter

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Christmas Returns To Bethlehem After Two Years Of War

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Thousands returned to the Israeli-controlled West Bank Wednesday to celebrate Christmas after a two-year hiatus following the Israel-Hamas war.

Although Bethlehem has maintained a small Christian population throughout the war, this marked the first full celebration with parades, Christmas tree lightings and a message at the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Celebrations started at the beginning of the month, and approximately 7,000 people attended a Dec. 8 Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Manger Square, according to El País English.

The scout parade, which consists of locals representing different parts of the West Bank, actually continued during the past two years, according to the AP. Scouts protested the war by marching in silence.

On Wednesday, the parade was back in full force, and participants played bagpipes and drums to the gathering crowd around Star Street, according to AFP.

“Today is full of joy because we haven’t been able to celebrate because of the war,” one 17-year-old participant told AFP while wearing her yellow and blue uniform.

The mayor detailed to El País why the Christmas celebrations were brought back.

“After two years of silence, we decided to rekindle hope and the Christmas spirit to strengthen people’s resilience. Many people lost hope, and when that happens, it’s the end,” Mayor Maher Nicola Canawati told the outlet.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the head of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem, led a traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem following a pre-Christmas Mass with Gaza’s small Christian community, according to the AP.

“We, all together, decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world,” Pizzaballa said to the thousands in attendance, calling for “a Christmas full of light.”

While most of those in attendance were locals of the roughly 80% Muslim-majority city — which depends on tourism-related business — some foreigners were also in attendance, the AP reported.

“I came because I wanted to better understand what people in Palestine are going through, and you can sense people have been through a very hard time,” a French visitor told the outlet. She added that loved ones had cautioned her against celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem.

“Christmas is like hope in very dark situations,” she said.

As the war brought security and financial troubles, nearly 4,000 people have left Bethlehem in the hopes of finding a better life, the AP reported.

“Today is a day of joy, a day of hope, the beginning of the return of normal life here,” a local tour guide and generational Christian of Bethlehem told the outlet.

At midnight leading into Christmas, many believers will gather in the grotto in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity to sing praises to God, according to the AP.

“You can see the town come alive again,” a resident of Bethlehem told the AP. “Everyone’s happy, everyone’s coming out to celebrate. No matter religion, no matter their stance, everyone is here.”

AUTHOR

Derek VanBuskirk

Reporter

RELATED ARTICLE: ‘Murder Masquerading As Medicine’: Senate Ignores Bill On CCP’s Christian Organ Harvesting

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Christmas at the White House: Home Is Where the Heart Is

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This year was a breath of fresh air for Americans who were ready to turn back to the traditional White House Christmas. Although much of the East Wing is under construction, the First Lady Melania Trump and designer Hervé Pierre certainly outdid themselves for the rest of the White House decorations.

WATCH: 2025 Christmas Decorations at the White House

Her theme “Home is Where the Heart Is” features “over 50 Christmas trees” with classically beautiful white lights, red and gold seasonal blooms, and red velvet presents at their base. The decorations also include 75 of the First Lady’s signature wreaths with their “classic red bows” which grace the White House windows. The East Room was filled with large and patriotic Christmas trees and garland to celebrate the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

The official White House tree, located in the Blue Room, was dedicated to Gold Star military families and included ornaments for each state. The Red Room features a tree and garland of contrasting blue butterflies to commemorate “transformation and renewal” for foster children, along with ornaments inscribed with “Be Best” to celebrate the First Lady’s campaign, which started in 2021, to promote child well-being. The State Room was highlighted as “a stage for diplomacy and hospitality” with the annual gingerbread house and large trees showcasing the official White House Christmas Ornament.

Beyond her Christmas decorating expertise, the First Lady has also been seen spending the Christmas season volunteering with organizations like the Red Cross and Toys for Tots. In early December, the First Lady spoke in front of military spouses at Joint Base Andrews and assisted in assembling 700 care packages for military members alongside other cabinet spouses, including Second Lady Usha Vance. A few days later, she completed the First Lady’s annual visit to Children’s National Hospital, a tradition that started in 1945 by then First Lady Bess Truman. And on December 8th, the First Lady arrived at the Marine Corps Base Quantico with Santa Claus to assist the Toys for Tots charity drive.

Although the Trumps may have redeemed the White House Christmas decor from the mixed reviews of the Biden years, we are all called to remember that our redemption isn’t found in our president or any other member of the government. Instead, our redemption is found in the ever-loving, constant, unchanging Lord. This Christmas season, focus on the beautiful reminder of God’s love found in Jesus Christ.

AUTHOR

Caily Shriver

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2025 Family Research Council.

RELATED VIDEO: President Trump urges Americans to dedicate at least an hour per week to prayer

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The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Amid Global Unrest, Faith and Charity Mark Christmas in Washington and Beyond

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This holiday season, even amid persistent global unrest, a spirit of renewal and joyful celebration is sweeping the nation — starting right at the heart of the federal government.

President Donald Trump just delivered an early holiday gift to federal workers: an executive order granting paid days off on Christmas Eve (December 24) and the day after Christmas (December 26). With Christmas falling on a Thursday, this creates a five-day weekend for most employees. Essential operations, including national security and public safety, continue as normal. However, it’s noteworthy that while presidents have provided extra time off around Christmas in the past — sometimes a full day or half-day on Christmas Eve — granting both surrounding days has been regarded as “unprecedented.”

In addition, President Trump announced a one-time $1,776 “Warrior Dividend” bonus for over 1.45 million active-duty and eligible reserve military servicemembers, symbolizing the year of America’s founding. Funded through reallocated housing allowance resources, this tax-free supplement recognizes service members’ sacrifices and arrives just in time for Christmas.

At the Pentagon — now branded as the Department of War — Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer, hosted a Christmas Worship Service on Wednesday in the courtyard. Hundreds of military and civilian personnel gathered for an afternoon of praise to “the King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” with guests such as Christian artists Matthew West and Anne Wilson in attendance, and remarks from Rev. Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse.

“I want to thank you all for sharing in this first Christmas Worship Service here at the Pentagon,” Hegseth said during the event. “It’s the least we could do in this season. We do it monthly as well — a prayer service — which we will continue to do, because, as George Washington did that first year, he went on bended knee for providence in impossible tasks.”

His heartfelt words continued as he thanked his staff for their tireless efforts. “You each day are asked to do impossible things, work impossible hours, at impossible odds, which mere men and women could not do. And that’s why we bend the knee, because we know where our strength comes from, and we need that wisdom and that guidance, that providential guide in our own lives as we try to act on behalf of our nation.”

In his own remarks, Rev. Graham praised the leadership’s support for faith and the military, stating, “It’s not just the [War] Department’s top leader, but it’s our president — his support of faith and supporting Christmas and supporting our military the way he does. It’s an honor to be here and to be at the Pentagon with these men and women who defend our nation and who put their life on the line.” And as he went on to state, the most important thing anyone can do is to stay “focused on the word of God.”

For many, this Christmas season as well as the many months leading up to it has not been joyful. 2025 saw wars, shootings, tense debates, and more. And yet, even amid uncertainties and unrest, acts of faith and charity play their role in shining light in the darkness. This is what Family Research Council’s David Closson highlighted in a comment to The Washington Stand.

“Both of these gestures — President Trump extending time for families to rest and Secretary Hegseth publicly celebrating the birth of Christ — may seem small on the surface,” Closson said, “but in a moment marked by war, unrest, and deep national anxiety, they serve as meaningful reminders of things our culture desperately needs: rest, gratitude, and moral clarity.”

As he went on to say, “Giving federal workers additional time around Christmas highlights something Christians have long affirmed: human beings are not machines. We are made for worship, for family, and for rhythms of rest.” And “at a time when our society feels stretched thin by bad news and constant crisis, allowing space to breathe and to be with loved ones speaks to the value of the human person and the goodness of God’s design for work and rest.”

However, these gestures are also meaningful because, as Closson put it, even just “Secretary Hegseth’s willingness to gather leaders at the Pentagon to worship is profoundly encouraging. It testifies to the enduring fortitude of the Christian faith. Empires rise and fall, economies strengthen and weaken, but Christ remains Lord.” When that truth is acknowledged publicly, he added, “especially from those tasked with safeguarding the nation, it reminds believers that God is not absent. Even in turbulent times, He is at work, and His people continue to bear witness to the hope found in Christ alone.”

With the New Year only weeks away, Closson concluded with encouragement for the year ahead.

“As we approach the final days of 2025 and look ahead to a new year already filled with uncertainty, my message is simple: Christians do not face the future with fear, but with confidence in God’s sovereignty,” he observed. “The world will always have unresolved conflicts, but none of them unsettle the One who rules history. Our calling remains the same: to be faithful in our families and communities, to pray for our leaders, to speak the truth with courage, and to love our neighbors with the compassion of Christ.”

“The Christmas season anchors us in a reality far larger than the headlines, namely, that God entered our world in the person of Jesus Christ,” Closson added. “Alongside the resurrection, the incarnation is the most important event in human history. Because He came, we are never abandoned, and because He reigns, we can face 2026 with unwavering hope.”

AUTHOR

Sarah Holliday

Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2025 Family Research Council.

Partner with The Washington Stand to bring news from a biblical worldview to readers nationwide. From now until December 31, every gift will be doubled through our year-end Challenge Match.

The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Christmas: A Spiritual Holy Day

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This is a followup to my prior post about Christmas being secularized…

As a minimum, Christmas is a remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ. (Note the “Christ” part of the word “Christmas.”) As a historical event, it is something that anyone of any faith (or even atheists) can choose to acknowledge and/or celebrate — just as anyone can acknowledge and appreciate the historical event Hanukkah is based on

Why Christians would give such emphasis to that birth is due to what Jesus Christ stood for. (Carefully read the New Testament for specifics.) The bottom line is that His message was one of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Shouldn’t we all support that?

Centuries later, various related secondary religious traditions evolved in parallel with the birth of Jesus Christ’s remembrance. One is Saint Nicholas — now translated to what we Americans call Santa Claus… Another is the Christmas Tree, which also has some religious connotations (here is one explanation).

Regretfully, we live in times where secularization is in vogue, and Religion (and the Bible) are antiquated ideas, even under attack. Is it any wonder that we can no longer even have constructive discussions about our different perspectives?

Worse, right under our noses, religion is being taught in public schools. What, you say? Check out SEL (Social Emotional Learning). It is being marketed very cleverly, but its real objective is to convert students from Judeo-Christian families into atheists (a religion). See my prior discussion about this.

My closing Christmas thought is again this…

Since we are experiencing unprecedented threats to our personal safety, freedoms, and lives, maybe we ought to rethink our commitment to God.

As Americans’ participation in Religion has gone downhill, the evil we are seeing on a daily basis has steadily increased. Draw your own Critical Thinking conclusions, but IMO, that correlation is not a coincidence.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

I hope that you and your family have a happy, holy Christmas and holiday season!

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Massacres, Darkness, and the Hope of Christmas

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A mid-December weekend punctuated with mass shootings reminds us that a world plagued by sin is a world plunged in darkness. Worldly solutions focus on human action and therefore offer no hope for eradicating the evil afflicting the world. Yet this Advent season reminds Christians that true hope is found in the One who is light, who came to earth on a divine rescue mission, whose birth first established the meaning and the significance of Christmas.

On Saturday, two students at Brown University died and nine were injured when an unknown assailant began shooting at a review session for final exams. On Sunday, 16 people died and 40 were hospitalized after two gunmen with Arabic names opened fire on a crowd of 2,000 Jews gathered for the first night of Hannukah at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

The Australian mass shooting — a rarity in the country — was particularly disturbing given the victims and context. More than two years after October 7, Jews around the world still face threats of violence from those who hate them, for reasons that have nothing to do with the modern nation of Israel, but simply for the fact that they are Jews.

The incident also carries symbolic significance. Hanukkah (or the Feast of Dedication, John 10:22) celebrates the rededication of the temple after the Maccabean revolt, when one day’s supply of oil lasted for the eight required to dedicate a new batch under the requirements of the Levitical priesthood. The temple’s lampstand signified God’s presence shining as a light on the people of Israel (Numbers 8:2, 6:25). To commemorate the festival, Australian Jews gathered to light a candle in the darkness. Then gunmen arrived to snuff them out.

As leaders of this world sought to grapple with the tragic event, their thoughts turned to only worldly solutions. “The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary,” promised Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose anti-Israel policies have only emboldened Australian anti-Semites. “Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” he insisted. On Monday, the Australian cabinet agreed unanimously to push for tougher gun control legislation.

But more gun control is not the answer. Australia already boasts strict gun control laws, but that did not stop a father-son duo (one of whom is a citizen) from casually shooting more than four dozen people on a crowded beach with a pump-action shotgun and bolt-action rifle. Official protections for Jews have not protected Jews from a breathtaking 1,650 “anti-Jewish incidents” in a 12-month period. Rhode Island also boasts some of America’s strictest gun laws, but that did not stop a campus shooting there either.

The fundamental problem is that governmental leaders are placing too much trust in the powers of human government. Mass shootings and anti-Semitism are moral problems rooted in spiritual decay. At best, human government can deter wrongdoers and alleviate suffering. But they cannot change the fallen human heart. In fact, humanity’s fallenness has marred the character of human government itself.

God created human government as an agent for good within its assigned role. But when people — whether public officials or citizens — wrongly idolize government as a savior, it proves too fragile to support the divine weight thus thrust upon it.

No, salvation is not found in fallen human governments. Given enough time, these only lead to oppression and corruption, creating in human society “distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish” (Isaiah 8:22).

But, long ago, the prophet predicted, “there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. … The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:1-2). This light would come when “to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder” (Isaiah 9:6).

Here, at last is a promised one capable of bearing the immense responsibility of government, the immense task of implementing perfect justice.

The Maccabean revolt established a Jewish political state, but it did not usher in God’s promised kingdom. Within 150 years, their leaders had compromised with Rome, making way for a brutal king who would massacre babies to quash the very rumor of a rival (Matthew 2:16). Within 250 years, the Jewish nation was crushed and scattered as the temple lay in ruins.

Yet, in that period, God worked his own plan to redeem history, sending a king unrecognized by his own people. Matthew attests directly that Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus (Matthew 4:16). John writes that Jesus was the “light of men,” which “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

Thus the human atrocities that darken this season only serve to expose the emptiness of human solutions. Political schemes that trust in human government cannot correct the real problem — sinful hearts. Even religions that aim for a political solution will fall short. The only sure repository of hope — for forgiveness of sins, for true justice, for the redemption of creation — is in Jesus Christ, the one true light of the world.

AUTHOR

Joshua Arnold

Joshua Arnold is a senior writer at The Washington Stand.

RELATED ARTICLE: Australia Cracking Down On Exactly The Wrong Thing After Bondi Beach Shooting

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2025 Family Research Council.

Partner with The Washington Stand to bring news from a biblical worldview to readers nationwide. From now until December 31, every gift will be doubled through our year-end Challenge Match.

The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Xmas: A Secular Holiday?

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Critically Thinking about this perspective in 2025…

As a minimum, Christmas is a remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ. (Note the “Christ” part of the word “Christmas.”) As a historical event, it is something that anyone of any faith (or even atheists) can choose to acknowledge and/or celebrate — just as anyone can acknowledge and appreciate the historical event Hanukkah is based on

Regretfully, we live in times where secularization is all the rage, and Religion (and the Bible) are out of vogue, even under attack. Is it any wonder that we can no longer even have respectful discussions about our different perspectives? What happens now is that one party will bludgeon the other with the moral superiority card (SEL, CRT, DEI, Woke, etc.). Other responses that fall into this category are phony virtue signaling and absurd relativism.

Humans instinctively need a moral code, so the reason that all these happen every day is that some Americans are abandoning what was a widely shared value system: Judeo-Christianity. But since the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, the Bible, etc. are old-fashioned, here are three questions to critically think about:

  1. Where is this new set of “moral standards” and “virtues” publicly posted?
  2. Who has the credentials to create such an official list?
  3. Where does the authority come from to enforce adherence to such standards?

One excuse for this secularization is the assertion that some people espousing Religions have a long history of going off the rails.

We need to be clear that when there are bad events associated with a Religion, it is the people involved who are the problem, not the Religion. For example, when some early Catholic Popes were evil men, that was not a reflection on Jesus Christ or His Church, but on those individuals. (Similarly, when the US has Presidents who are self-serving, it is not a reflection on America or the Constitution, but on those people.)

Secularizing Christmas Cards

An experience I recently had is one of many that puts this secularization of our society, including Christmas, into focus… Every year my wife and I snail mail Christmas cards to a few friends and family. Every year we choose a Christmas card with a clear traditional birth of Jesus Christ theme. (We then add some personal updates about the last year, on the reverse.)

This year I again went to where we have been buying such cards: VistaPrint (which is a large purveyor of a wide variety of products from business cards to wedding gifts). I started like I always do and selected: 4×8 cards —> Christmas —> religious. Hmmm: all of the “religious cards” were just photos of family members, Christmas trees, etc.

What struck me was that there was not a single religious card (i.e., about the birth of Jesus Christ), e.g., a star over Bethlehem, the three wise men, etc. In the past, VistaPrint had multiple options for these. I then did several searches for this popular sized card and nothing came up.

I decided to do an online chat with an agent and see if I was doing something wrong. I communicated with a pleasant customer service person. She followed up with an email. After much looking on her part she confirmed that VistaPrint had no 4×8 Christmas cards with any Christ-related scene!!

In her email she made a simply stunning statement (my emphasis):

“Following our chat, I reviewed all the templates available on our website. At the moment, we do not offer religious-themed templates, as these designs can be sensitive and may not be suitable for all audiences.”

As polite as I could be (not my forte), I strongly objected to her startling and unacceptable statement that they did not have religious cards for a religious holiday, as some people may be offended…

She apologized and said that they could make up one for me, which they did.

IMO it’s mind-boggling that I would have to do this. I’m sure in VistaPrint’s files that they have over a hundred nativity, etc. scenes to use on 4×8 Christmas cards, but that they chose zero in 2025 is disturbing.

My closing thought here is this…

Since we are experiencing unprecedented threats to our personal freedoms and lives, maybe we ought to re-think our commitment to God. As Americans’ participation in Religion has gone downhill, the evil and incompetence we are seeing on a daily basis has steadily increased. Draw your own Critical Thinking conclusions, but IMO that correlation is not a coincidence.

©2025 All rights reserved.

Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I offer incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking about my topics of interest.

My commentaries are my opinion about the material discussed therein, based on the information I have. If any readers have different information, please share it. If it is credible, I will be glad to reconsider my position.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

C19Science.info is my one-page website that covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info is my one-page website that lists multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

WiseEnergy.org is my multi-page website that discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from climate to COVID, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time – but why would you?

Islamic Extremists Prepare To Slaughter Hundreds On Christmas, Local Intel Warns

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Islamic extremists in Nigeria are reportedly plotting an attack for Christmas — which could result in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of many more if left unchecked, the head of a Nigerian news site told the Daily Caller.

U.S.-based filmmaker, evangelist and founder of Truth Nigeria, Judd Saul, told the Caller that extremists are mobilizing units in preparation for a mass assault on Christian regions of Nigeria.

Fulani militants appear to be rallying forces and supplies to strike Riom, Bokkos and Barkin Lotti of Plateau state, the Agatu region of Benue state and the Kafanchan region of Kaduna state in Nigeria, according to Saul.

Saul warned that if immediate action is not taken by the Nigerian state — and likely with pressure from the U.S. — they may see up to 1,000 people dead and potentially 20,000 to 40,000 more displaced.

At least 3,100 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in 2025, according to Open Doors data. President Donald Trump, his State Department and Republican members of Congress have repeatedly called on the government to protect Christians in the region.

The perpetrators of these near-daily attacks consist of Boko Haram, ISIS of West Africa and the Fulani ethnic militia, with the latter likely being the most dangerous, according to Saul.

“I’d say 80% of the Christian killings are done by the Fulani,” Saul told the Caller. He noted that these groups often work together when they are not fighting among themselves, and their main goal is to turn Nigeria into a caliphate.

Although murders, rapes and mass kidnappings happen regularly, Saul said the terrorists often save their most horrendous attacks for Christian holidays.

A 2023 Christmas massacre left approximately 200 Nigerians dead, with a majority of the deaths in Bokkos, according to persecution.org.

“More dead bodies were found in the bush today,” one witness told persecution.org. “Yes, my village was attacked on Christmas Eve, and other villages close to my community. Many houses were burnt including my church. I can’t say how many people were killed but we found more dead bodies today and we are looking for missing ones.”

Judd is not alone in his fear of a potential upcoming attack. Senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, Sean Nelson, (who recently participated in a roundtable with congressional leaders on Nigerian Christian persecution) gave a similar warning.

“Christmas is, sadly, a time when many Christians globally worry about persecution & violent attacks against them,” Nelson said Friday.

Saul said his publication is aware of the specific locations and severity of potential attacks due to the work of brave citizen journalists. 

His reporters are not only familiar with the region and historical conflicts, but they also show up to the scene of attacks to identify and count bodies and interview witnesses, Saul told the Caller.

Saul contrasted his reporters with mainstream Nigeria outlets, the latter of which he claims are paid by the state to attend government hosted press briefings.

Saul also said their investigative work allows them to predict upcoming attacks with nearly 90% accuracy. He contrasted this with the military, which he claims “magically disappears” from an area before its citizens are attacked.

Saul declined to provide the Caller with the specific tips his journalists received regarding a potential Christmas attack, but he detailed how they usually conduct the investigative process.

Although Truth Nigeria was created to archive the attacks and share them abroad, Saul said it quickly grew its credibility with locals, leading many to reach out and offer tips on unusual movements.

Saul told the Caller that villagers will often reach out when large groups of strangers travel on roads that are less frequented. Saul’s reporters will then call contacts in neighboring villages to get an in-depth and corroborated account of the direction and size of the party.

“When they see movement, they call us,” Saul said. “When they see, you know, 100 armed Fulani militia on motorcycles heading somewhere, they call us.”

Saul told the Caller that the potential Christmas attack, like others, is preventable — but only if officials are willing to clean house.

“Does the Nigerian government love its terrorism more than they love their own people?” Saul asked. “Do they want to see a prosperous Nigeria that could be a beacon of hope for the rest of Africa? Or do they love their terrorists and their stupid radical Islamist ideology more? That’s the question.” (RELATED: Republican Leaders Turn To Christ To Guide Policy On Islamic Countries)

Saul added that he would hate to see U.S. military intervention take place, but it may be necessary to stop the killings, adding that a long-term solution could require a third party to ensure a legitimate election.

“I would beg and ask the U.S. government to do something to intervene so we can stop the killing of these Christians on Christmas,” Saul said.

In early November, Trump issued a warning to the Nigerian government on Truth Social.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he stated.

“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” Trump concluded.


“Yes sir,” Secretary of War Pete Hegesth responded.

“Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

AUTHOR

Derek VanBuskirk

Reporter

RELATED ARTICLE: Anti-Christian Extremists Can’t Stop Brutalizing European Christmas Markets

RELATED VIDEO: Ex-Muslim FBI Informant On America’s National Security Illusion

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Merry Christmas or Happy Kwanzaa? Christian vs Marxist ideology!

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Kwanzaa is a Communist/Marxist collective ideology that is a none religious celebration of black people who Identify as African hyphenated Americans.

I would hazard a guess that most black Americans that celebrate Kwanzaa have never once been to, or ever lived in or have family in Africa.

So this African-American festival starts December 26th and ends January 1st which, does not include all races even though they say it does on their website to evade prosecution from Federal discrimination laws.

Kwanzaa is another means of dividing Americans in our great republic that focuses only on African culture and heritage with a goal of creating a Marxist collective.

Each night of Kwanzaa starts with a lighted candle whose colors could be identified as satanic starting with:

Day 1 as a day of “Black Unity” as portrayed and celebrated by “Black Lives Matter” and “Black Power” fist in the air groups.

Day 2 is “Self Determination” which may seem good but it is actually an undercurrent of communism making white folks feel shame and guilt about their culture and so called white privilege.

Day 3 focuses on a Marxist “Collectivist Work” ideology with a mindset of group identity not on individual freedom or liberty as laid out in our Declaration of Independence.

Day 4 concentrates on the black “Responsibility” to ensure this ideology does not fail.

Day 5 celebrates “Collective Economics” as practiced in nations like Communist Cuba and Communist China with all parties involved classified as equal.

Day 6 focuses on Kuumba or “Creativity” with no description on what to create.

Day 7 focuses on Imani or “Faith” but faith in what? This celebration specifically excludes any form of religious worship or praise to our creator.

Then at the end of this divisive celebration they exchange gifts aimed mainly at black children and they only permit handmade gifts of black African heritage to include a book of African culture.

The Judeo-Christian values that built the United States are excluded from Kwanzaa so this is not a festival of inclusion but none religious atheist Marxist form of segregation and separation.

Kwanzaa’s goal is to brain wash black Americans from celebrating a religious Judeo Christian Christmas and instead make them focus on a Marxist secular none religious event.

Black Communists in positions of leadership identify Christmas as an Invention by white Christian people which detracts from their goal of government control and power over the black community.

My many black American friends who do not identify as African celebrate the all inclusive Christmas and Hanukkah and refuse to become part of the Kwanzaa Marxist collective.

This is my opinion only and feel free to challenge it.

©2025 . All rights reserved.

VIDEO: A Christmas/Hanukkah Story About Two Torah-Believing Jews!

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Tom Trento, Director of The United West tells a story of two Torah believing Jews who lived 2000 years ago, but their live are specifically relevant today, December 25, 2024 and symbolically relevant for all of 2025!

WATCH: A Christmas / Hanukkah Story About Two Torah-Believing Jews!

TRANSCRIPT

It is a perfect day for me to tell you a story of two Torah believing Jews. These two guys both in their early 30s held tightly to the truth of the Hebrew scripture and stood firmly on its teaching and ultimately gave their lives for the convictions that they held. Let’s go back to around 167 BC before the birth of  Christ in the Common Era.

I’m using the Gregorian calendar which uses the birth of Christ as that point but the year is about 167 BC and in Israel there were the natural enemy of the Greeks.
The Greeks controlled everything North of Israel and well for simplicity sake, and for relevance sake historically today, the Greeks controlled Lebanon and Syria but they had a problem with these pesky Jews in Jerusalem and the rest of Israel so they had to teach the Jews a lesson. So they sent warriors down to defeat the Jews particularly in Jerusalem and take over the Holy Temple to desecrate it. To show who’s in charge and then put the Jews in their place and the Greeks did that led by Antiochus who was a maniac basically the king of this Grecian Empire.
He went into the temple and destroyed everything. He he took pigs and slaughtered pigs on the altar, which is a Torah offense. He took a statue of Zeus the king of the the Greeks sitting on Mount Olympus put a statue of Zeus in the Holy Temple. You can’t desecrate the temple more than that.
Well because of the might of the Greek army he was able to pull this stuff off but for one family of Mattathias who had five sons and one of those sons was Judah and for a variety of reasons their name became known as the Maccabees, the hammer. Particularly Judah and this small family decided to fight back against the mighty Greek Empire but not in a head-to-head confrontation but more intelligently. A Guerilla Warfare, beeper Jew Warfare, outsmarting your enemy. And they launched Guerilla attacks and you can read the history they prevailed they pushed the Greeks out of Israel and one of the immediate tasks they initiated was the cleansing and the Consecration and the re-dedication of the temple. Those Hebrew words consecration dedication the Hebrew word is Hanukkah.
And we know the story we know that in order to work in the temple they had to light the candles for light they had one day of the special holy oil it’s all they had one day supply and they they lit a a candle to last for one day but it lasted for eight days days so this Supernatural Miracle of a little portion of oil lasting for eight days is the impression that we get from the holiday now called Hanukkah. But more importantly we need to look at this Maccabee family who saw that the the offense the violation of Torah was beyond their willingness to stand for they had to fight against it and they did. History shows that four of the Maccabee brothers plus Mattathias the father all were killed in defending Israel. The one brother Simeon lived and and became a ruler of Judea but the point is these Torah believing men stood firmly on the truth on the importance of  the temple and gave their lives for it.

Now jump forward for 200 years and we have a Jew, a Torah believing Jew, it’s all he knew he didn’t know anything about the New Testament. His name is Jesus. He was a Jew he wasn’t a Christian there was no such thing as a Christian then. He traveled to Jerusalem to go to the Passover feast when he got there he saw, as the Maccabees saw, the desecration of his father’s house with the money changers and the the evil people abusing poor people with the exchange for the animals that needed to be purchased for sacrifice.

And he saw the House of Prayer he saw the temple God’s holy place being desecrated similarly, as the Maccabees did. And what did Jesus do? Jesus preached a message of love and peace he was not what many people thought a messiah would be like a political or military leader his message was look we’re alienated from God by sin. I’m here to provide a bridge from individuals to God to complete the scriptures and that’s my message my kingdom is not of this world my kingdom is of the next world but when he saw the temple being desecrated he made a Scourge, a  whip, and he went in.

Jesus, the little peaceful Jesus went in the temple and whipped people in there and knocked tables over told them to get out of here you don’t desecrate the house of God like this and ultimately um Jesus died for what he believed was the truth of standing on the scriptures and I believe that too as a Christian.

So here we have two guys both of whom Torah believing Jews gave their lives for their beliefs and uniquely, rarely in history does this occur today December 25th, 2024.

On Christmas day the birth of Christ and Hanukah come together on the same day. Sundown today on the East Coast. I’m talking about the East Coast now of the United States the sun goes down Hanukkah begins and Christmas has another six hours or so and I see this symbolic.

All drawing back upon the Hanukkah Miracle not just of the oil but of the warriors willing to fight for that which is true and 200 years later Jesus willing to fight for that which is true peacefully but applying Force when necessary.

I think it’s a beautiful message for Jews and Christians to understand today on December 25th, 2024 where we can see the unity we’ve had a rough past Jews and Christians but the unity we’ve experienced over the past 20 to 30 years the support Christians have given for Israel in this battle an amazing.

Unification is occurring even though there’s significant disagreements over the Messiah and some other issues we have to recognized but we are brothers and sisters supporting the Judeo-Christian worldview looking to fight against stand against the attacks of Islamic Jihad and Marxist revolutionaries and other ideological and real life physical enemies so standing on this beautiful day of December 25th joining Hanukkah with Christmas let’s look at 2025 as a year of Judeo-Christianity.

Jews and Christians unified ideologically in in a a brotherly manner willing to take a stand and fight, to the death if necessary, but wanting to preach a message of love and consideration, forgiveness and reconciliation bringing those two Torah elements together creates a whole purpose and a whole person and when you understand the truth of the scriptures and stand on it confidently you cannot be stopped by the enemy whether it’s ideological or whether it’s physical so my admonition for for all of us let’s look at 2025 as a year of advancing the Judeo-Christian truth to all people but standing firm and fighting when necessary.

Thank you all. Have an absolutely wonderful Hanukkah Christmas.

©2024 . All rights reserved.

Saudi Man Allegedly Attacks Crowd With Car At Busy German Christmas Market

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A Saudi man allegedly drove into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday, leaving several people on the ground motionless and at least two dead.

Footage of the attack shows a car speeding down the road into a large crowd of people attending the festival. Authorities arrested the suspect perpetrator, whom German state premier Reiner Haseloff confirmed at a press conference is a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian native who has worked in Germany as a doctor since 2006.

Government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe confirmed that the incident was an attack, WELT reported. Between 60 to 80 people have been injured in the attack, leading all hospitals to prepare for mass casualties.

At least two people, an adult and a child, were killed in the attack, Haseloff said at the press conference. He further stated that the perpetrator acted alone and there is no further threat.

WATCH: 

Police said extensive operations and measures are underway at the scene.

The man in custody reportedly rented a car before the attack and drove at least 40 meters across the Christmas market, WELT, a German outlet, reported.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned “something bad is about to happen” and expressed his condolences to the victims and their families.

“The reports from Magdeburg suggest something bad is about to happen,” the chancellor said. “My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours.”

German security services have previously feared an Islamic terror attack could be committed at Christmas markets throughout the country, with the nation’s domestic intelligence agency warning that these events are at a greater risk since they represent “Christian values.”

Eight years earlier, an Islamic terrorist drove a truck into a crowd at a Christmas market in Berlin on Dec. 19, 2016, killing 13 and injuring more than 70 victims, according to WELT. German police arrested two teenage Islamic state-linked suspects in November 2023 for plotting a bomb attack at a Christmas market at a city near Leverkusen, BBC News reported.

AUTHOR

Nicole Silverio

Media reporter.

RELATED VIDEO: Terrorist attack at Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany! Warning: Graphic images.

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

ROOKE: House Speaker Gives Tone Deaf Speech Defending The Swamp’s Last Funding Stunt Before Trump Comes Home

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House Speaker Mike Johnson is promoting a pork-filled spending resolution that would give Congress more power and waste billions of taxpayer dollars, making this the coal in Americans’ Christmas stockings.

Johnson promised members (and voters) under his leadership that massive spending bills would be an open process led by committee chairs. He also said that members would have at least 72 hours to read the bill before they were expected to vote and that the passing of any Christmas omnibus spending packages would be a thing of the past.

However, in the past 24 hours, he has broken almost all of these promises by introducing the Christmas Continuing Resolution (CR), which would keep the federal government funded until March 2025. Worst of all, Johnson is shamelessly trying to sell the American people on the idea that passing the CR is the conservative way to handle the funding issue.

Johnson tried to make his case Tuesday night in an interview with Newsmax.

“This was the conservative play call. We don’t normally like what’s called a Continuing Resolution, a CR. But in this case, it makes sense because if we push it into the first quarter of next year, then we have a Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald J. Trump back in the White House, we’ll be able to have more say about funding decisions in 2025,” Johnson said.

“Now, that would have been an easier thing to do, but then we had circumstances outside of our control. We had these emergencies that are required. We had, as you know, a record hurricane season. We had Helene and Milton, and they just did massive destruction across our red states, frankly,” Johnson continued. “And then we had farmers who are in jeopardy of permanently going under. They’ve had three loss years in a row because of Bidenomics and inflation and other circumstances outside of their control. So when you coble those two things together, there’s a desperate need for that aid, and that’s what adds another 100+ billion dollars to the bill. That’s where everyone is uncomfortable with it.”

The problem that Johnson expects the American people to be either too stupid or too lazy to understand is that Congress has known about this funding deadline since the last time they passed a CR funding bill in late September, around the same time hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated the country. There is no reason why Congress couldn’t have gone through the standard process earlier in the last quarter to avoid the rushed vote right before members wanted to go home for Christmas.

Most Americans sympathize with the victims of the hurricanes and Biden’s economic policies. However, adding aid for these emergencies isn’t really the issue here. It’s the decision to drop an almost 2,000-page spending bill that includes way more than aid to desperate Americans right before Christmas. We can see that this bill is supposed to allow policies Americans wouldn’t support to go through and designed to drop when it did in order to avoid a public debate.

In his defense of the omnibus, Johnson did not mention that Congress would receive a massive salary increase or that a carve-out would give members the legal freedom to avoid subpoenas of their electronic conversations. Nor did he tell Americans that the Christmas omnibus would fund the Global Engagement Center (GEC) for another nine years. The GEC is part of the federal government’s Censorship Industrial Complex, which worked to pressure social media companies to censor Americans.

Johnson continues to signal that he and other Republicans believe business in Washington will continue as usual despite the American voter mandate handed down Nov. 5. We are emaciated, exhausted, and ready to fight the federal government over the abusive relationship it’s formed with us. We are tired of the status quo. We want fighters willing to end the swampy business Washington elites conduct. This Christmas Omnibus is a red flag.

AUTHOR

Mary Rooke

Commentary and analysis writer.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Stopgap Funding Bill Scrapped After Trump Opposes It

OBSCENE: Continuing Resolution Prevents Trump From Investigating Criminal Activities of Congress, Plus 75K PAY RAISE

Heated Committee Chair Race Puts Two Eras Of GOP At War, May Show Whether Mike Johnson Will Stab Trump In Back

The Craziest Things Congress Is Trying To Sneak Through It’s Pork-Packed Christmas Spending Spree

‘An Early Test’: Trump Administration’s Spending Bulldogs Sound Alarm Over GOP’s Federal Funding Bill

GOP rep becomes first Republican to publicly say he won’t throw support behind Mike Johnson for speaker

ROOKE: Biden Fell For Legal Trap Set By Trump Appointees

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

In Historic First, Nativity Scene Goes on Display at U.S. Capitol

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For the first time in history, a Nativity scene was displayed on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, marking what organizers say is a milestone for religious freedom and the First Amendment.

The display, accompanied by prayer, Christmas carols, and a reading of the Christmas story, was made possible by a landmark federal court decision that granted Rev. Patrick Mahoney and his supporters the right to peacefully celebrate the Christmas season on Capitol grounds.

Held on the southeastern steps of the Capitol, the display was the culmination of a legal battle that began over a decade ago when Mahoney, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian Defense Coalition, faced repeated threats of arrest for his attempts to read the Christmas story from the Bible and hold a Nativity display at the Capitol Christmas tree.

On Wednesday, Mahoney shared his gratitude for the chance to share the message of Christmas in such a politically significant location.

Sue Dorfman, a photographer for ZUMA Press, captured the moment with an image of the Nativity scene at the Capitol.

Mahoney wrote on X: “7 months ago, we would’ve been arrested for having this Nativity Display on the steps of the US Capitol. However, we won an historic federal lawsuit through the incredible work of the Center for American Liberty which allowed us on the steps!”

In his post, Mahoney tagged civil rights advocate Center for American Liberty Executive Director Mark Trammell and Harmeet Dhillon, a California civil rights attorney nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for a similar role at the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a statement, Mahoney offered his gratitude for making history. “We are so very thankful for the opportunity to share the joyful and powerful message of Christmas at the steps of the U.S. Capitol,” Mahoney said. “In a hurting and wounded world, there is no more redemptive and healing message than the Christmas story.”

The road to this historic moment was paved by Mahoney’s 2022 federal lawsuit, which challenged the Capitol’s restrictions on public demonstrations. Despite the federal government’s resistance, Mahoney argued that the U.S. Capitol — a place symbolic of democracy and freedom — should be a space where all Americans can exercise their First Amendment rights, including the freedom to express religious beliefs.

In his lawsuit, Mahoney stated, “The ‘People’s House,’ as the U.S. Capitol Building is so rightly called, must be a place where all Americans are afforded the right to come and peacefully celebrate and express their First Amendment rights. Tragically, those rights and freedoms are being denied and prohibited.”

He contended that while lawmakers, media, lobbyists, and tourists were free to enter and use the Capitol grounds, his own request for a peaceful demonstration was denied. Mahoney had sought permission to hold a Good Friday service, praying for peace, religious freedom, and the healing of nations.

In May 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in Mahoney’s favor, declaring the Capitol steps to be a public forum where peaceful demonstrations could no longer be prohibited. This decision set a precedent that ensured the steps of the Capitol could be used for public expressions of religious faith, including the display of a Nativity scene.

“This is also a significant victory for religious freedom and the First Amendment,” Mahoney said in a statement. “This event has ended and won the war on Christmas in the public square. For if Christmas can be celebrated and displayed in the most powerful public square in America, it can be celebrated publicly everywhere.”

This article was originally published by The Christian Post.

AUTHOR

Christian Post Staff

RELATED ARTICLES:

Hope amid Trial: ‘The God Who Has Been Sufficient until Now Should Be Trusted to the End’

A Silent Night for Israeli Hostages: ‘This Moment Must Not Be Wasted’

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2024 Family Research Council.

The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Is it Christmas or Xmas? Keeping things in perspective in 2024…

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This is an updated version of what I wrote last year, as the situation has not improved.

If you like short videos, then please watch this 3-minute spot-on musical video. It is musically conveying the same message that I’m trying to do here, verbally…

As a minimum, Christmas is a remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ. (Note the “Christ” part of the word Christmas.) As a historical event, it is something that anyone of any faith (or even atheists) can choose to acknowledge and/or celebrate — just as anyone can acknowledge and appreciate the historical event Hanukkah is based on

Why Christians would give such emphasis to that birth, is due to what Jesus Christ stood for. (Carefully read the New Testament for specifics.) The bottom line is that His message was one of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Shouldn’t we all support that?

Centuries later, various related secondary religious traditions evolved in parallel with the birth of Jesus Christ’s remembrance. One is Saint Nicholas — now translated to what we Americans call Santa Claus… Another is the Christmas Tree, which also has some religious connotations (here is one explanation).

Regretfully, we live in times where secularization is all the rage, and Religion (and the Bible) are out of vogue — is it any wonder that we can no longer even have respectful discussions about our different perspectives? What happens now is that one party will bludgeon the other with the moral superiority card (SEL, CRT, DEI, Woke, etc.). Other responses that fall into this category are phony virtue signaling and absurd relativism.

Humans instinctively need a moral code, so the reason that all these happen every day is that we are abandoning what was a widely shared value system: Judeo-Christianity. But since the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, the Bible, etc. are old-fashioned, here are three questions to critically think about:

  1. Where is this new set of “moral standards” and “virtues” publicly posted?
  2. Who has the credentials to create such an official list?
  3. Where does the authority come from to enforce adherence to such standards?

One excuse for this secularization is the assertion that some people espousing Religions have a long history of going off the rails.

We need to be clear that when there are bad events associated with a Religion, it is the people involved who are the problem, not the Religion. For example, when some early Catholic Popes were evil men, that was not a reflection on Jesus Christ or His Church, but on those individuals. (Similarly, when the US has Presidents who are self-serving, it is not a reflection on the Constitution, but on those people.)

An experience I recently had is one of many that puts this secularization of our society, including Christmas, into focus… Every year my wife and I snail mail Christmas cards to select friends and family. Every year we choose a Christmas card with a clear traditional birth of Jesus Christ theme. (We then add some updates about the last year, on the reverse.)

This year I again went to where we have been buying such cards: Vista-Print (which is a large purveyor of a wide variety of products from business cards to wedding gifts). I started like I always do and selected: 4×8 cards —> Christmas —> religious. Hmmm: all of the “religious cards” were just photos of family members, Christmas trees, etc.

What struck me was that there was not a single religious card (i.e., about the birth of Jesus Christ), a star over Bethlehem, the three wise men, etc. In the past, Vista-Print had multiple options for these. I then did several searches and nothing came up.

I decided to call the company and see if I was doing something wrong. I chatted with a pleasant customer service person. After much looking on her part she confirmed that Vista-Print had no 4×8 Christmas cards with any Christ-related scene!!

As polite as I could be (not my forte), I strongly objected to this startling and unacceptable degradation of Christmas. She agreed and politely volunteered to look through their past files to see if she could find an appropriate one for me.

I waited patiently (again not a strong point) while she searched. She then came up with a Christmas card with a religious scene on it. She emailed me what she was proposing to see if it was OK. It was. Success and no charge for this “custom” card.

IMO it’s mind-boggling that I would have to do this. I’m sure in Vista-Print’s files that they have over a hundred nativity, etc. scenes to use on 4×8 Christmas cards, but that they chose zero in 2024 is disturbing.

As a scientist, I’m a curious person (take that any way you like), so I decided to see if Vista-Print was an aberration or the norm. For comparison, I decided to check out Walmart’s 4×8 card options, since they are another major seller of Christmas cards. I looked through their online site to see how many nativity scene Christmas cards they were offering, and again I found none… Same for Shutterfly and Snapfish.

My closing Christmas thought is this…

Since we are experiencing unprecedented threats to our personal freedoms and lives, maybe we ought to re-think our commitment to God. As Americans’ participation in Religion has steadily gone downhill, the evil and incompetence we are seeing on a daily basis has steadily increased. Draw your own Critical Thinking conclusions, but IMO that correlation is not a coincidence.

In summary: Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

I hope that you and your family have a happy, holy Christmas and holiday season!

PS: I also found no religious versions when I searched for “Christmas emoji.” They were Santa Claus, etc.). However, when I switched to “Nativity emoji” lots of options came up, like… this, this and this.

©2924 All rights reserved.

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WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2024 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time – but why would you?

Rejoice America, We have a lot to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving!

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The time has come to take a deep breath, spend time with God, your family and clear your head. Let’s say a prayer for ourselves, our families, our troops, and America, President Trump and the team.  Then let’s make a decision to start now, today, to be thankful we have a chance to be Free Americans. Let’s stop the great divide and really make the effort to come together.

We know the plan. We have seen it often enough: make the people feel guilty and frightened.  But the people are now waking up to the propaganda they have been fed. We are now looking forward to a shake up in DC . We support President Trump’s picks. We expect them to uncover and prosecute corruption, and close wasteful agencies. We expect them to follow the constitution.

It is up to us, we the people to make sure our legislators follow our wishes and do not go off on their own. We must be polite but vocal. We must conduct the best oversight. The only way to have confidence in your oversight is to be educated. It is impossible to know what to expect in the future, if you don’t get your clues from the past.

Our show this week is quite special. William Federer, , historian, journalist, author, speaker, is our guest in the first segment. He will enlighten you with a portion of American history, our history, I’ll bet you never realized.  As we learn more of America’s past we learn  why our Constitution works. How important it is and how we must never let it be altered.

The second portion of the show is special for this Thanksgiving/Christmas season. This segment is for the family. It is time we honor the family.  Time to enjoy our time together as a family.  We have lost so many traditions, isn’t time to get them back? So gather your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and listen to the radio broadcast of “Britfield and the Lost Crown”, a story for children, preformed by children. “

Trailer: WTK Liberty Players and ‘The Britfield & The Lost Crown’ Christmas Special Radio Show

The series of five shows features 19 children from California and begins with a performance by the “We The Kids Liberty Players, ” who meet an author from the past. Attorney Susan Swift, a child actress based in Los Angeles, has worked with the We The Kids Liberty Players to make the show possible. We thank you.” Judy Fraiser, President, We The Kids. We hope you enjoy the play and share it with more friends and family.

©2024 . All rights reserved.

Please visit Karen’s Newsletter substack.