Christmas Day 2023 Message- Less About Merry And More About Sobriety. Hold The Eggnog.
A message this day…. Sobriety.
The world’s three most prominent religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism are in crisis. Divisions from within and divisions amongst one another.
They remain challenged by definitions- are their respective texts, Bible, Koran, and Torah maps-where how to travel spiritually from one point to another is determined by individuals on a case-by-case basis, direct or indirect, being selective. Or, the texts be viewed solely, concretely, absent division or debate, by textualism, the words on the page? Readers only go where the words lead rather than leading the words to a desired, palatable result.
Followers of each religion believe in a Supreme, be it the God or a God. And no matter how horrible a moment, faith leaders will identify in their respective instruction manuals- Bible, Koran, or Torah, a justification- whether it be real- from the text or imagined/interpreted from what they believe- or want and need to believe the text reflects.
The Bible, Koran, and Torah have increasingly become less faith documents and more political documents. This writer would posit each has always been a political document.
Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana), recently-elected Speaker of the 435-member United States House of Representatives, shared: “I am a Bible-believing Christian. Someone asked me today in the media, they said, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it.’ That's my worldview.”
Reasonable for Christians, Jews, and Muslims to ask of their God why does suffering continue, why must death beget death, and why do those elected and appointed to service embrace forcefully their beliefs to justify their decisions while eviscerating the beliefs of those who disagree with them? For too many, the business (and politics) of religion has come to embrace cynical opportunities to enhance division rather than create and embrace unity.
Today, most Christians memorialize Christmas. Earlier this month, Jews memorialized Hanukkah. In April and May of next year, Muslims will memorialize Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. These are important moments in a series of moments for believers.
Followers of Judaism ask why followers of Isam would participate in and condone what members and supporters of organizations Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement- Hamas), Palestine Islamic Jihad, Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine unleashed on 7 October 2023 upon occupants in the occupied territories of the State of Israel. A reported death toll of approximately 1,200 and more than two hundred residents and visitors taken as hostages. There are an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 active members of Hamas and its affiliates/supporters in Gaza.
Followers of Islam ask why followers of Judaism would participate in and condone what the government of the State of Israel instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to unleash since 9 October 2023 upon the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza. To date, a reported death toll of 20,000+ with the majority women and children; injuries surpassing 50,000. According to media reporting, approximately 66%+ of structures in Gaza are destroyed or severely damaged and uninhabitable. Most hospitals are devoid of services. Electricity, fuel, and water remain woefully inadequate. Tents are replacing homes. Snow and rain have replaced dry and hot.
At carnivals, customers pay to use water guns and air rifles to inflate balloons until they explode and knock down moving or stationary targets. Most often, the customer does not win- but that is a known component of the game. In Gaza, the IDF has a near 100% guarantee of striking anything they aim to hit- absent proportional fear.
Lindsey Graham (Republican- South Carolina), of the 100-member United States Senate, shared: “Every death, going forward, I blame on Hamas, not Israel.”
Note to Senator Graham- the IDF has a choice about how it conducts its operations in Gaza- it is not required to demolish buildings, demolish infrastructure, and engage in “indiscriminate bombing” as described by Joseph Biden, 46th President of the United States. The buildings did not murder on 7 October 2023. The Civilians did not murder on 7 October 2023. Senator Graham’s statement reflected the courage of his ignorance and an insatiable desire for campaign contributions and media attention. President Biden’s statement, at a campaign event rather than in an official setting, reflected what most listeners, readers, and viewers feel about how the IDF- at the direction of the government of the State of Israel, is prosecuting its war.
Within Ukraine and the Russian Federation, there are dueling followers of Christianity. Followers of Christianity residing in Ukraine (now using the Gregorian calendar where Christmas is 25 December) ask why followers of Christianity residing in the Russian Federation (retaining the Eastern Orthodox calendar where Christmas is 7 January) would permit the government of the Russian Federation to direct its armed forces to invade on 24 February 2022 further (from its initial invasions in 2014) into the internationally-recognized territory of Ukraine. Followers of Christianity in the Russian Federation ask why the necessity to direct human and financial resources and endure increasing sanctions from other countries for what has been described by the president of the Russian Federation as both a special military operation (SMO) and a war. The likely outcome of the SMO/war will be neither the government in Kyiv nor the government in Moscow obtains or retains what it desires. Current combined deaths nearing 500,000 with 200,000 wounded.
Followers of Christianity and Judaism are in commercial, economic, financial, military, and political leadership throughout most of the 193 member countries of the United Nations. Yet, they have, individually and collectively, failed to prevent bad happenings and then when commenced failed to end those bad happenings.
Afghanistan; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia; Haiti; Russian Federation-Ukraine; Somalia; South Sudan; State of Israel-Palestine; Syria; and Yemen.
So, for some Christians today is Christmas. Celebrating the birth of Jesus, the son of their God. For many throughout the world, today will be just another day of death due to conflict, death due to civil war, death due to bilateral war, death due to multilateral war, and death due to environmental disaster.
Not so merry…. More sobering. No eggnog.
