From LibDem
Throughout the year, I have enjoyed all of your contributions and our engaging discussions, heated or otherwise. The post below from JTO starts with a narrow focus (guns) and leads us to a much broader question (democracy). It seems to me that we should be doing the same thing with the holidays. While we may be narrowly focused on our preparations – gift buying, tree decorating, house lighting, cooking, baking, picking up loved ones, etc., the larger part of Christmas may be lost in the hustle. Well, I wanted to say something profound about the true meaning of Christmas, but it seems the older I get, the right words evade me. So I came across something that Robert Reich posted on facebook today that I wanted to share with you. He is an American politician, academic, writer, and political commentator. He served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, from 1993 to 1997. His comments bring us to the same questions and challenges that JTO posed below.
But first some background. George Bailey (Its A Wonderful Life):
“Just a minute… just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You’re right when you say my father was no businessman. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I’ll never know. But neither you nor anyone else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was… why, in the 25 years since he and his brother, Uncle Billy, started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn’t that right, Uncle Billy? He didn’t save enough money to send Harry away to college, let alone me. But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter, and what’s wrong with that? Why… here, you’re all businessmen here. Doesn’t it make them better citizens? Doesn’t it make them better customers? You… you said… what’d you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait? Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they’re so old and broken down that they… Do you know how long it takes a working man to save $5,000? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about… they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they’re cattle. Well in my book, my father died a much richer man than you’ll ever be!”
Robert Reich (Facebook post,today):
“Every year about now I watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” again to remind myself what Frank Capra understood about America — its essential decency and common sense. In many ways the nation is better than it was in 1946 when the movie first appeared. Women have gained economic power and reproductive rights; we enacted Civil Rights and Voting Rights and, through Medicare and Medicaid, dramatically reduced poverty among the elderly; we began to tackle environmental devastation; we stopped treating gays as criminals and have even started to recognize equal marriage rights. We elected and then re-elected the first black president of the United States. But we are still in danger of the “Pottersville” Capra envisioned as the alternative to what happens when Americans fail to join together and forget the meaning of the public good. The craven and cynical bullies symbolized by Lionel Barrymore’s “Mr. Potter” are threatening our democracy and our common morality. We must continue to fight them.”
Merry Christmas everybody. I hope the true spirit of Christmas remains with you throughout the New Year. That we are a little more like George Bailey and a little less like Mr. Potter.
Lib Dem.
LibDem,
George Bailey’s criticism of greedy bankers was correct. But in the movie, the solution was that greedy bankers were countered by caring bankers who weren’t greedy. I don’t recall anything in that movie about the government needing to intervene and take from the rich to redistribute to the poor. What the government should be doing is punishing the rich who are corrupt and greedy and who acquire their power and maintain it at the expense of others. Laws can level the playing field so that the honest wealthy people who do care about people and who appreciate and financially reward the workers who make them rich would thrive in such an environment. That’s not what we have today and government supporting everyone whom it has failed by failing to thwart greed and corruption is also not the answer, IMHO.
But maybe that’s a debate that can wait for another day. I wasn’t going to mention Christmas to you because I didn’t realize you celebrated it. I didn’t want to risk offending you by mentioning it. Since you brought it up first – I hope that you and your family have a very Merry Christmas.
Newcomer,
Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
Just in time for the holiday season, The American Atheist Association recently placed a billboard in Time Square which stated “Keep The Merry, Drop The Myth”. Not only do I believe this advice misses the point, but I disagree with it altogether. First, for Christians, their religion is not interpreted as mythology. And second, while I personally believe religion is based in myth and not reality, I see no good reason to drop the myth. Myths have always been a part of human storytelling as a means to convey a deeper message. A message that for the most part provides solid examples of civilized codes of behavior and ethics, most of which transcend religion.
The myths of Christmas are very important to me and worthy of celebration. The birth of great man into poverty, who spends is whole short life preaching love, charity, kindness, redistribution of money (lol), and self sacrifice. He lived a simple life amongst the poor and the unwanted. He stayed true to his words even when it would cost him his life. He set an example for many others to live by.
I do not believe in virgin births, angels, miraculous cures, or resurrections. I do believe in the power of man to live a good moral life. And for this we should celebrate with great fervor. And in the spirit of this myth, we give to others gifts of love, kindness, and sacrifice.
So I say, keep the merry and keep the myth, but throw out the irrational thinking and throw out the church dogma.
LibDem,
I’m glad you think that Jesus was a great man. He is also God; the second person of the Triune God. He said so Himself, “I am the Way the Truth, and the Life…” I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…”
On Christmas day, I, along with other Christians, celebrate the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, which means “God among us”.
So, no, Jesus is not a myth.
Even though we agree on very little,I’m glad that we can agree on the Merry part at least. It’s a start.
Newcomer:
I agree. But the Republican party is not interested in what you’re selling. They tend to claim that any regulations telling them how to be a responsible capitalist is the same thing as communism. How many recessions have been caused by taxation? How many have been caused by an insatiable greed?
JK,
And I agree with you as well, which is why I can’t join the Republican party. Hopefully, this is not the case in terms of local politics. I don’t know. I have no experience with that to draw from. But in terms of national-level politics, for someone who is trying to ardently live out the tenets of their faith, I think it has to be extremely difficult, if not nearly impossible, to do so under the political pressure of either one of our two political parties. “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8: 36).