CHRISTMAS POLITICS 2007

Christmas, Politicking, and the Bottom Line

The Christ, His day, and personal politics...

Christ wasn't Republican nor Democrat, and I wish I could write a different message -- one of pure hope, but I must openly offer my Christmas 2007 message through commentary on the politics of our time, as witnessed recently in the public debate over "who's" Christianity is "electable" in the presidential races now under way.

I will not bring up names of those running. But I will say immediate disqualification for my vote was attached to one whose purposefully planted remarks of, "Don't they believe Jesus and the devil are brothers?" were intentionally designed to foment bigotry against a formidable opponent, and thus hit a new low in American politics. Maybe this is just a "shot over the bow" using Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) as the target, but the last time they were shot at by other Americans they crossed into Iowa over a frozen Mississippi from Illinois in February 1846 to escape government sanctioned murder and mobbings. Now Iowa 2007... Odd to see faith used to attack a political opponent so close to the geographical location that the opponents ancestor's were physically driven from.

BOTTOM LINE: The bottom line on Christmas and personal religion as relates to this political debate? Believers are supposed to be brothers. Religious theology and politics are not good partners; history is replete with disaster when this kind of whispering and hints of "politically incorrect" religion are put forth. See if it sounds reasonable to you... (This should be obvious.)

Christianity celebrates its founder's day on one date more than any other day -- but promotes the idea that every day could be like it. Christmas is a time of celebration of the birth of a peace-giver. According to Wikipedia the term comes from the "...contraction of Christ's mass. It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038.[1]"

Literally a celebration of union to the Christ, whatever the adherent's sect, faith, or derived dogma from his/her link to a church, the December 25th celebration does in fact engender kindness, a sense of peace, love, and harmony for all believers. People give more, criticize less, love through gifts. There is a palpable joy and I believe it is because of the billions world wide who project positive energy to each other; the billions who take the "day off" from the business of life, the political maneuvering, and the posturings to just be child-like as is our historic peace-maker, Jesus of Nazareth.

THE CHRIST I KNOW: The Jesus Christ I know and revere asks me to be a better man regardless of a religious affiliation, politics, privately held ideology... He asks me to be a moral man, a gentler and kinder person. In the end this Jesus asks me to be like him of whom John said in final definition of his persona: "God is love."

This "love" is inclusive, not exclusive. I can love Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, Moslems, Baptists, Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientologists, and the list goes on.

I can in fact, "be" for Him what he was for us; the succoring and helpful hands to the ill, the weak, the lost, the poor, the wealthy, the black, white, red, and in-between colors of humanity.

When all is said in done in politics and life, the Jesus I have come to know and love asks me to examine WHO I AM, not WHO YOU ARE.

The character of a man is loud enough when it comes to electability to the office of President of our great land where freedom of religion is an expressed right and privilege, and the cost of which has been so nobly borne by the millions of all faiths from the very founding of our "union." And so, it is with this message for Christmas 2007, to "be like Christ" is to love...become inclusive, and finally as a "Christ Mass" would do, continually offer "peace, good will and tidings of great joy" to all.

The "Peace Maker" I know asks me to be a better man. His accusers used convenient politics and the faith card of his being from "the devil" to seek to turn public opinion against him before crucifying him. You be the judge if a candidate is with Him or associating with the counter to his persona as planted in this week's political rhetoric. There is one thing that is true -- the bad guys always use religion when their argument is weak and when convenient. I prefer not to think of the candidate, slipping in theological nonsense about his opponent's faith, as a "bad guy." However, it puts a question mark on one claiming to be of the nature found in "Christ's Mass." Well... this much is true, "peace-making" and brotherhood it is not.

James Michael Pratt, Dec. 15, 2007