Somber Reflections at Christmastime

The last couple of years, my Christmastime article had an uplifting theme, as is appropriate for the season. And don’t get me wrong, as we head into another Christmas season, there is still much to be uplifted about. But there’s also a lot out there that should give us pause in our holiday reflections.

Item 1. If there’s anything we can use as a barometer for how woeful Obama’s presidency has become, it’s the increasing stature of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, at least prior to the latest Wikileaks fiasco. Prior to that, Hillary was looking better than her boss simply by staying out of trouble, relatively speaking. But this latest event is showing both Hillary and Obama in a very unflattering light, exposing deep holes in their capacity to govern. However, the “state-controlled” media will continue to minimize the damage these people have done, much to the country’s detriment.

Item 2. The latest Chronicles of Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, is opening this month to a rather muted fanfare. In the “old days” the clamor for a family-friendly adventure movie such as this would have eclipsed most other entertainment venues. Now, however, we have as “worthy” competition “Black Swan” which features ballet, the beautiful Swan Lake compositions of Tchaikovsky, and a lesbian love affair. Hollywood continues to taint its reputation, yet keeps raking in the millions. Only when people start voting with their wallets to not watch the envelope-pushing trash that passes for most entertainment these days, will it perhaps fade away.

Item 3. The war between Left versus Right shows no sign of abating any time soon. Regardless of Obama’s motivations in changing his position roughly 180 degrees on the expiring Bush tax rates, there can be no doubt that the hard-left base of his party is apoplectic about it. Yet when one tries to look at this deal objectively, it really doesn’t go very far in helping our economy—not with all the goodies such as unemployment benefits extensions larded on to it, just as an example. And the truth of the matter is that Obama’s “plan” really doesn’t cut income taxes for anyone. It’s only the government’s and media’s smoke-and-mirror semantic games as to what constitutes a “cut” versus merely keeping the same rates in place, that makes the deal look more attractive than it really is. What’s desperately needed on the Republican side of the fence is someone who can make the case in a Reagan-like manner for the Bush tax rates continuing, not just for a couple of years but indefinitely, and why it makes sense, despite the left’s bluster about “tax cuts for the rich,” to apply this continuation to everyone.

Item 4. The simple rendering of “Merry Christmas” to any stranger these days invites some risk. Some people will respond with “Happy Holidays” as if to make a point that the latter is the more appropriate greeting in these days and times. How sad that multiculturalism has taken such root in our land, and few if any of our elected “leaders” have the courage to stand up to it. How sad also, in this season of celebrating the birth of a Savior, that such a large percentage of professing Christians, especially younger ones, believe the lie that there is more than one way to God and heaven.

All that said, there is still plenty to celebrate this year and every year at this time. As the Savior Himself told his disciples (and that includes us), “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18). Jesus is the one human being in history who was and is right, 100 percent of the time. Upon that rock, despite loads of evidence to the contrary, we need to keep believing. Merry Christmas!

P.S. There will be no new edition of Conservative Truth on December 20th to allow the staff some family time for the upcoming holidays. We will resume publication on December 27, 2010.