Reasoning for the Season

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us

~ John 1:14

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” 

          ~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Image: Kevin Carden

Christmas Crunch

It feels like Christmas has snuck up on us this year. Not only is it awkwardly placed smack in the middle of the week, but it follows a late Thanksgiving that prompted "Cyber Monday" falling a mere three weeks before Christmas Eve. So I doubt I'm the only one who's been chasing my tail all through December.

Today, at last, I'm done--shopping, at least. Now the gift-wrapping marathon yawns before me. Since I usually start buying gift items in August and squirreling them away, I'm usually shocked by the volume of boxes and bags that await my attention. Armed with Advil and a couple of wrist braces, I'm confident I'll power through in time for the big day.

So what's been going on this month in Washington D.C.? Not much worth mentioning, in my humble opinion. It's Christmas time; let's focus on the positive. If I had to choose one topic as happy news from our nation's capital, I'd nominate the exquisite White House Christmas decorations--for which Melania Trump, who oversaw every detail, will get nary a kind word from the alphabet media. However, I think the décor is beautiful and classy, just like the First Lady.

As someone who has a life goal of becoming merely bi-lingual, I've always been awed by fact that the First Lady speaks five languages. I'll bet all her gift wrapping is finished, too.

Melania Trump walks through "The Spirit of America" White House Christmas decorations ~ 2019

Closing Ceremony

O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

- The Navy Hymn

Today, the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the last survivor who will be interred inside the hull of the U.S.S. Arizona will be laid to rest.

There are three other Arizona survivors who have chosen to be buried with their families when they pass away. So today's burial aboard the U.S.S. Arizona of sailor Lauren Bruner, who was 21 years old at the time of the attack, will end this poignant tradition in American history.

Rest in peace.

Here he lies where he long'd to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea

~ Requiem, by R.L. Stevenson

Thanksgiving Wishes

Must Be Seen

While there is still time.

https://nosafespaces.com/

Honor Veterans Day

Royal Pains

www.deviantart.com

I'm so saturated with political coverage that I need a complete and mindless change of pace. The key word in that intro is "mindless," so let's talk about Meghan Markle, the poor misunderstood royal.

Such a bother it is, being a rich, pampered, spoiled member of the royal family. People always fussing about you, and your slightest wish is their command. How's a person to function, being waited on hand and foot, night and day? Evidently, it's very wearing for the tender duchess.

I mean, think about it. Poor Meghan just had a baby a few months ago. Does anyone on earth understand how difficult that is? She certainly doesn't seem to think so. There she was, standing in Africa--Africa!--lamenting how hard her life is. Africa, where slavery is still rampant, AIDS is an ongoing epidemic, infant mortality is highest in the world, and women are mutilated--that probably wasn't the ideal setting to announce on television that postpartum blues mixed with media attention has really been a dreadful challenge. After all, "not many people have asked" if she's okay. (Well, don't look now, duchess, but you're not in Hollywood anymore.)

It's all been so stressful that soon she and her angst-ridden prince will be taking "a respite" in the United States. How fortunate for America, that we'll be blessed for a few weeks with these delicate, easily bruised souls. As my mother might say, "I can hardly wait."

Euphemistically Speaking

Twitter was jumping today with a bumper crop of hilarious, often wildly creative obituaries for a variety of evil historical figures. This entertaining burst of social media mockery was in reaction to the Washington Post's ridiculous "austere religious scholar" description of al-Baghdadi in its first revision of three separately published headlines announcing (and re-announcing) the news.

"Religious scholar"? Al-Baghdadi captured, tortured, and murdered countless people in brutal and horrifying ways, including beheadings and burning alive. He was a rapist who enslaved women and abused them for his enjoyment. The enormity of his crimes is incalculable. In his last act on earth, as a suicide bomber, he dragged three (revised to two) innocent children into violent death with him.

Yet The Washington Post didn't want us to forget that he had advanced degrees in the study of Islam. And the media has the nerve to wonder why we don't trust them.

But back to the fun on Twitter! In one post, Charles Manson is referred to as a "famous song writer and meditation leader." In another, Al Capone is a "noted self-made entrepreneur." Adolf Hitler is described as a "passionate community planner and dynamic public speaker." Those three air-brushed "obituaries," and many others equally euphemistic, appeared in the Daily Wire article, "Twitter Users Hilariously Savage The Washington Post With ‘WaPoDeathNotices’ Hashtag After Al-Baghdadi Bungle."

In my own Twitter feed, I saw another "obituary" that made me laugh. It described Hannibal Lecter as a "renowned forensic expert and food connoisseur." That about covers it all, right? Now pass the fava beans over to The Washington Post.

Substance over Style

Not even the elimination of al-Baghdadi, the long-hunted terrorist leader of ISIS, can get President Trump a moment's respite from the relentless drumbeat of media and Hollywood criticism. Apparently, only Democratic presidents are worthy of receiving credit for successfully overseeing the military operations that destroy these murderous monsters.

There is nothing this president can do that will ever earn him an encouraging word from the elites who so blindly hate him. So why should he even try? He's drawing verbal fire because he didn't inform Congress first; again, why would he? They would leak it immediately, and The New York Times would be announcing the news instead of the president.

I, for one, am focusing on results. Al-Baghdadi is dead, and that makes the world a better place today.

As I'm sure an overwhelming majority of Americans do, I join President Trump in thanking our "soldiers and sailors, airmen, and Marines," along with their commanders, for this crucial accomplishment. They are, as the president stated, "the very best."

Founding Truths

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.
 ~ John Adams

Attorney General William Barr gave what I think is one of this century's most important American speeches at the University of Notre Dame last week. The full text of his address is linked here, from the Department of Justice website. I think every American should read every word of it.

The left-wing reaction to Barr's honesty is telling. The vicious, vituperative nature of the outrage against him is to be expected, but it is also indicative of a deep fear--a terror, even--of the truth. Rather than tearing Barr down with their slanderous insults, secular elites are calling attention to their own moral bankruptcy. It's not a pretty sight. Paul Krugman's sneering column is but one example of Barr's critics completely missing the point.

Barr is not promoting any specific religion, but rather the need for a "system of values" in which we are self-governing. "Moral values must rest on authority independent of men’s will," states William Barr. Translation: God's laws should rule human behavior. The secular left goes out of its collective mind at the slightest suggestion of God's authority. A fact that was so obvious to our nation's Founders is woefully unapparent to our woke progressives today.

Leaving criticism aside, Barr's remarks are also receiving their fair share of praise, as well they should. Townhall's Terry Jeffrey calls the speech a touchdown; I like to describe it as a grand slam.

In his address, Barr quotes James Madison: "We have staked our future on the ability of each of us to govern ourselves." As he expressed Madison's concept:

This is really what was meant by “self-government.” It did not mean primarily the mechanics by which we select a representative legislative body. It referred to the capacity of each individual to restrain and govern themselves.

Here Barr reminds us of our nation's founding as a "great experiment" in self government--not merely as a political structure, but as a personal way of life. This is what the Founders believed would allow the country to succeed; it is this belief that has powered the building of the unique nation we are fortunate enough to have.

The great American experiment was a huge gamble by the Founders, and the entire game is at stake today. Are We the People still up to the challenge of self government? Or has our U.S. Constitution become "wholly inadequate" to the people we are now, as John Adams warned it could? Values, virtue, and time will tell.