thestream--2020-12-24--It’s a Christmas Miracle: Baby Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins

Holiday movies are happy-ending feel-good affairs .
Christmas is saved .
Santa arrives .
Gruff people discover the “ true meaning of Christmas.
” And everyone finds true love .
It ’ s always , as my niece and nephew say with faux wonderment , “ a Christmas miracle.
” Christmas is , of course , a miracle .
But it ’ s not quite the miracle most people have in mind .
In his book Jesus of Nazareth : The Infancy Narratives , Pope Benedict XVI addresses the declaration the angel made to St. Joseph : “ Mary will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call his name Jesus , for he will save his people from their sins ” ( Matthew 1:21 ) .
The name Jesus means , “ The Lord is salvation.
” Israel had been looking for salvation for ages : salvation from the Assyrians , the Babylonians , the Greeks , tyrannical King Herod , the Romans , from poverty , sickness , famine and despair .
Forgiveness of sins had to do with the sacrificial system at the Temple in Jerusalem .
So they kind of had that covered .
Then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments : “ The promise of forgiveness of sins seems both too little and too much : too much , because it trespasses on God ’ s exclusive sphere ; too little , because there seems to be no thought of Israel ’ s concrete suffering or its true need for salvation.
” Benedict goes on to discuss the story of the paralytic whose friends broke through the roof to lower him at the feet of Jesus ( Mark 2:1-12 ) .
His need seemed obvious : he was a paralytic .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your sins are forgiven.
” Once again , it ’ s too much and too little .
Too much , thought some : “ It is blasphemy !
Who can forgive sins but God alone ?
” Too little , thought others : the paralytic was still a paralytic .
Years ago there was an ad for something that proclaimed , “ When you ’ ve got your health , you ’ ve got just about everything.
” An author named Augusten Burroughs added to that , “ When you have your health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not have your health , nothing else matters at all.
” Most people would agree .
But Jesus , who healed many , vehemently disagrees .
Presented with the paralytic , Jesus fulfilled the mission the angel announced to Joseph .
He also healed the man , but that was a proof .
He did it “ that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins ” ( v. 10 ) .
The paralytic ’ s health and with it his financial and social status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After all , the healed paralytic lost his health and is long dead .
Once he could walk , his earning ability and social status improved , but didn ’ t last .
Yes , health is good .
Material prosperity is good .
National liberation is good .
Education is good .
Science and scientific progress are good .
But we need to keep in mind that they ’ re all secondary goods .
G.K. Chesterton quipped , “ The weakness of all Utopias is this — that they take the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be overcome , and then give an elaborate account of the overcoming of smaller ones.
” Jesus was no Utopian .
He understood that sin , and with it separation from God , is “ the greatest difficulty of man.
” We can live with bad health and , in fact , sooner or later most of us will — and then we ’ ll die .
We can live without an abundance of this world ’ s goods .
We can live in dangerous conditions and under oppressive regimes .
But without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the late Dr. Paul Toms used to put it , “ without God in this world and without hope in the next.
” Even if we are healthy , prosperous , safe and free , we have nothing of lasting value .
As Christmas arrives and 2020 comes to a close , my fear is that we have bought the lie that our health is the highest good .
We ’ re certainly acting as if it is .
And many of our Christian leaders have , I assume unwittingly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops assures that we have a moral obligation to receive the COVID vaccine .
It ’ s “ part of our moral responsibility for the common good.
” While I don ’ t disagree , that same august group has done away with a moral obligation to attend Mass on Sundays .
Is it not part of our moral responsibility for the common good to hear the Word of God and receive Christ in the sacrament — so we can “ Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck with spiritual disease and eternal death ?
Or have we simply stopped believing that ?
Or , has physical health become the higher good , not to be risked for something as ephemeral ( and trivial ? )
as the faith ?
Physical health is a great blessing , not real treasure .
We will either find that laid up in Heaven or we will not find it at all .
“ For where your treasure is , there will your heart be also ” ( Matthew 6:19-21 ) .
The angel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matthew makes it clear to us : Jesus was born to save His people from their sins .
This is our highest good and — Glory to God !
— the real Christmas miracle .
Accept no substitutes .
Dr. James Tonkowich , a senior contributor to The Stream , is a freelance writer , speaker and commentator on spirituality , religion and public life .
He is the author of The Liberty Threat : The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears , Grapes , and Dates : A Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college ’ s weekly podcast , “ The After Dinner Scholar .
”

Holiday movies are happy-ending feel-good affairs. Christmas is saved. Santa arrives. Gruff people discover the “true meaning of Christmas.” And everyone finds true love. It’s always, as my niece and nephew say with faux wonderment, “a Christmas miracle.”
Christmas is, of course, a miracle. But it’s not quite the miracle most people have in mind.
In his book Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Pope Benedict XVI addresses the declaration the angel made to St. Joseph: “Mary will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The name Jesus means, “The Lord is salvation.” Israel had been looking for salvation for ages: salvation from the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, tyrannical King Herod, the Romans, from poverty, sickness, famine and despair. Forgiveness of sins had to do with the sacrificial system at the Temple in Jerusalem. So they kind of had that covered.
Then the angel came to Joseph. Pope Benedict comments: “The promise of forgiveness of sins seems both too little and too much: too much, because it trespasses on God’s exclusive sphere; too little, because there seems to be no thought of Israel’s concrete suffering or its true need for salvation.”
Jesus and the Paralytic
Benedict goes on to discuss the story of the paralytic whose friends broke through the roof to lower him at the feet of Jesus (Mark 2:1-12). His need seemed obvious: he was a paralytic. “Child,” said Jesus, “your sins are forgiven.”
Once again, it’s too much and too little. Too much, thought some: “It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Too little, thought others: the paralytic was still a paralytic.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Years ago there was an ad for something that proclaimed, “When you’ve got your health, you’ve got just about everything.” An author named Augusten Burroughs added to that, “When you have your health, you have everything. When you do not have your health, nothing else matters at all.”
Most people would agree. But Jesus, who healed many, vehemently disagrees.
Presented with the paralytic, Jesus fulfilled the mission the angel announced to Joseph. He also healed the man, but that was a proof. He did it “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (v. 10). The paralytic’s health and with it his financial and social status were, for Jesus, secondary.
After all, the healed paralytic lost his health and is long dead. Once he could walk, his earning ability and social status improved, but didn’t last.
Jesus Was No Utopian
Yes, health is good. Material prosperity is good. National liberation is good. Education is good. Science and scientific progress are good. But we need to keep in mind that they’re all secondary goods.
G.K. Chesterton quipped, “The weakness of all Utopias is this — that they take the greatest difficulty of man and assume it to be overcome, and then give an elaborate account of the overcoming of smaller ones.”
Jesus was no Utopian. He understood that sin, and with it separation from God, is “the greatest difficulty of man.” We can live with bad health and, in fact, sooner or later most of us will — and then we’ll die. We can live without an abundance of this world’s goods. We can live in dangerous conditions and under oppressive regimes.
Physical health is a great blessing, not real treasure. We will either find that laid up in Heaven or we will not find it at all.
But without the forgiveness of sins, we are, as the late Dr. Paul Toms used to put it, “without God in this world and without hope in the next.” Even if we are healthy, prosperous, safe and free, we have nothing of lasting value.
The Real Christmas Miracle
As Christmas arrives and 2020 comes to a close, my fear is that we have bought the lie that our health is the highest good. We’re certainly acting as if it is. And many of our Christian leaders have, I assume unwittingly, encouraged us in that belief.
The U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops assures that we have a moral obligation to receive the COVID vaccine. It’s “part of our moral responsibility for the common good.”
While I don’t disagree, that same august group has done away with a moral obligation to attend Mass on Sundays. Is it not part of our moral responsibility for the common good to hear the Word of God and receive Christ in the sacrament — so we can “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” without which our neighbors are stuck with spiritual disease and eternal death?
Or have we simply stopped believing that? Or, has physical health become the higher good, not to be risked for something as ephemeral (and trivial?) as the faith?
Physical health is a great blessing, not real treasure. We will either find that laid up in Heaven or we will not find it at all. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
The angel made it clear to Joseph, and Matthew makes it clear to us: Jesus was born to save His people from their sins. This is our highest good and — Glory to God! — the real Christmas miracle. Accept no substitutes.
Dr. James Tonkowich, a senior contributor to The Stream, is a freelance writer, speaker and commentator on spirituality, religion and public life. He is the author of The Liberty Threat: The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears, Grapes, and Dates: A Good Life After Mid-Life. Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college’s weekly podcast, “The After Dinner Scholar.”


thestream--2020-12-24--From Wuhan to Bethlehem

From Wuhan to Bethlehem

6900 miles .
That is how far it is from Wuhan , China to Denver .
6900 miles from the genesis of a global disease .
A genesis that will be the topic of discussion and speculation and accusation and fury for years to come .
The stuff of theories and books and movies .
6900 miles .
That is how far it is from Bethlehem , Israel to Denver .
6900 miles from the genesis of a global movement .
A genesis that has been the topic of discussion and speculation and accusation and fury… and transformation and redemption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a generation .
Unforgettable for a season .
But finite .
Discrete .
Eventually , contained .
The waves of impact washing over global economics and international politics .
For a season .
For now .
Bethlehem .
Jesus .
The living , loving , spotless son of God .
A mark on human existence .
Infinite .
Eternal .
Uncontainable and unconstrainable .
The waves of impact washing through every nuance of life .
No exemption to His love .
No exception .
God , loving the world in Jesus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday .
For eternity .
A virus controlled with distance .
A virus defined by masks .
A virus that isolates .
A Savior defined by proximity .
A Savior who comes near .
A Savior who unites .
6900 miles .
A submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism .
A parasite .
A killer .
Indiscriminate .
Contagious .
6900 miles .
An infant .
Tiny and fragile against the backdrop of history .
A Nazarene .
A Jew .
Working class .
Life giver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A virus that marks a generation .
A King who marks the cosmos .
One confined to mortality .
The other empowered by eternity .
One confronts medicine and economics .
The other assaults the gates of hell .
6900 miles .
From Wuhan to Bethlehem .
From death to life .
“ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy .
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly ” ( John 10:10 , ESV ) .
COVID-19 .
To steal and kill and destroy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only .
Always .
Jesus .
Dan Wolgemuth is President/CEO of Youth For Christ .
Youth For Christ has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944 , when the Rev .
Billy Graham served as YFC ’ s first full-time staff member .
Since then , Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission , and always about the message of Jesus .

6900 miles. That is how far it is from Wuhan, China to Denver. 6900 miles from the genesis of a global disease. A genesis that will be the topic of discussion and speculation and accusation and fury for years to come. The stuff of theories and books and movies.
A virus. Small. Contagious. And swift.
6900 miles. That is how far it is from Bethlehem, Israel to Denver. 6900 miles from the genesis of a global movement. A genesis that has been the topic of discussion and speculation and accusation and fury… and transformation and redemption for millennium.
A birth. Small. Isolated.
COVID-19. A mark on a generation. Unforgettable for a season. But finite. Discrete. Eventually, contained. The waves of impact washing over global economics and international politics. For a season. For now.
Bethlehem. Jesus. The living, loving, spotless son of God. A mark on human existence. Infinite. Eternal. Uncontainable and unconstrainable. The waves of impact washing through every nuance of life. No exemption to His love. No exception. God, loving the world in Jesus. Through Jesus. For now. For yesterday. For eternity.
A virus controlled with distance. A virus defined by masks. A virus that isolates.
A Savior defined by proximity. A Savior who comes near. A Savior who unites.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
6900 miles. A submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. A parasite. A killer. Indiscriminate. Contagious.
6900 miles. An infant. Tiny and fragile against the backdrop of history. A Nazarene. A Jew. Working class. Life giver. Abundance bringer. Transformer. Contagious.
A virus that marks a generation. A King who marks the cosmos.
One confined to mortality. The other empowered by eternity.
One confronts medicine and economics. The other assaults the gates of hell.
6900 miles. From Wuhan to Bethlehem. From death to life.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, ESV).
COVID-19. To steal and kill and destroy.
Jesus. Life giver. Abundance producer.
6900 miles. From death. To life.
A curve flattened for all eternity. Only. Always. Jesus.
Dan Wolgemuth is President/CEO of Youth For Christ. Youth For Christ has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when the Rev. Billy Graham served as YFC’s first full-time staff member. Since then, Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and always about the message of Jesus.


thestream--2020-12-24--The Pandemic Has Led to Historic Surge of Drug Overdoses Over 12-Month Period

The United States recorded over 81,000 drug overdose deaths in a 12-month stretch , the worst year-long total reported in American history .
The U.S. has long been struggling to combat the opioid epidemic , but experts say that the total between May 2019 and May 2020 , published in a CDC report last week , can be at least partially attributed to the coronavirus pandemic .
Specifically , experts attribute the total to the pandemic ’ s disruption of in-person treatment and recovery when it began to spread nationwide in March .
Americans who suffered from drug use were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once they entered quarantine and were kept away from others , upping the risk that an overdose would prove fatal since nobody was available to contact already-burdened emergency services , the CDC report outlines .
Experts also said that already-lethal drugs themselves have become even more dangerous ; since the pandemic caused supply problems for cartels and dealers , they mixed extremely potent drugs like fentanyl into heroin , cocaine and methamphetamine .
“ I don ’ t think there are a bunch of new people who suddenly started using drugs because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the supply of people who are already using drugs is more contaminated , ” Shannon Monnant , a researcher at Syracuse University who focuses on drug overdoses , told the Associated Press .
In addition to worsening the drug crisis in the U.S. , the pandemic has already been the leading factor behind the dramatic spike in deaths this year .
Over 3 million Americans are projected to have lost their lives before 2021 , resulting in more than 400,000 Americans dying this year compared to last and making 2020 the deadliest year @ @ @ @

The United States recorded over 81,000 drug overdose deaths in a 12-month stretch, the worst year-long total reported in American history. The rate of people undergoing brain mapping for addiction for various drugs, have also increased in the last couple of years.
The U.S. has long been struggling to combat the opioid epidemic, but experts say that the total between May 2019 and May 2020, published in a CDC report last week, can be at least partially attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.
Specifically, experts attribute the total to the pandemic’s disruption of in-person treatment and recovery when it began to spread nationwide in March. Americans who suffered from drug use were also increasingly likely to use drugs alone once they entered quarantine and were kept away from others, upping the risk that an overdose would prove fatal since nobody was available to contact already-burdened emergency services, the CDC report outlines.
Experts also said that already-lethal drugs themselves have become even more dangerous; since the pandemic caused supply problems for cartels and dealers, they mixed extremely potent drugs like fentanyl into heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“I don’t think there are a bunch of new people who suddenly started using drugs because of COVID. If anything, I think the supply of people who are already using drugs is more contaminated,” Shannon Monnant, a researcher at Syracuse University who focuses on drug overdoses, told the Associated Press.
In addition to worsening the drug crisis in the U.S., the pandemic has already been the leading factor behind the dramatic spike in deaths this year. Over 3 million Americans are projected to have lost their lives before 2021, resulting in more than 400,000 Americans dying this year compared to last and making 2020 the deadliest year in American history.
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thestream--2020-12-25--The Baby on Death Row

The Baby on Death Row

Separate Calvary from Bethlehem and you rob nativity scenes of their essential glory .
He came , yes .
But He came to die .
God Incarnate ’ s presence among man for any reason should cause shepherds and wise men ( and us ) to kneel .
The benefit of His teaching , miracles , and demonstrated love are also terrific reasons to celebrate His coming .
But let ’ s not air brush the main reason it all happened , the one He remembered with the disturbed emotions recorded in John 12:27 above , soon to evolve into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Luke 22:44 ) Bethlehem was the first stop on death row .
His 33 years of earthly existence were lived under the shadow of impending execution , and He knew it all along .
I say “ all along ” a bit loosely , because it ’ s not certain that the newborn Baby had full awareness of who He was or why He ’ d come .
But as a boy , He grew in wisdom ( Luke 2:52 ) coming into acute self-awareness by the time he was 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that by then Temple leaders were amazed at His doctrinal acumen , and He Himself recognized God as His Father , and His life as having specific purposes .
( Luke 2:42-47 ) So it ’ s a pretty safe bet that , realizing God had business for Him to do , He also realized what the end of that business would be .
Now let ’ s compare ourselves to Jesus .
That ’ s always instructive .
When I know something hard is coming up , I can think of little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignore almost everything unrelated to it , and tend to be obsessed with it until it finally comes and goes .
Now look at Jesus for comparison , and every minute of His life from manger to cross seems amazing .
Because everything He did in His earthly ministry — every kind word , every healing , every sermon — was done with full knowledge of His future indescribable suffering .
He knew He ’ d be humiliated , an experience we dread more than we normally realize or admit .
Think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I ’ ll bet part of what made them so horrible was an element of humiliation .
It ’ s the horror that goes with being bullied , ridiculed , shamed , and naked in front of mockers .
His humiliation would , He knew , be complete , right down to full public nakedness and cruel taunting .
If humiliation is nightmarish for sinful creatures like us , stretch as well as you can to imagine what it would like for omnipotent , eternal , perfect God .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , most of us who ’ ve considered the possibility of dying for the faith will admit that death , while undesirable , isn ’ t the potential martyr ’ s boogieman .
It ’ s torture .
We ’ re unlikely to ever face it , but considering the numbers of believers worldwide who do , who knows ?
So we pray for grace and power completely beyond our own to endure without compromise , should that ultimate cost ever be required of us .
But whatever we might face in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His scenario .
Crucifixion was a masterpiece in sadism , and God only knows what sort of mind conceived it .
Regardless , nails through His muscle , bone , and sinew , driven there after most of His back had been ripped off from scourging , were a certain part of His future , known to Him years before they were faced .
But the worst of it all , I ’ m convinced , was largely unseen .
He became sin who had never known sin ( II Corinthians 5:21 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Holy God .
Yet He would now both carry and be sin .
What it was like for God Himself to actually know sin firsthand is as impossible for us to conceive as the concept of forever .
We can scratch at it a bit ; that ’ s about as good as it ’ s going to get .
He knew it , though , and He lived His life fully in anticipation of it all , the joy of the outcome outweighing the misery .
( Hebrews 12:2 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looming always in front of him , He celebrated marriages , blessed kids , defended sinners , trained apostles , preached , and taught .
Even near the end , those last awful hours when , like condemned men who know the chamber is waiting for them and there ’ s scant time left , He stayed fully committed to the well-being of the people He loved .
Look again at John 14-17 , chapters detailing His words and attitude towards the disciples , and remember He knew what was about to happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own knowing the cross was coming .
That ’ s why Gloria needs to be sung with the entire Gospel story , not just the Christmas segment , in mind .
That ’ s what makes Bethlehem glow brighter .
That ’ s when the Ahhh of cooing over the Baby becomes the Awe of worshipping the Infant Sacrificial Lamb in a wonder the angels must have shared when they , too , came to adore Him .
This core of the Good News has to be taken into account if we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in doing so , we can accept that not everything about Christmas is pretty .
Some of it ’ s lovely , some of it mysterious , some of it gritty and even bleak .
But all of it , without exception or qualification , is glorious .
Joe Dallas is the Program Director of Genesis Biblical Counseling and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors .
His daily blog is Joe Dallas Online .
He is the author of Desires in Conflict , The Game Plan , and When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Five Steps to Breaking Free from Porn .
Follow him on Twitter at @ JoeDallasTGP and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. (John 12:27)
Separate Calvary from Bethlehem and you rob nativity scenes of their essential glory. He came, yes. But He came to die.
God Incarnate’s presence among man for any reason should cause shepherds and wise men (and us) to kneel. The benefit of His teaching, miracles, and demonstrated love are also terrific reasons to celebrate His coming. But let’s not air brush the main reason it all happened, the one He remembered with the disturbed emotions recorded in John 12:27 above, soon to evolve into a psychological agony producing bloody sweat drops. (Luke 22:44)
Bethlehem was the first stop on death row. His 33 years of earthly existence were lived under the shadow of impending execution, and He knew it all along.
I say “all along” a bit loosely, because it’s not certain that the newborn Baby had full awareness of who He was or why He’d come. But as a boy, He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52) coming into acute self-awareness by the time he was 12. So acute, in fact, that by then Temple leaders were amazed at His doctrinal acumen, and He Himself recognized God as His Father, and His life as having specific purposes. (Luke 2:42-47)
So it’s a pretty safe bet that, realizing God had business for Him to do, He also realized what the end of that business would be.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Now let’s compare ourselves to Jesus. That’s always instructive. When I know something hard is coming up, I can think of little else. I dread the difficulty, ignore almost everything unrelated to it, and tend to be obsessed with it until it finally comes and goes.
Now look at Jesus for comparison, and every minute of His life from manger to cross seems amazing. Because everything He did in His earthly ministry — every kind word, every healing, every sermon — was done with full knowledge of His future indescribable suffering.
Humbled
He knew He’d be humiliated, an experience we dread more than we normally realize or admit. Think about your worst life experiences, in fact, and I’ll bet part of what made them so horrible was an element of humiliation. It’s the horror that goes with being bullied, ridiculed, shamed, and naked in front of mockers. His humiliation would, He knew, be complete, right down to full public nakedness and cruel taunting.
If humiliation is nightmarish for sinful creatures like us, stretch as well as you can to imagine what it would like for omnipotent, eternal, perfect God.
Tortured
He also knew He’d be tortured. Now, most of us who’ve considered the possibility of dying for the faith will admit that death, while undesirable, isn’t the potential martyr’s boogieman. It’s torture. We’re unlikely to ever face it, but considering the numbers of believers worldwide who do, who knows? So we pray for grace and power completely beyond our own to endure without compromise, should that ultimate cost ever be required of us. But whatever we might face in the worst-case scenario is unlikely to approach His scenario.
Crucifixion was a masterpiece in sadism, and God only knows what sort of mind conceived it. Regardless, nails through His muscle, bone, and sinew, driven there after most of His back had been ripped off from scourging, were a certain part of His future, known to Him years before they were faced.
Separated
But the worst of it all, I’m convinced, was largely unseen. He became sin who had never known sin (II Corinthians 5:21), tasting what He could not tolerate as a Holy God. Yet He would now both carry and be sin. What it was like for God Himself to actually know sin firsthand is as impossible for us to conceive as the concept of forever. We can scratch at it a bit; that’s about as good as it’s going to get.
He knew it, though, and He lived His life fully in anticipation of it all, the joy of the outcome outweighing the misery. (Hebrews 12:2) So with awareness of a horrendous ordeal looming always in front of him, He celebrated marriages, blessed kids, defended sinners, trained apostles, preached, and taught.
Even near the end, those last awful hours when, like condemned men who know the chamber is waiting for them and there’s scant time left, He stayed fully committed to the well-being of the people He loved. Look again at John 14-17, chapters detailing His words and attitude towards the disciples, and remember He knew what was about to happen. He passionately encouraged and comforted His own knowing the cross was coming.
Glorified
That’s why Gloria needs to be sung with the entire Gospel story, not just the Christmas segment, in mind. That’s what makes Bethlehem glow brighter. That’s when the Ahhh of cooing over the Baby becomes the Awe of worshipping the Infant Sacrificial Lamb in a wonder the angels must have shared when they, too, came to adore Him.
This core of the Good News has to be taken into account if we’re to celebrate the season rightly. And in doing so, we can accept that not everything about Christmas is pretty. Some of it’s lovely, some of it mysterious, some of it gritty and even bleak.
But all of it, without exception or qualification, is glorious.
Joe Dallas is the Program Director of Genesis Biblical Counseling and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. His daily blog is Joe Dallas Online. He is the author of Desires in Conflict, The Game Plan, and When Homosexuality Hits Home. His latest book is Five Steps to Breaking Free from Porn. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeDallasTGP and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-12-25--Military Photo of the Day: Christmas Ration Ruck March

A U.S. Army officer explains the route for the Christmas Ration Ruck March to deployed airmen , soldiers , sailors @ @ @ @ @ Air Base in Qatar .
The charitable event partnered with the USO to donate toiletries @ @ @ @ @ and food items back to the United States .
Merry Christmas !
From the bottom @ @ @ @ @ you to all deployed members of the U.S. military for your dedicated service to our @ @ @ @ @ for you , as well as your families here at home .
May God bless @ @ @ @

A U.S. Army officer explains the route for the Christmas Ration Ruck March to deployed airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The charitable event partnered with the USO to donate toiletries, children’s books and food items back to the United States.
Merry Christmas! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all deployed members of the U.S. military for your dedicated service to our nation. We are praying for you, as well as your families here at home. May God bless and protect you.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-12-25--Christmas: How the Blind Are Given Sight

How the Blind Are Given Sight “ O holy night , the stars are brightly shining , It is the night of the dear Saviour ’ s birth ; Long lay the world in sin and error pining , ‘ Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth .
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices , For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn… ” He ’ s the Reason for the season , Why we sing “ O , Holy Night ” , Why the wise man still will seek Him .
How the blind are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral “ letdown ” , Like a lapse of memory .
Sin is not just faulty judgment Or a snare we didn ’ t see .
Sin is not an awkward stumble , Sin , sir , isn ’ t that at all… Sin is why The Reaper ’ s stalking , And why writing ’ s on the wall .
Sin ’ s the reason why we envy , Sin is why we go to war .
Sin ’ s the deadly spirit cancer , Every break-up ’ s common core .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Did It My Way ” That we frankly love to croon… Sin ’ s the Wiccan Rede on steroids , Rebels howling at the moon .
Sin ’ s why guilt and shame may stalk us , The disease of every soul .
Sin ’ s Pandora ’ s Box wide open , Sin ’ s the tight fist clutching gold .
Sin ’ s the way of death approaching , Sin is what was driving Cain .
Sin ’ s indiff ’ rence to The Holy… Sin ’ s the Truth held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ darkness that we ’ d rather , Sin ’ s the “ safe place ” where we hide .
Sin ’ s the fear of full-length mirrors… Sin is willful suicide .
Sin ’ s the Mother Lode of Hubris As the Light begins to fade… Sin ’ s the Seed of Self-Deception , Human Pride , sir , on parade .
Sin is mankind ’ s Grave Condition… Whitewashed tombs set on display .
Sin ’ s why Jesus went to Calv ’ ry .
Grace Amazing ’ s narrow Way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and poet .
He is the author of Wilderness to Water and No Border Land .
He writes at his site , called Without Excuse Creations .

How the Blind Are Given Sight
“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn…”
* * *
He’s the Reason for the season,
Why we sing “O, Holy Night”,
Why the wise man still will seek Him.
How the blind are given sight.
* * *
Sin is not a moral “letdown”,
Like a lapse of memory.
Sin is not just faulty judgment
Or a snare we didn’t see.
Sin is not an awkward stumble,
Sin, sir, isn’t that at all…
Sin is why The Reaper’s stalking,
And why writing’s on the wall.
Sin’s the reason why we envy,
Sin is why we go to war.
Sin’s the deadly spirit cancer,
Every break-up’s common core.
Sin’s the song “I Did It My Way”
That we frankly love to croon…
Sin’s the Wiccan Rede on steroids,
Rebels howling at the moon.
Sin’s why guilt and shame may stalk us,
The disease of every soul.
Sin’s Pandora’s Box wide open,
Sin’s the tight fist clutching gold.
Sin’s the way of death approaching,
Sin is what was driving Cain.
Sin’s indiff’rence to The Holy…
Sin’s the Truth held in disdain.
Sin’s the darkness that we’d rather,
Sin’s the “safe place” where we hide.
Sin’s the fear of full-length mirrors…
Sin is willful suicide.
Sin’s the Mother Lode of Hubris
As the Light begins to fade…
Sin’s the Seed of Self-Deception,
Human Pride, sir, on parade.
* * *
Sin is mankind’s Grave Condition…
Whitewashed tombs set on display.
Sin’s why Jesus went to Calv’ry.
Grace Amazing’s narrow Way.
Tom Graffagnino is a painter, photographer, and poet. He is the author of Wilderness to Water and No Border Land. He writes at his site, called Without Excuse Creations.


thestream--2020-12-26--We Lost Dad 42 Years Ago This Christmas, But Death Doesn’t Get the Last Laugh

Or so I came to believe .
Christmas 1978 was spent in a waiting room at Malcolm Grow USAF Medical Hospital on what is now called Joint Base Andrews .
Through the double doors , a few rooms down , my father was taking his final breaths .
I did not see him .
Mom was apparently trying to “ protect ” me from seeing to what extent cancer had savaged my once-strong and striking hero .
My last memory is of bones , wisps of hair and pictures I ’ d seen of Holocaust victims .
How many days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know .
I don ’ t even remember going home that Christmas night .
Just the waiting room and the approaching gloom .
My sister Dodie awakened me early the next morning .
Tears streaming down her cheeks , she gently told me that our father had passed away a few hours earlier .
His suffering was over .
“ He wasn ’ t in pain.
” That , to her , was key .
The suffering was over .
And he wasn ’ t in pain .
I remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the radio .
Out blasted Billy Joel ’ s “ Only the Good Die Young.
” ( A cruel taunt of the Enemy .
Singing in my ear that I , too , would die young — leaving those who loved me shattered . )
Death and More Death … But Life I ’ ve written before of the darkness and devastation that consumed me after Dad ’ s death .
The family that helped sustain me .
The faith that came to claim me .
The tie between Christmas and death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doesn ’ t everyone write a Christmas musical featuring the Massacre of the Innocents ? )
Yet , on this 42nd anniversary of Dad ’ s death… .
And the 41st anniversary of my grandmother ’ s Christmas death… .
And remembering the deaths of other friends , like the husband of a high school friend who died of cancer at age 55 … .
I am feeling less sorrow and more in the mood to spit in Death ’ s eye .
Oh , Death , how much have I let you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your effects cost me dearly in love .
Unresolved grief cost me incalculably in happiness .
Fatalism wrecked ambition .
Frivolity as an escape from feelings dictated my creativity .
“ Yes , your stories are enjoyable , ” the college professor said , “ But I know you are capable of much deeper.
” I remember thinking that the last time I went “ deep , ” Dodie read it and was a heaving , sobbing mess .
That scared the living daylights out of me .
I vowed to never let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A copy of the story turned up in her cedar chest after her death .
She had somehow gotten hold of a copy and read it .
And , how about that , the sky did not cave in .
The shadow of death is dark .
But it is just a shadow .
In recounting Herod ’ s massacre of the innocents , Matthew cites Jeremiah 31:15 .
That ’ s “ Rachel weeping for her children , for they are no more.
” Yet even in this horror there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The prophet goes on to give a spurning kick to death and a rallying cry to those who grieve : Bethlehem knew weeping .
But it also knew a savior had been born .
A savior who would go on to conquer the grave .
O , death where is thy sting now ?
Yeah .
It ’ s the day after Christmas , but it ’ s a good day to remember that on Easter , death got punked .
On this anniversary of Dad ’ s death , after so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional wilderness , I find myself drawn to Psalm 40 .
Dad was always singing .
( In fact , he was one of the original “ Singing Sergeants ” in the Army , then Air Force . )
It ’ s a trait I picked up .
But what song should I going around singing ?
The old song put in my mind by the enemy ?
Or the new song put in my mouth by God ?
I know which one Al Sr. would enjoy .
Sorry , Billy Joel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better tune … and you can dance to it .

Christmas means death.
Or so I came to believe. Christmas 1978 was spent in a waiting room at Malcolm Grow USAF Medical Hospital on what is now called Joint Base Andrews. Through the double doors, a few rooms down, my father was taking his final breaths.
I did not see him. Mom was apparently trying to “protect” me from seeing to what extent cancer had savaged my once-strong and striking hero. My last memory is of bones, wisps of hair and pictures I’d seen of Holocaust victims. How many days before Christmas that had been … I don’t know. I don’t even remember going home that Christmas night. Just the waiting room and the approaching gloom.
My sister Dodie awakened me early the next morning. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she gently told me that our father had passed away a few hours earlier. His suffering was over. “He wasn’t in pain.” That, to her, was key. The suffering was over. And he wasn’t in pain.
I remember getting up and out of habit flipping on the radio. Out blasted Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young.” (A cruel taunt of the Enemy. Singing in my ear that I, too, would die young — leaving those who loved me shattered.)
Death and More Death … But Life
I’ve written before of the darkness and devastation that consumed me after Dad’s death. The family that helped sustain me. The faith that came to claim me. The tie between Christmas and death which has never left me. (Doesn’t everyone write a Christmas musical featuring the Massacre of the Innocents?)
Yet, on this 42nd anniversary of Dad’s death…. And the 41st anniversary of my grandmother’s Christmas death…. And remembering the deaths of other friends, like the husband of a high school friend who died of cancer at age 55 …. I am feeling less sorrow and more in the mood to spit in Death’s eye.
Oh, Death, how much have I let you steal over the years. Fear of your effects cost me dearly in love. Unresolved grief cost me incalculably in happiness. Fatalism wrecked ambition. Frivolity as an escape from feelings dictated my creativity.
The Shadow
“Yes, your stories are enjoyable,” the college professor said, “But I know you are capable of much deeper.” I remember thinking that the last time I went “deep,” Dodie read it and was a heaving, sobbing mess. That scared the living daylights out of me. I vowed to never let mom see that story.
Funny thing. A copy of the story turned up in her cedar chest after her death. She had somehow gotten hold of a copy and read it. And, how about that, the sky did not cave in. The shadow of death is dark. But it is just a shadow.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In recounting Herod’s massacre of the innocents, Matthew cites Jeremiah 31:15. That’s “Rachel weeping for her children, for they are no more.” Yet even in this horror there is hope. See what Jeremiah says next. The prophet goes on to give a spurning kick to death and a rallying cry to those who grieve:
This is what the Lord says, “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work shall be rewarded, declares the Lord.”
Bethlehem knew weeping. But it also knew a savior had been born. A savior who would go on to conquer the grave.
O, death where is thy sting now?
Yeah. It’s the day after Christmas, but it’s a good day to remember that on Easter, death got punked.
A New Song
On this anniversary of Dad’s death, after so many years spent too often in the emotional wilderness, I find myself drawn to Psalm 40.
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
Dad was always singing. (In fact, he was one of the original “Singing Sergeants” in the Army, then Air Force.) It’s a trait I picked up. But what song should I going around singing? The old song put in my mind by the enemy? Or the new song put in my mouth by God? I know which one Al Sr. would enjoy.
Sorry, Billy Joel, but this new song has a much better tune … and you can dance to it.
“We lost dad” first appeared on December 26, 2018.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl on Twitter and Parler.


thestream--2020-12-25--What a New Yorker Writer Knew About Christmas That We Often Forget

She wasn ’ t all that funny , though she got off some very good lines .
The historian Will Durant said he dashed off his first novel “ by a way of a holiday.
” Dorothy Parker replied , “ Dr .
Will Durant should stick to business.
” She seemed to have guessed that he was either playing a cheap trick to avoid criticism or bragging at how easily he wrote a novel .
She nailed him for it .
Parker did that well .
Snark , sarcasm , cuts , putdowns , she was a master .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the twenties , and maybe more famous for being a personality than for being a writer .
As a writer , she made her name as a reviewer and short story writer for The New Yorker .
She made fun of people who were easy to make fun of .
She often did that by making them even shallower than they were in real life .
Her personal life was a mess .
I ’ m not a fan .
Sarcasm gets boring .
Other people think more of her writing than I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and certainly there was more to her as a person than appeared in her writing , at least in the writing she ’ s best known for .
She had more heart than her most well-read writing suggests .
And it came out in three beautiful Nativity poems .
She had a sense of the pain in the story .
She knew , as we sometimes forget , in the joy of celebrating Christmas , that Bethlehem led to Calvary .
The Creche led to the Cross .
She knew that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a sword will pierce your soul.
” That ’ s part of the Christmas story , though not a part most of us think about much .
Jesus ’ s incarnation and birth changed the world , but it didn ’ t change the world without great suffering — not only Jesus ’ s , but those who loved Him .
And those who love Him now , all who obey when He says , “ Take up your cross and follow me.
” As Pope Benedict XVI writes in his Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign of contradiction , “ challenging us to make a choice.
” He makes us choose between loving and serving the Lord and serving our own “ freedom ” ( as we foolishly think it ) , our lies , and our pride .
God is love , he says .
“ But love can also be hated when it challenges us to transcend ourselves .
It is not r0mantic ‘ good feeling.
’ Redemption is not ‘ wellness , ’ it is not about basking in self-indulgence ; on the contrary it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This liberation comes at a price : the anguish of the Cross .
The prophecy of light and that of the Cross belong together.
” That seems a bit of a downer on Christmas .
And it would be , except that it gives us more reason to rejoice at the Child in the Creche .
The Creche points to the Cross — which points to the Empty Tomb .
And that points to the new heaven and earth , in which the risen Jesus “ will wipe away every tear from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no more , neither shall there be mourning , nor crying , nor pain anymore , for the former things have passed away.
” She Didn ’ t Know This Parker doesn ’ t seem to have known this , or at least never wrote about it .
Or maybe she just didn ’ t take it seriously .
She doesn ’ t seem to known the promises the angel Gabriel made to Mary and her own declaration of praise and liberation in the prayer we call the Magnificat .
She seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we celebrate , but not seen that the Resurrection reverses that irony .
Which is sad .
Believing in the Resurrection would have changed Dorothy Parker ’ s life .
( And deepened her writing . )
But what she saw is something for us to remember , and reflect upon .
Here ’ s one of her three poems about the birth of Jesus , and I think the best .
The other two are The Gentlest Lady and Prayer for a New Mother .
The Maid-Servant at the Inn “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; “ I see the light As plain as I beheld it then , All silver-like and calm and bright — We ’ ve not had stars like that again !
“ And she was such a gentle thing To birth a baby in the cold .
The barn was dark and frightening — This new one ’ s better than the old .
I mind my eyes were full of tears , For I was young , and quick distressed , But she was less than me in years That held a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never saw a sweeter child — The little one , the darling one !
— I mind I told her , when he smiled You ’ d know he was his mother ’ s son .
It ’ s queer that I should see them so — The time they came to Bethlehem Was more than thirty years ago ; I ’ ve prayed that all is well with them.
” David Mills is a senior editor ofThe Stream .
After teaching writing in a seminary , he has been editor of Touchstone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes the monthly “ Last Things ” column for the New Oxford Review .

She wasn’t all that funny, though she got off some very good lines. The historian Will Durant said he dashed off his first novel “by way of a holiday.” Dorothy Parker replied, “Dr. Will Durant should stick to business.”
She seemed to have guessed that he was either playing a cheap trick to avoid criticism or bragging at how easily he wrote a novel. She nailed him for it.
Parker did that well. Snark, sarcasm, cuts, putdowns, she was a master. She was a writer most famous in the twenties, and maybe more famous for being a personality than for being a writer. As a writer, she made her name as a reviewer and short story writer for The New Yorker. She made fun of people who were easy to make fun of. She often did that by making them even shallower than they were in real life. Her personal life was a mess.
I’m not a fan. Sarcasm gets boring. Other people think more of her writing than I do, and they could be right. Certainly there was more to her as a person than appeared in her writing, at least in the writing she’s best known for. She had more heart than her most read writing suggests. It came out in three beautiful Nativity poems.
A Sense of Pain
She had a sense of the pain in the story. She knew, as we sometimes forget, in the joy of celebrating Christmas, that Bethlehem led to Calvary. The Creche led to the Cross. She knew that, as the Prophet Simeon told Mary, “a sword will pierce your soul.”
That’s part of the Christmas story, though not a part most of us think about much. Jesus’s incarnation and birth changed the world, but it didn’t change the world without great suffering — not only Jesus’s, but those who loved Him. And those who love Him now, all who obey when He says, “Take up your cross and follow me.”
As Pope Benedict XVI writes in his Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus came as a sign of contradiction, “challenging us to make a choice.” He makes us choose between loving and serving the Lord and serving our own “freedom” (as we foolishly think it), our lies, and our pride.
God is love, he says. “But love can also be hated when it challenges us to transcend ourselves. It is not romantic ‘good feeling.’ Redemption is not ‘wellness,’ it is not about basking in self-indulgence; on the contrary it is a liberation from imprisonment in self-absorption. This liberation comes at a price: the anguish of the Cross. The prophecy of light and that of the Cross belong together.”
That seems a bit of a downer on Christmas. And it would be, except that it gives us more reason to rejoice at the Child in the Creche. The Creche points to the Cross — which points to the Empty Tomb. And that points to the new heaven and earth, in which the risen Jesus “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
She Didn’t Know This
Parker doesn’t seem to have known this, or at least never wrote about it. Or maybe she just didn’t take it seriously. She doesn’t seem to known the promises the angel Gabriel made to Mary and her own declaration of praise and liberation in the prayer we call the Magnificat. She seems to have seen the irony of the birth we celebrate, but not seen that the Resurrection reverses that irony.
Which is sad. Believing in the Resurrection would have changed Dorothy Parker’s life. (And deepened her writing.) But what she saw is something for us to remember, and reflect upon.
Here’s one of her three poems about the birth of Jesus, and I think the best. The other two are The Gentlest Lady and Prayer for a New Mother.
The Maid-Servant at the Inn
“It’s queer,” she said; “I see the light
As plain as I beheld it then,
All silver-like and calm and bright —
We’ve not had stars like that again!
“And she was such a gentle thing
To birth a baby in the cold.
The barn was dark and frightening —
This new one’s better than the old.
I mind my eyes were full of tears,
For I was young, and quick distressed,
But she was less than me in years
That held a son against her breast.
“I never saw a sweeter child —
The little one, the darling one! —
I mind I told her, when he smiled
You’d know he was his mother’s son.
It’s queer that I should see them so —
The time they came to Bethlehem
Was more than thirty years ago;
I’ve prayed that all is well with them.”
David Mills is a senior editor ofThe Stream. After teaching writing in a seminary, he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things. He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes the monthly “Last Things” column for the New Oxford Review.


thestream--2020-12-25--The Hope of the World

The Hope of the World

“ It was the good news that gave the world hope.
” If I told you this was the opening line of an article on CNN.com , you ’ d probably celebrate .
Especially this time of year .
You ’ d assume CNN was pointing their readers to the hope found in the message of Christmas .
The gospel .
This is the opening line to an article on CNN.com , but the good news has nothing to do with Christmas or the gospel .
It ’ s about a COVID-19 vaccine .
This is good news , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its hope ?
I ’ d say no , and here ’ s why .
COVID-19 is a serious thing .
Many people have been affected by the virus , and that shouldn ’ t be trivialized .
But this is all part of living in a broken world .
Even before COVID-19 , disease and death were a reality for you and me .
Don ’ t misunderstand me — a vaccine is wonderful news .
For many , it means avoiding death .
For now .
This is why the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine .
While it ’ s good news , it ’ s temporary .
While it will help people in the immediate future avoid dying of the COVID-19 virus , it doesn ’ t help people avoid the consequences of a more serious virus .
Sin .
Sin affects all of us .
Paul says that “ death spread to all men , because all sinned.
” C. S. Lewis made this point when writing about the reality of living in the era of nuclear weapons : Where the Good News is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s not found in news of a vaccine .
It ’ s much simpler than that .
It ’ s found in the Christmas message .
The birth of Christ is the timeless event that invites us to believe that the cries of a broken world have actually been heard — a Savior was born , the vault of heaven has truly been opened .
You ’ ve heard the famous words , “ Mild He lays His glory by , born that man no more may die , born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ born to give them second birth .
Hark !
The herald angels sing , ‘ Glory to the newborn King !
’ ” This Christmas I ’ ll be singing these words with a better understanding of their true meaning , and I ’ ll be finding hope in the only True King , Christ the Savior .
In 2013 Jonathan earned a master ’ s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University , graduating with honors .
Jon also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discipleship .

“It was the good news that gave the world hope.”
If I told you this was the opening line of an article on CNN.com, you’d probably celebrate. Especially this time of year. You’d assume CNN was pointing their readers to the hope found in the message of Christmas. The gospel.
This is the opening line to an article on CNN.com, but the good news has nothing to do with Christmas or the gospel. It’s about a COVID-19 vaccine. This is good news, but is it where the world should place its hope? I’d say no, and here’s why.
Disease and Death a Reality
COVID-19 is a serious thing. Many people have been affected by the virus, and that shouldn’t be trivialized. But this is all part of living in a broken world. Even before COVID-19, disease and death were a reality for you and me.
Don’t misunderstand me — a vaccine is wonderful news. For many, it means avoiding death. For now. This is why the world shouldn’t place its hope in a vaccine. While it’s good news, it’s temporary. While it will help people in the immediate future avoid dying of the COVID-19 virus, it doesn’t help people avoid the consequences of a more serious virus. Sin. Sin affects all of us. Paul says that “death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
C. S. Lewis made this point when writing about the reality of living in the era of nuclear weapons:
It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
Where the Good News is Found
The world needs good news, but it’s not found in news of a vaccine. It’s much simpler than that. It’s found in the Christmas message. The birth of Christ is the timeless event that invites us to believe that the cries of a broken world have actually been heard — a Savior was born, the vault of heaven has truly been opened.
You’ve heard the famous words, “Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!’” This Christmas I’ll be singing these words with a better understanding of their true meaning, and I’ll be finding hope in the only True King, Christ the Savior.
In 2013 Jonathan earned a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, graduating with honors. Jon also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon Hill Classical Academy, where he teaches discipleship.
Originally published at StandToReason.org. Republished with permission.


thestream--2020-12-25--Nashville Christmas Morning Blast an ‘Intentional Act’

A recreational vehicle exploded Christmas morning in downtown Nashville .
The blast occurred at around 6:30 a.m. local time on Friday , according to WTVF-TV Metropolitan Nashville Police and Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee say it was an “ intentional act.
” The massive blast left debris in the streets for blocks around 2nd Avenue and Commerce Street , an area popular with tourists .
Several buildings are damaged .
Three people were injured .
, according to WTVF , but thankfully , even miraculously , none are being called life threatening .
Before the blast , the vehicle in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ All buildings in this area must be evacuated now .
If you can hear this message , evacuate now.
” Police were able to get nearby residents out of harms way .
In this video , you can hear the broadcast and witnesses the blinding blast .
The Metro Nashville PD tweeted out an image of the RV and is asking the public ’ s help in providing more information .
Gov .
Lee says local , state and federal authorities , including ATF and FBI , are on the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been closed off to traffic and pedestrians as the investigation continues .
Please join The Stream in praying for the citizens and first responders of Nashville , a quick recovery for those injured , and that the culprits will swiftly be brought to justice .
This story will be updated .
The Stream ’ s Tom Sileo contributed to this story .

Terror struck Music City Christmas morning.
A recreational vehicle exploded Christmas morning in downtown Nashville. The blast occurred at around 6:30 a.m. local time on Friday, according to WTVF-TV Metropolitan Nashville Police and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee say it was an “intentional act.”
The massive blast left debris in the streets for blocks around 2nd Avenue and Commerce Street, an area popular with tourists. Several buildings are damaged. Three people were injured. , according to WTVF, but thankfully, even miraculously, none are being called life threatening.
Before the blast, the vehicle in question broadcast a warning via loudspeakers: “All buildings in this area must be evacuated now. If you can hear this message, evacuate now.” Police were able to get nearby residents out of harms way.
In this video, you can hear the broadcast and witnesses the blinding blast.
These are pictures from 2nd Avenue south. Windows were broken out from explosion area to Broadway. Please AVOID this area! Media staging is at 2nd Avenue south and KVB. pic.twitter.com/tocdpHWFgj — Nashville Fire Dept (@NashvilleFD) December 25, 2020
Here's a look at Second Avenue from Sky5 after police say a vehicle exploded early Friday morning. https://t.co/f1i4QWgjIr pic.twitter.com/kL1bEkrF6C — NewsChannel 5 (@NC5) December 25, 2020
The Metro Nashville PD tweeted out an image of the RV and is asking the public’s help in providing more information.
BREAKING: This is the RV that exploded on 2nd Ave N this morning. It arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m. Have you seen this vehicle in our area or do you have information about it? Please contact us via Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or online via https://t.co/dVGS7o0m4v. @ATFHQ pic.twitter.com/JNx9sDinAH — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 25, 2020
Gov. Lee says local, state and federal authorities, including ATF and FBI, are on the scene. A large area of downtown Nashville has been closed off to traffic and pedestrians as the investigation continues.
Please join The Stream in praying for the citizens and first responders of Nashville, a quick recovery for those injured, and that the culprits will swiftly be brought to justice.
This story will be updated. The Stream’s Tom Sileo contributed to this story.


thestream--2020-12-26--A Baby vs. the World

A Baby vs. the World

A Christmas message came to my mind a few years ago as I stood shivering in the autumn chill at the grave side of Father Jerzy Popieluszko .
Jerzy was a young pastor who once delivered the dynamic messages that stirred the Polish people to overthrow their Communist oppressors .
His theme was always the same : The Christian is called to defend the truth and overcome evil with good .
Father Jerzy was a young man , pale and gaunt , and his sermons were neither fiery nor eloquent .
Yet his monthly masses , dedicated to the victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of Polish people .
He never preached revenge or revolution .
He preached the power of good to overcome evil .
It was a passion that dominated his own life , as well .
In 1980 , martial law was declared in Poland .
Tanks and troops clogged the streets until the entire country was one vast prison .
Jerzy hated the occupation as much as his countrymen , but he fought it using God ’ s weapons of overcoming evil with good .
On Christmas Eve , Jerzy slogged through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despised soldiers in the streets .
And even in his death , Jerzy was victorious .
In 1984 , he was kidnapped by the secret police .
The nation was electrified .
In churches and indeed in factories across Poland , people gathered to pray .
Steelworkers demanded his release , threatening a national strike .
Fifty thousand people gathered to hear a tape of his final sermon .
Then the blow fell : Jerzy ’ s body had been found floating in the Vistula River .
He ’ d been brutally tortured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his bones smashed .
Yet the gentle pastor had taught his people well .
After his funeral , hundreds of thousands of Polish people marched through the streets of Warsaw right past the secret police headquarters carrying banners that read , “ We forgive.
” They were assaulting evil with good .
And under the impact , the Communist regime soon crumbled .
In 1993 , I traveled to Poland for the chartering of Prison Fellowship Poland , a ceremony held outside the very church where Jerzy had preached .
His grave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I laid a wreath of flowers on the grave , I looked up at the balcony where the martyred pastor once preached his most powerful message : “ Overcome evil with good.
” Suddenly , I felt a stab of conviction as though the Holy Spirit were saying to me , “ Pick up the baton .
Make that your message , too.
” In that instant it was clear to me that the message Jerzy preached has always been God ’ s strategy for overcoming evil .
The supreme example is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the event when God Himself entered human history to overcome the evil of the world .
America is not in the grip of a Communist regime as Poland was , yet Christians are battling a hostile secular culture .
And we often wonder how we can fight more effectively .
The answer is that God ’ s people are to fight evil using God ’ s strategy and God ’ s weapons .
When God wanted to defeat sin , His ultimate weapon was the sacrifice of His own Son .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the birth of a tiny baby in an obscure village in the Middle East was God ’ s supreme triumph of good over evil .
Evangelical Christianity lost one of its most eloquent and influential voices on April 21 , 2012 , with the death of Charles W. “ Chuck ” Colson .
Colson was the founder of Prison Fellowship and Colson Center for Christian Worldview .
Originally published on Breakpoint.org : BreakPoint Commentaries .
Republished with permission of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview .

A Christmas message came to my mind a few years ago as I stood shivering in the autumn chill at the grave side of Father Jerzy Popieluszko. Jerzy was a young pastor who once delivered the dynamic messages that stirred the Polish people to overthrow their Communist oppressors.
His theme was always the same: The Christian is called to defend the truth and overcome evil with good.
Father Jerzy was a young man, pale and gaunt, and his sermons were neither fiery nor eloquent. Yet his monthly masses, dedicated to the victims of Communist persecution, attracted tens of thousands of Polish people. He never preached revenge or revolution. He preached the power of good to overcome evil.
It was a passion that dominated his own life, as well. In 1980, martial law was declared in Poland. Tanks and troops clogged the streets until the entire country was one vast prison. Jerzy hated the occupation as much as his countrymen, but he fought it using God’s weapons of overcoming evil with good. On Christmas Eve, Jerzy slogged through the snow handing out Christmas cookies to the despised soldiers in the streets.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And even in his death, Jerzy was victorious. In 1984, he was kidnapped by the secret police. The nation was electrified. In churches and indeed in factories across Poland, people gathered to pray. Steelworkers demanded his release, threatening a national strike. Fifty thousand people gathered to hear a tape of his final sermon.
Then the blow fell: Jerzy’s body had been found floating in the Vistula River. He’d been brutally tortured, his eyes and tongue cut out, his bones smashed. Yet the gentle pastor had taught his people well. After his funeral, hundreds of thousands of Polish people marched through the streets of Warsaw right past the secret police headquarters carrying banners that read, “We forgive.”
They were assaulting evil with good. And under the impact, the Communist regime soon crumbled.
In 1993, I traveled to Poland for the chartering of Prison Fellowship Poland, a ceremony held outside the very church where Jerzy had preached. His grave is in the courtyard, and as I laid a wreath of flowers on the grave, I looked up at the balcony where the martyred pastor once preached his most powerful message: “Overcome evil with good.”
The birth of a tiny baby in an obscure village in the Middle East was God’s supreme triumph of good over evil.
Suddenly, I felt a stab of conviction as though the Holy Spirit were saying to me, “Pick up the baton. Make that your message, too.” In that instant it was clear to me that the message Jerzy preached has always been God’s strategy for overcoming evil. The supreme example is the Incarnation itself, which we celebrate today — the event when God Himself entered human history to overcome the evil of the world.
America is not in the grip of a Communist regime as Poland was, yet Christians are battling a hostile secular culture. And we often wonder how we can fight more effectively. The answer is that God’s people are to fight evil using God’s strategy and God’s weapons.
When God wanted to defeat sin, His ultimate weapon was the sacrifice of His own Son. On Christmas Day two thousand years ago, the birth of a tiny baby in an obscure village in the Middle East was God’s supreme triumph of good over evil.
This commentary originally aired December 24, 1997.
Evangelical Christianity lost one of its most eloquent and influential voices on April 21, 2012, with the death of Charles W. “Chuck” Colson. Colson was the founder of Prison Fellowship and Colson Center for Christian Worldview.
Originally published on Breakpoint.org: BreakPoint Commentaries. Republished with permission of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.


thestream--2020-12-26--A Brighter Way to Live When Life Seems Hopeless

This has been a year of loss : lost freedoms , lost normalcy , lost expectations — lost loved ones .
Such hard times are not new .
And yet each time life gets hard , we face the same temptation — to fall into hopelessness .
And we often do .
I know this to be true .
Not as well as some , but better than some others .
I ’ ve gone through seasons in which all the important things in life seemed to be going wrong — my marriage , my sense of purpose and direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seasons aren ’ t simply seasons of feeling down .
They ’ re marked by the oppressive weight of believing there is no reason to hope because there ’ s no way things could get better .
We Know the Answer We have the answer , the cure .
Why don ’ t we take advantage of it ?
Because it can be more comfortable to sit in our hopelessness .
We don ’ t want to risk hoping because we don ’ t want to be disappointed .
And we enjoy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even rage — because they give us something to cling to .
There ’ s no complicated reason for this .
It ’ s a lack of faith .
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “ faith is the assurance of things hoped for , the conviction of things not seen.
” And therein lies the difficulty .
When we experience tough seasons , the pain is tangible .
We see the loss — often because there are certain things we suddenly don ’ t see .
It ’ s not as if anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there is a certain security in the fact that we can easily point to the reason for feeling that way .
All it takes is a vague gesture at everything around us .
See ?
The pandemic , the election , my personal struggles , my enemies out to get me ?
First of all , it takes movement .
We have to step out of our despondency and that requires effort .
Then we have to focus not our eyes , but our hearts and minds on what we can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be ready with an answer for the hope that we have , but it ’ s easier to explain why we should feel hopeless than why God says we should have hope , especially to a world that might not even believe in God .
In my own life , I haven ’ t wanted to make the effort of believing God would direct my path after series of slammed doors on what I thought was my calling .
Early in my marriage , I stopped trying to break the routine of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believing we could ever mature seemed too unrealistic .
At different times , I ’ ve let my Bible collect dust because the longer I wallow in a season of spiritual dryness , the less likely it seems that God will renew my spirit .
In each of these instances , I was wrong — and I was conforming to worldly patterns of thinking .
But we ’ re not to be conformed to the world , to let our attitudes changed based on the temporal tides of earthly happenings , or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be transformed .
We ’ re called to hope in the God that doesn ’ t change , even though we may roll about on seas of doubt .
Hope is active .
It has to be intentional before it ever becomes a habit .
It ’ s something we have to pursue with perseverance when life pushes us in the opposite direction .
That ’ s where faith comes in — “ the conviction of things not seen.
” And that ’ s where the active part comes in .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you never hear .
How will we remain convicted of truth when we sit in lies — however comfortable they are , however much sense they seem to make ?
That ’ s why transformation requires renewing our mind with God ’ s truth .
I don ’ t write this to condemn those who are feeling hopeless .
I only want to remind you that the voice that says , there is no way things could get better is false .
And to remind you that there is a brighter way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as these .
Sometimes stepping out in faith toward hope is hard .
But living with hope makes our burdens so much easier to bear .
“ My yoke is easy and my burden is light , ” says our Savior .
This is his gift to us — no matter our circumstances , or our nation ’ s , or the world ’ s .
Liberty McArtor , former staff writer for The Stream , is a freelance writer in the great state of Texas , where she lives north of Dallas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberty on Twitter @ LibertyMcArtor , or learn more about her at LibertyMcArtor.com .

This has been a year of loss: lost freedoms, lost normalcy, lost expectations — lost loved ones. Such hard times are not new. And yet each time life gets hard, we face the same temptation — to fall into hopelessness. And we often do.
I know this to be true. Not as well as some, but better than some others. I’ve gone through seasons in which all the important things in life seemed to be going wrong — my marriage, my sense of purpose and direction, my walk with God. These seasons aren’t simply seasons of feeling down. They’re marked by the oppressive weight of believing there is no reason to hope because there’s no way things could get better.
We Know the Answer
We have the answer, the cure. Why don’t we take advantage of it?
Because it can be more comfortable to sit in our hopelessness. We don’t want to risk hoping because we don’t want to be disappointed. And we enjoy the emotions hopelessness brings — like sadness and even rage — because they give us something to cling to. There’s no complicated reason for this. It’s a lack of faith.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” And therein lies the difficulty.
When we experience tough seasons, the pain is tangible. We see the loss — often because there are certain things we suddenly don’t see. It’s not as if anyone wants to go around feeling hopeless. But there is a certain security in the fact that we can easily point to the reason for feeling that way. All it takes is a vague gesture at everything around us. See? The pandemic, the election, my personal struggles, my enemies out to get me?
An Effort Worth Making
Turning to hope is harder.
First of all, it takes movement. We have to step out of our despondency and that requires effort. Then we have to focus not our eyes, but our hearts and minds on what we can’t see. We’re told to be ready with an answer for the hope that we have, but it’s easier to explain why we should feel hopeless than why God says we should have hope, especially to a world that might not even believe in God.
Sometimes, stepping out in faith toward hope is hard. But living with hope makes our burdens so much easier to bear.
In my own life, I haven’t wanted to make the effort of believing God would direct my path after series of slammed doors on what I thought was my calling. Early in my marriage, I stopped trying to break the routine of every conversation turning into an argument; believing we could ever mature seemed too unrealistic. At different times, I’ve let my Bible collect dust because the longer I wallow in a season of spiritual dryness, the less likely it seems that God will renew my spirit. In each of these instances, I was wrong — and I was conforming to worldly patterns of thinking.
But we’re not to be conformed to the world, to let our attitudes changed based on the temporal tides of earthly happenings, or even personal happenings. We are called to be transformed. We’re called to hope in the God that doesn’t change, even though we may roll about on seas of doubt.
Active Hope
Hope is active. It has to be intentional before it ever becomes a habit. It’s something we have to pursue with perseverance when life pushes us in the opposite direction.
That’s where faith comes in — “the conviction of things not seen.” And that’s where the active part comes in. You can’t be convinced of an argument you never hear. How will we remain convicted of truth when we sit in lies — however comfortable they are, however much sense they seem to make? That’s why transformation requires renewing our mind with God’s truth.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I don’t write this to condemn those who are feeling hopeless. I only want to remind you that the voice that says, there is no way things could get better is false. And to remind you that there is a brighter way to live, even in times as dark as these.
Sometimes stepping out in faith toward hope is hard. But living with hope makes our burdens so much easier to bear.
“My yoke is easy and my burden is light,” says our Savior. This is his gift to us — no matter our circumstances, or our nation’s, or the world’s.
Liberty McArtor, former staff writer for The Stream, is a freelance writer in the great state of Texas, where she lives north of Dallas with her husband and son. Follow Liberty on Twitter @LibertyMcArtor, or learn more about her at LibertyMcArtor.com.


thestream--2020-12-27--Why I’m a Christian Nationalist and You Should Be Too

“ As for you , you meant evil against me ; but God meant it for good … .
” ( Gen. 50:20 ) One of my favorite contemporary thinkers and writers is Robert Oscar Lopez , a periodic Stream contributor .
I know few other Christians who confront evil head-on with so much courage .
Or with so little regard for their own narrow self-interest .
Robert ’ s stubborn integrity has cost him jobs at colleges both secular and religious , but he remains a happy warrior .
Only God does that for people .
Robert and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Go watch it ! )
Our topic ?
The new slurs against believers , or at least those who demand transparency about our country ’ s apparently stolen elections .
If you support President Trump , and you didn ’ t roll over and play dead the moment Fox News called this profoundly dubious vote result for Biden , you stand in the cross-hairs .
The Next Slur for the Next Open Persecution The latest poison blow-dart aimed at us , Robert explained , is the epithet “ Christian Nationalist.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly wanted to call the Trump coalition something extremely damaging , such as “ White Nationalist.
” “ But they just saw too many people of color , like me , visibly supporting the president , to get away with that .
So they coined this ridiculous term , ‘ Christian Nationalist , ’ hoping people would have the same reaction , ” Robert said .
The Church ’ s open enemies are slavering over this .
As I wrote the other day : The term of abuse getting used by those want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of , I dunno , Islamist mosques ) as likely hotbeds for terrorism ?
“ Christian Nationalist.
” But don ’ t think the term itself ought to be radioactive .
I say let ’ s stop dodging and ducking whenever the term “ Christian Nationalist ” gets hurled at us .
Instead we should say , “ Yes , thank you for summing up my beliefs so concisely and clearly.
” I ’ m getting a little tired of the term “ conservative.
” Maybe because we find so little left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs tossing out .
What are we trying to conserve , exactly , about 2020 America ?
Do we want to fight on the hill of saving monogamous same-sex marriage ?
Maybe we want to insist that public schools with transgender bathrooms and lurid sex ed for 7-year-olds still fly the American flag ?
Or will we get on board with the next stupid war in the Middle East , to promote the same sordid license that in America passes for “ freedom ” ?
Are we just promoting free markets and big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those businesses are using slave labor in China , or imposing Chinese Communist censorship here at home ?
Even modifying the term with “ conservative Christian ” doesn ’ t do much good .
It sounds like we ’ re politicizing the very substance of faith .
Stick with doctrinally meaningful modifiers like “ orthodox ” or “ biblical ” when you ’ re trying to distinguish a church that tries to prevent abortions from one that promotes transgender delusions .
The Golden Mean Between Tribalism and Imperialism I think instead we should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and explain in calm detail exactly what we mean .
What ’ s so poisonous about Nationalism , anyway ?
As Israeli scholar Yoram Hazony explains in his brilliant work of original political philosophy , The Virtue of Nationalism , it ’ s a concept with a mostly noble pedigree .
Yes it has been abused , but what word hasn ’ t ?
Jim Jones called himself a “ reverend , ” but we didn ’ t drop that word .
Hitler and Stalin both claimed to be “ socialists ; ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cringe and rename themselves .
As Hazony explains , Nationalism is the Golden Mean , the middle way between two historical extremes .
On the far right , you might say , is Tribalism .
That ’ s the political system based entirely on kinship and proximity .
Tribalists only care about , sacrifice for , or promote the interests of , people who look just like them or live right near them .
Tribalism produced the political chaos and constant wars of the American Indians , the Renaissance Italians , and today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base Tribalism on perceived racial kinship , as white supremacists do .
But you can also ground it in something else , such as regional separateness , or politicized religion , like the Irish Republican Army .
At the opposite , left extreme is world-straddling Globalism , or ( more candidly ) , Imperialism .
Imperialists want to impose the same system of values , the same ruling elites , and the same economic/political system on people across the world .
History tells of religious Imperialists , like the Muslim Brotherhood .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Genghis Khan and Hitler .
And ideological Imperialists like Josef Stalin , and today ’ s President Xi of China .
American neoconservatives , it ’ s clear , were horses of just this feather .
Who Is My Neighbor ?
The fundamental question you answer when you choose a political “ ism ” is a simple but profound one : Who is your neighbor ?
It ’ s a question the Pharisees posed Jesus , trying to trip Him up .
He responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heart of this crucial question .
Where do we focus our attention , when we choose politically whom we care about , sacrifice for , and feel loyal towards ?
Should we fixate on just the people of our own tribe or town ?
Should we dilute our concern for people promiscuously all across the globe , and presume to impose our ways , laws , and values on the entire human race ?
Or should we choose as the Golden Mean … our fellow citizens of whatever race and creed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , the people who obey the same laws , fight in our wars , pay taxes into a common treasury ?
Maybe the proper balance between parochial localism and grandiose universalism is … Nationalism .
Or as some have long called it , Patriotism .
Not Extreme and Not Dangerous Virtually every president of the United States before Jimmy Carter ( apart from the Imperialist Woodrow Wilson ) would have confessed to some form of what ’ s now called Christian Nationalism .
So would Ronald Reagan .
Before 1960 , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural law , as traditionally seen by Christians , were the default basis for U.S. laws .
Certainly the vapid , empty secular Liberalism vaunted by Justice Anthony Kennedy in Planned Parenthood v. Casey wasn ’ t what our Founders fought for .
Nor do we want some kind of intolerant religious state .
We want something … smack dab in the middle , as Aristotle would recommend .
In our personal charities , of course , we might look far beyond our borders .
We might choose to send money or go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troubled countries .
But first we must render unto Caesar what is his , and look to the legitimate interests of our fellow Americans .
What ’ s so “ dangerous ” or extreme about any of that ?
Maybe we ought to be candid and outright say it , and say it loud : We ’ re Christian Nationalists , and proud .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

“As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good … .” (Gen. 50:20)
One of my favorite contemporary thinkers and writers is Robert Oscar Lopez, a periodic Stream contributor. I know few other Christians who confront evil head-on with so much courage. Or with so little regard for their own narrow self-interest. Robert’s stubborn integrity has cost him jobs at colleges both secular and religious, but he remains a happy warrior. Only God does that for people.
Robert and I did a video podcast the other day. (Go watch it!) Our topic? The new slurs against believers, or at least those who demand transparency about our country’s apparently stolen elections. If you support President Trump, and you didn’t roll over and play dead the moment Fox News called this profoundly dubious vote result for Biden, you stand in the cross-hairs.
The Next Slur for the Next Open Persecution
The latest poison blow-dart aimed at us, Robert explained, is the epithet “Christian Nationalist.” He said that servile, squishy Christians clearly wanted to call the Trump coalition something extremely damaging, such as “White Nationalist.” “But they just saw too many people of color, like me, visibly supporting the president, to get away with that. So they coined this ridiculous term, ‘Christian Nationalist,’ hoping people would have the same reaction,” Robert said.
The Church’s open enemies are slavering over this. As I wrote the other day:
Already, the “secularist” faction of the Democrat party is equating orthodox Christians with white supremacists. And demanding that we be carefully monitored as potential sources of “terrorism.” NBC is following the Southern Poverty Law Center in smearing our ministries as “hate groups” that shouldn’t get neutral benefits like PPP loans.
The term of abuse getting used by those who want the FBI monitoring biblically faithful churches (instead of, I dunno, Islamist mosques) as likely hotbeds for terrorism? “Christian Nationalist.”
Let’s Appropriate the Term
But I don’t think the term itself ought to be radioactive. Let’s stop dodging and ducking whenever the term “Christian Nationalist” gets hurled at us. Instead we should say, “Yes, thank you for summing up my beliefs so concisely and clearly.”
I’m getting a little tired of the term “conservative.” Maybe because we find so little left to conserve, and so much that needs tossing out. What are we trying to conserve, exactly, about 2020 America? Do we want to fight on the hill of saving monogamous same-sex marriage? Maybe we want to insist that public schools with transgender bathrooms and lurid sex ed for 7-year-olds still fly the American flag? Or will we get on board with the next stupid war in the Middle East, to promote the same sordid license that in America passes for “freedom”? Are we just promoting free markets and big business, full stop? Even when those businesses are using slave labor in China, or imposing Chinese Communist censorship here at home?
Even modifying the term with “conservative Christian” doesn’t do much good. It sounds like we’re politicizing the very substance of faith. Stick with doctrinally meaningful modifiers like “orthodox” or “biblical” when you’re trying to distinguish a church that tries to prevent abortions from one that promotes transgender delusions.
The Golden Mean Between Tribalism and Imperialism
I think instead we should go with “Christian Nationalist,” and explain in calm detail exactly what we mean. What’s so poisonous about Nationalism, anyway? As Israeli scholar Yoram Hazony explains in his brilliant work of original political philosophy, The Virtue of Nationalism, it’s a concept with a mostly noble pedigree. (American nationalists saved the Union. Zionists established Israel. Polish nationalists brought down Communism.) Yes it has been abused, but what word hasn’t? Jim Jones called himself a “reverend,” but we didn’t drop that word. Hitler and Stalin both claimed to be “socialists”; the socialists of Norway didn’t cringe and rename themselves.
As Hazony explains, Nationalism is the Golden Mean, the middle way between two historical extremes. On the far right, you might say, is Tribalism. That’s the political system based entirely on kinship and proximity. Tribalists only care about, sacrifice for, or promote the interests of, people who look just like them or live right near them. Tribalism produced the political chaos and constant wars of the American Indians, the Renaissance Italians, and today’s unhappy Syrians. You can base Tribalism on perceived racial kinship, as white supremacists do. But you can also ground it in something else, such as regional separateness, or politicized religion, like the Irish Republican Army.
At the opposite, left extreme is world-straddling Globalism, or (more candidly), Imperialism. Imperialists want to impose the same system of values, the same ruling elites, and the same economic/political system on people across the world. History tells of religious Imperialists, like the Muslim Brotherhood. But there were also racial Imperialists, like Genghis Khan and Hitler. And ideological Imperialists like Josef Stalin, and today’s President Xi of China. American neoconservatives, it’s clear, were horses of just this feather.
Who Is My Neighbor?
The fundamental question you answer when you choose a political “ism” is a simple but profound one: Who is your neighbor? It’s a question the Pharisees posed Jesus, trying to trip Him up. He responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan. By unpacking that, we can cut to the heart of this crucial question. Where do we focus our attention, when we choose politically whom we care about, sacrifice for, and feel loyal towards? Should we fixate on just the people of our own tribe or town? Should we dilute our concern for people promiscuously all across the globe, and presume to impose our ways, laws, and values on the entire human race?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Or should we choose as the Golden Mean … our fellow citizens of whatever race and creed, whom we see every day? That is, the people who obey the same laws, fight in our wars, pay taxes into a common treasury? Maybe the proper balance between parochial localism and grandiose universalism is … Nationalism. Or as some have long called it, Patriotism.
Not Extreme and Not Dangerous
Virtually every president of the United States before Jimmy Carter (apart from the Imperialist Woodrow Wilson) would have confessed to some form of what’s now called Christian Nationalism. So would Ronald Reagan. Before 1960, our courts recognized that moral norms based on natural law, as traditionally seen by Christians, were the default basis for U.S. laws. Certainly the vapid, empty secular Liberalism vaunted by Justice Anthony Kennedy in Planned Parenthood v. Casey wasn’t what our Founders fought for. Nor do we want some kind of intolerant religious state. We want something … smack dab in the middle, as Aristotle would recommend.
In our personal charities, of course, we might look far beyond our borders. We might choose to send money or go volunteer to help our fellow Christians in troubled countries. But first we must render unto Caesar what is his, and look to the legitimate interests of our fellow Americans. What’s so “dangerous” or extreme about any of that?
Maybe we ought to be candid and outright say it, and say it loud: We’re Christian Nationalists, and proud.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-12-26--How Can We Respond to Some of the Issues Raised in 2020?

How can we , as Christians , respond to the growing social unrest ?
How can we survive and thrive @ @ @ @ @ this collective podcast ( created from two separate interviews ) , J. Warner talks with @ @ @ @ @ from The Ride Home with John and Kathy about the challenges we faced in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective , Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview @ @ @ @ @ Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology , Biola University , author of Cold-Case Christianity @ @ @ @ @ Scene , and Forensic Faith , and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids @

How can we, as Christians, respond to the growing social unrest? How can we survive and thrive in a pandemic? In this collective podcast (created from two separate interviews), J. Warner talks with John Hall and Kathy Emmons from The Ride Home with John and Kathy about the challenges we faced in 2020.
Listen:
J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids.
Originally published at ColdCaseChristianity.com. Reprinted with permission.