"Herod, the king, tried to have Jesus murdered shortly after he was born." - lambert.

Summarize this article!

Herod, the King, was a despotic ruler infamous for his cruelty, so unsurprisingly, he reacted with murderous intentions when he heard the news of the birth of Jesus. Knowing full well what threat this newborn deliverer posed to his power and rule, Herod decided it best to attempt to snuff out the danger, ordering soldiers to slaughter all infant boys under two years old to catch and kill Jesus as he lay innocently in a manger. Despite his vile plan and orders, his agenda was not carried out—proving the power of God and His divine protection.

The winter holidays are often a time of joy and celebration, but underlying the festive spirit lies pain. Many people can relate to the story of Christmas due to oppression and strife; indeed, a large part of it rests on King Herod's tyranny, as well as the predators of the Roman state during this period. These forces make us sympathize with Mary and Joseph as they are forced to flee Bethlehem to keep their infant safe from death; Christmas reminds us that hope remains despite great suffering and oppression. Our compassion towards those beset on all sides by unjust power can give us strength and hunger to continue our fight against inequality today.

This is the main article!

The holiday of Christmas has deep roots throughout human history. Many Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as a way to honor His incarnation. Still, others consider this celebration to be nothing more than a Christianized version of Saturnalia, an ancient Roman boisterous festival that was held during the winter solstice. While these two occasions may provide comfort and joy for different groups at different times, they both point to the common idea that humans need moments throughout the year to come together in the community and celebrate our shared humanity.

Christians and non-Christians should consider the two distinct kingdoms, contrasting sharply when viewing whatever opinion one might hold. On one side, we have the rule of life, extending joy and hope to all who earnestly seek it. On the other side lies suffering, darkness, and death – a world devoid of peace or contentment. It is only through critically considering these various principles that we can best understand and appreciate the power of God's love manifested in Jesus Christ – to bring salvation from what might otherwise be a destiny of despair. Whether one believes in Christianity makes no difference; the choice between these contrasting paths remains clear for each person.

During Christmas, people need to remember who it is that promotes fear, war, and ill will. If Christmas is truly a celebration of peace and goodwill from the Almighty, then no other earthly institution has regularly sought to challenge these values as much as the state. When we look at the Bible itself, we see evidence of this in Herod, a state actor who threatened the life of Jesus during his infancy. This narrative serves as a reminder that the powers of government seek to do the exact opposite of what many celebrate during the holiday season – peace, harmony, and goodwill toward all. The state hates those who stand in its way and attempt to disrupt its claims of omnipotence and omniscience; instead, it thrusts us into darker paths where chaos reigns supreme.

Although most Christmas gatherings in the West don't have an intentional recognition of Jesus' birth, they are still powerful reminders of what life can look like without the state and its controls. Examples are our connections with family and friends, co-workers, and even strangers of the season. Generosity, kindness, and hospitality are foremost, with acts that build trust and support spiritual or secular leanings, even if your uncle Harold has had one too many drinks! These acts of voluntary association show that we can lead a good life free from violence--something that is off balance when the state is involved.

It's incredible to think of the power of productive activity, especially today. The simple acts of exchanging gifts, enjoying a shared meal, and coming together with kindred spirits reflect the heavenly bounty enabled by undeniably hard work. Ayn Rand's thoughts on the American celebration of Thanksgiving as a "celebration of successful production" come to mind when thinking about such beneficial striving. Despite State actors' attempts to bog down individual endeavors or disturb the natural order, there remains an infinite potential for creation that offers us a chance for joy and prosperity regardless of ideological boundaries. That feeling is best exemplified throughout Christmas, no matter how secular we may seek to make it become.

As a family, we endeavor to honor Christ each Christmas season as we celebrate the coming of the Word-made flesh. Our traditions—from decorating with favorite ornaments to gathering around festive meals—offer moments for pausing and reflecting on the essential truths of the season. In addition to studying Scripture regarding mercy and grace, we enjoy singing carols about peace on earth, giving gifts of a joyful surprise to express love for others, participating in acts of goodwill towards others, and finding time to show gratitude for all that our Savior brings. By turning these powerful symbols into meaningful actions, the true spirit of Advent is kindled within us.

Christmas season arrives every year, and Christians worldwide prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, despite all of the joy and festivity that come with Christmas, it is a sad fact that many Christians overlook entirely the profound anti-state sentiments that are presented in the nativity. Most likely, this is due to a failure to recognize or an inability to accurately discern between Christ's intentions for His kingdom and those of earthly rulers. As such, we can cultivate habits of mind through regular action practice. To stay faithful to our Christian faith's underlying call against earthly governments, we have created certain intentional practices that acknowledge its wariness against such power structures. Doing so encourages us to remember our deep need for a heavenly ruler over any spiritual authority on earth. (1)

To reconnect with the meaning behind Christ's birth, our household has adopted a specific set of traditions surrounding the Christmas Truce of 1914. One way we've celebrated this moment when enemies laid down their arms is by watching the acclaimed film Joyeux Noel, which captures this remarkable event beautifully. We also pass around a brass gift box from Princess Mary to the soldiers of the British empire that one of us owns as a physical reminder of the gifts exchanged between both sides during this time of peace. Finally, as we think about how unlikely enemies would make a temporary truce in such an atrocious war, one of us will take turns reciting lines from Stanley Weintraub's Silent Night. Each year passes, yet these facts remain unchanged; this is our small way of remembering them each holiday season.

Every action we take as Christians reflect our ultimate allegiance to God. The wise men from Matthew 2 are a great example of this truth in action; instead of blindly following Herod's command, they chose to honor the true king, ultimately saving Jesus from his wrath. Even if our efforts are met with fierce opposition, we still must follow God before any earthly ruler. Francis Schaeffer elucidated this point when he said, "to resist tyranny is to honor God." Ultimately, as Christians, we must stay true and do all we can to defy those rulers who want us to serve other gods.

For too long, believers in the West have sat passively while dictators enact policies antithetical to Christianity. In recent years, however, increasing numbers of courageous individuals have stood up and taken bold actions to oppose these tyrants' tyrannical edicts. From refusing to bow down to COVID-inspired decrees to challenging the warmongering of superpowers and the corruption of crony capitalism, men and women worldwide are bravely marching forward in defiance of worldly powers for a cause that is rooted in their faith. It has been inspiring to witness these acts of courage that uphold Christ's moral codes even when doing so discomforts the state. May their valiant efforts continue onward!

Christmas is a time to be reminded of Christian bravery and sensitivity. We are reminded of how, through belief in Jesus Christ, we can reform ourselves, and others can show compassion. At the same time, however, it also serves as a reminder for Christians to dig deeper and muster up courage so that even with minimal resources of power or influence, our voices and actions can honor God - ultimately leading to more fulfilling lives. Lastly, Christmas should stand as a sign that the rulers of governments should not be taken lightly but feared; they pose a significant threat to the peace and beauty that Christ stands for.

Christmas is a season for hope. In this spirit, it is comforting to know that by engaging in voluntary associations and acts of charity, we honor the fundamental values of life demonstrated through Christianity and other religions. Through such practices, we oppose the evil designs of governments and stand against those who worship state power instead of human potential. This holiday season can be a celebration not only of joy but also of action. Every time we say "Merry Christmas," we are reminded that significant progress can be made when humble individuals unite in their efforts - something that the rulers of oppressive regimes don't seem to understand. Our united strength will carry us forward into a better future, so this Christmas, all believers know what our actions can achieve when carried out collectively.

Let us raise a glass and toast to a future of peace and prosperity that our shared faith can bring. Merry Christmas!

A reference list

1. Advent & Christmas Crafts | Chichester Cathedral. https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/advent-christmas/advent-christmas-craft

Here is where I got the info for this article!

1. https://www.infowars.com/posts/reclaiming-the-anti-state-roots-of-christmas/

2. https://mises.org/wire/reclaiming-anti-state-roots-christmas

3. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/did-romans-invent-christmas

4. aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/thanksgiving.html#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20producers'%20holiday,children%20need%20never%20know%20starvation.

5. https://www.amazon.com/Joyeux-Merry-Christmas-Diane-Kruger/dp/B000KNHCO4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IAVV0OV3FZ4O&keywords=joyeux+noel+movie&qid=1671642257&sprefix=joyeux+noel+movie%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-1

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Mary_Christmas_gift_box

7. https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Night-Story-World-Christmas/dp/0452283671

8. https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Manifesto-Francis-Schaeffer/dp/1581346921/ref=sr_1_1?crid=381XJJULD4RFO&keywords=schaeffer+a+christian+manifesto&qid=1671643819&s=books&sprefix=schaeffer+a+christian+manifesto%2Cstripbooks%2C84&sr=1-1

9. https://www.christianpost.com/news/andy-stanley-embarrassed-churches-sued-govt-over-covid-lockdowns.html

10. https://thecripplegate.com/grace-church-wins-their-lawsuit/

11. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/march/russia-ukraine-war-pastors-protest-esther-barth-bonhoeffer.html

12. https://canopyforum.org/2022/02/09/the-business-of-war-theological-and-ethical-reflections-on-the-military-industrial-complex/

13. www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0259-94222020000400026

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 -------------CRITICAL THINKING NEWS BY - L. NORMAN. -------------