FAIR AND BIASED: Christmas exposes the insignificance of politics!

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Christmas exposes the insignificance of politics!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

GOVERNMENT ON HIS SHOULDERS!

by Steve Fair

In 1963, Andy Williams first sung, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” on his TV variety show. Written by Edward Pola and George Wyle, the tune has become a Christmas season classic. The song is a celebration and description of activities associated with Christmas, primarily focused on get-togethers between friends and family. But is Christmas the most wonderful time of the year?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), December is the most dangerous month for drug and alcohol-related deaths. In a Healthline study from 2015, 60% of adults polled said they experienced some degree of stress during the holiday season. Those include financial stress, conflict-laden family gatherings, loneliness and unrealistic expectations. Others are grieving from the loss of a loved one- an empty place at the table. According to a British study, feeling low around Christmas is common among the unemployed, divorced, and widowed. For those, Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year? Three observations:

First, Christmas is widely celebrated in the U.S. According to a Gallup poll, 93% of Americans observe the holiday in some way. A Pew Research poll found 71% of Americans do not celebrate the ‘religious’ aspects of Christmas. That number is double what it was just twenty years ago. Only 51% of Americans polled planned to attend a church service in conjunction with Christmas.

The commercialization/exploitation of Christmas has changed the holiday from religious to secular. Instead of recognizing the ‘reason for the season,’ and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas has become a time for festive parties, and lavish gift giving. The average American family spends over two weeks salary on Christmas gifts. According to a UCLA health study, between Thanksgiving and News Years, Americans drink nearly twice the alcohol they normally drink.

Second, Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Believers who do not celebrate the holiday point to pagan origins and that Christ did not command His followers to celebrate the day of His birth. But He didn’t forbid it. Shouldn’t those who claim Christ celebrate His birth? Tim Keller said, “There has never been a gift offered that makes you swallow your pride to the depths that the gift of Jesus Christ requires us to do. Christmas means we are so lost, so unable to save ourselves that nothing less than the death of the Son of God Himself could save us.” That is the reason for the season. That is the true meaning of Christmas. During a time when a confused/chaotic world is so aware of Christ, shouldn’t believers use that opportunity to point out He is not a babe in a manger, but the Savior of the world?

Third, Christmas exposes the insignificance of politics. The Christmas story shows the incredible lengths God went to in order to save His people. It magnifies a holy, sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent Creator who gave His only son to redeem sinful man. In the grand scheme of things, elections, political Parties, elected officials, rallies, and legislation is temporal at best. Christmas should be a time every man engages in soul-searching introspection, seeking to get their priorities in line with their Creator. It should not be a time of self-aggrandizement, but a humbling one. It should not be a season of debate/argumentation, but one of contemplation.

The prophet Isaiah (9:6) foretold the birth of Christ. In that well-known verse, he wrote ‘the government will rest on His shoulders.” There will come a time when Christ will reign over a literal, earthly, geopolitical kingdom of all the kingdoms and governments of the world. Unlike convoluted, chaotic human governments, the Messiah’s kingdom is uncomplicated because He is the Eternal Father, Creator, and Sustainer. There is no bloated bureaucracy, no spin masters, conflict or talking heads in Christ’s administration. When Christ returns to execute the final political solution, there will truly be world peace. That will be the most wonderful time!

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Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Christmas exposes the insignificance of politics!

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PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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