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Christmas Tag

The good folks at MRCTV have a new college campus video out that is cringe-worthy to the max. Dan Joseph, the MRCTV reporter behind the video writes:
Last week, I presented some college students with a petition urging radio stations to stop playing the holiday classic "White Christmas" because the song only focuses on "White" Christmases. This clearly makes it racially insensitive, since it completely ignores Christmases of other colors. Students were all too willing to check their privilege and take a stand against Bing Crosby's racially charged micro-aggression. Just watch.

This year saw the destruction of some of the oldest continuous Christian communities in the Middle East. As predominantly Christian Europe braces itself to accommodate millions of new Muslim migrants this year alone, Christianity takes its last breath in region where it was first revealed to the world. Israel remains the only glaring exception to this dismal rule. The armed war against Christians is accompanied by a cultural war on Christmas. This year, Muslim countries like Somalia, Tajikistan and Brunei joined the long list of Islamic nations banning the Christian festival -- in many cases making Christmas celebrations even in private settings a punishable offence. With the rising tide Islamist terror, even in the Christian heartland of Europe the Christmas is now under siege.

Callista Gingrich's fifth children's book is one you'll want to pick up. Ellis the adorable little elephant journeys through the past, stoping to explore the history of Christmas in America. Far from the watered-down historical fare, Christmas in America serves meaty historical events delicately enough to be palatable to youngsters, but rich enough for readers of any age. So enjoyable were some of the historical specifics, that I found myself geeking out, excited to reread a few of my favorite stories. If your American history knowledge has collected a little dust over the years, fear not. Christmas in America is equipped with a handy guide in the back of the book to bring you up to speed.

First, a bit about you:

Upon the order of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's richest men, Christmas in the small country of Brunei has been publicly banned. Wearing a Santa hat in public could result in a five-year prison sentence. While Brunei's Christians are still allowed to celebrate Christmas (so generous of the Sultan), those festivities are not to be disclosed to Muslim citizens for fear it might "damage their faith." The Sydney Morning Herald has the story:
Oil-rich Brunei has banned public celebrations of Christmas, including sending festive greetings and the wearing of Santa Claus hats. Muslims seen celebrating Christmas and non-Muslims found to be organising celebrations could face up to five years jail. However the country's non-Muslims, who comprise 32 per cent of the 420,000 population, can celebrate Christmas in their own communities on the condition that the celebrations are not disclosed to Muslims. Imams have told followers in the tiny Borneo nation to follow a government edict last year banning celebrations that could lead Muslims astray and damage their faith, according to the Borneo Bulletin.

We're all familiar with the annual attempts to clamp down on Christmas.  Be it schools banning Christmas songs, Obama's VA banning Christmas carols and cards for veterans, schools removing Christmas from calendars, or outrage and fainting vapors over the mere of sight of a Christmas tree, we expect this barrage of intolerant insanity each year. This year, it seems, will be no different.  A mall in Long Island, worried about offending people with the sight of Santa, decided to set up a glacier display and barricade Santa within it. The New York Post reports:
A Long Island mall swapped Santa’s sleigh for something resembling a spaceship and nixed the Christmas tree because it didn’t want to “offend” anyone, irate shoppers told The Post.

The United Nations has declared a war on racism and slavery. Not on real slavery, as practiced by Saudi Arabia and Qatar with an immigrant labour force, but as practiced by the people of Netherlands during their Christmas festivities.  The U.N.’s self-proclaimed “Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination” told the Netherlands to end its "Black Pete" Christmas tradition, in which Dutch people wear blackfaces, calling it a “reminder of slavery.” The actor portraying “Zwarte Piet”, as the jovial companion of Santa Claus is called in Dutch, usually puts on blackface make-up along with a fancy hat and Renaissance attire. (As the Dutch folklore goes, Santa’s companion is a Moor from Spain.) But the crusaders against racial discrimination at U.N. are not having any of it. According to the New York Times:

Sextremist (evidently, this is a thing), Iana Zhdanova kidnapped baby Jesus from the nativity scene in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City Thursday. Zhdanova had "God is a woman" scribbled on her naked torso as she accosted the infant and attempted to flee. Vatican police intervened, returned baby Jesus to His manger, and then covered and arrested Zhdanova. RT captured the whole ordeal: Zhdanova is a FEMEN activist. According to FEMEN's website, the sextremist act was premeditated and part of a larger plan to "hunt for Bethlehem babies":

This story came across my Twitter feed the other day and my eyes might have leaked a little bit. And by a little bit, I mean I cried like a baby because this story is just that kind of story. Brandon Finnigan over at Ace of Spades shared this incredible story about a hardship he and his wife endured recently. Finnigan began:

Life is Beautiful

On Twitter a few nights back, I shared a very trying experience the wife and I endured this year. I want to share it here, expand on it, and direct it, a bit, at a very specific reader.

Welcome to Christmas, wonderful readers! I'm guessing that right about now, your presents are unwrapped, the turkey is in the oven, and you're on your...second...third?...pot of coffee. Sounds like the perfect time for a little holiday pick-me-up! I've curated (with the help of reader Seth) some of my Christmas favorites for your listening pleasure. There's a little old, a little new, a little goofy, and even a little Mariah. Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone!

The Battle of the Bulge was a turning point in World War II, when American troops turned back the final Nazi counter-offensive on the Western front. Over 100,000 Americans would be killed or wounded before it was over.

The first questions one must ask are, When did Florida begin allowing Satanic holiday displays in their capitol at Christmas, and why would Satanists feel the need to celebrate the birth of Christ? While I don't know the answer to the first question, I'll take a guess at the second. Modern Satanists, who desperately want attention, are taking advantage of our politically correct culture. Anyone who has children knows that moment when a child says something like "But you let (insert other child's name here) have one!" Following this logic means that if Christians are allowed to erect a Christmas display in the capitol, then Satanists should also be allowed to do so, even if the core of their belief system is the direct antithesis of everything represented by the Christmas holiday. Like everyone else in America, Satanists are entitled to freedom of speech under the First Amendment; but don't tell me their display was meant to be anything other than a thumb in the eye to Christians. Joel Landau of the New York Daily News describes the display:
The organization set up the holiday display, which featured an angel falling into a pit of fire, as a protest for the state allowing a Nativity scene in the government building.
An unidentified woman has been arrested for the damage.

Tis the season for giving. Retailer JC Penny has an ad campaign this season called #JustGotJingled. To kick off the event, they asked shoppers whether it was better to give or receive. Not only are the responses heart warming, they're a great reminder of what this season is all about.

I'm an avid online shopper, particularly during this time of year. I also think Amazon Prime is one of God's greatest modern gifts to mankind. A few weeks ago I was perusing through the endless Amazon offerings when I stumbled upon an option to view the best selling items by category. Both horrifying and delightful, I've compiled a list of what are some of the most, shall we say "interesting", Amazon best sellers.

Home and Kitchen

While a nice little wine bottle vacuum sealer is Amazon's top seller in this department, enough people are buying Obama toilet paper for the item to be listed as the 17th best seller in the entirety of home and kitchen wares. Interestingly enough, this same item is the 13th best seller in the Bedding and Bath department. In sum, people like Obama toilet paper. Obama Toilet Paper