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Christmas Present

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Sat, 2011-12-24 19:32 — The Conductor
Topic: 
Culture

If we had a modern George Bailey, he would be ridiculed mercilessly. The Christmas present has no appreciation for virtue. Popular culture militates against goodness.

Seasonal feel-good stories notwithstanding, cynicism triumphs. We expect corruption.

A local TV news story reports that people are foregoing Christmas Day services. Churches are responding to reduced demand, canceling the sacraments. For all the wonder and joy to be found in being with family at Christmas time, when we put that above being with G-d, we are lost.

I have transcended my personal era of humbuggery only to find that in the interim, my culture has abandoned everything I found distasteful. I have returned to an empty house.

I do not rail against commercialization and consumerism. We are rich; let us enjoy. But we have moved past even the pagan observations that hold some days special. If no days are holy, every day is profane.

I paraphrase Gandhi, I think, in asking if you do not accept a gift, to whom does that gift belong?

A Christmas present is offered. Do you accept?