The Gift of Christmas: Belief in Human Goodness
There probably isn’t one true meaning of Christmas, but there certainly are some common and quite wonderful themes that run through this entire season, one of which is belief. It’s a time marked by what Shakespeare reminded us: thinking makes it so.
Christmastime features kids’ faith in Santa Claus, and grown-ups’ conviction in the basic goodness of our fellows. Of course, all this reliance on good things beyond ourselves recedes quickly after the decorations are taken down and the carolling stops, but don’t we all wish that weren’t so? Wouldn’t humankind make faster progress in the right direction if we all believed it was possible?
For a moment, consider the environmental and social justice movements. Realize that, as you read this, there are more than 200,000 groups working tirelessly to bring about their aims. And here’s what will help bring their work to fruition more than any other single factor: our belief in their ultimate success.
Don’t take my word for it. Let me leave you this Christmas Day with the thoughts of three familiar names:
We’ll start with Frank Capra, the great film-maker of the mid-1900s, whose name experiences a cyclic rise in esteem at this time of year because of the popularity of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a Christmastime story about a man who comes to realize the power of his personal contributions to goodness and decency. Capra believed that this was a theme that had merit all year long; he thought that the role of filmmakers generally was to present the human condition in such a way that the audience grasped the power of the common man standing up against an evil and corrupt authority.
We should also consider the words of Arthur C. Clarke, who said goodbye to his readers and fans in a video he made on his 90th birthday when it was clear his time on Earth was drawing to a close. He envisioned a 21st Century that would represent a wholesale improvement from the 20th, which, he noted, was the “most barbaric in human history.” As to the likelihood of that large-scale improvement, he reminded us, “I believe one should be optimistic, because there is a chance of a good self-fulfilling prophecy.” Looking back at it, it’s clear what he meant about that “self-fulfilling prophecy,” i.e., thinking makes it so.
Let’s close with a little nugget from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Nothing great in this world was achieved without enthusiasm.”
Words to consider as we enter a new year, with new possibilities for all.
The OT prophets in the Bible strongly supported social justice and fairness. Also, that was the major part of the ministry of Jesus. In addition to supporting social justice, fairness, and mercy, He showed concern, via his healing ministry, for the quality of life of people. I’m sure that He would be concerned with the environment and the extreme gap between rich and poor.
In ancient times, the human population was a fraction of what it is now. On a global scale, people were incapable of having a significant effect on the environment and climate. Of course, with our present huge population, that has changed and we now do have an effect on the environment which in turn affects the quality of life of everyone on the planet. Thus, the admonition of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves, takes on a new and expanded meaning. It is inescapably obvious that we do have an obligation to avoid affecting the climate and environment in a way that significantly and adversely affects the welfare of other people.
Of course people may claim that we are not affecting the climate, but the vast majority of scientists who have studied the situation agree that our CO2 emissions are affecting the global climate to our detriment. Although we cannot know for certain exactly how much we are affecting the climate and exactly what the effects will be, the risk of a catastrophe is well beyond acceptable and therefore we must take action.
Denying the obvious is nothing new. In earlier times, in spite of overwhelming evidence, some doctors denied the fact that diseases and infections are caused by microorganisms. The result was that, instead of maintaining a high standard of hygiene, they spread infections which killed many people. In fact, if doctors had not treated president Garfield after he was shot, probably he would have lived instead of dying months later of a massive infection. In spite of overwhelming evidence, tobacco companies denied that smoking was hazardous. Similarly, even though the dangers of asbestos had been known for more than a century, deniers continued to expose people to asbestos resulting in thousands of deaths.
History tends to repeat itself. The climate change deniers are simply repeating history instead of facing facts.
The origins of human civilization were sharing and cooperation – these are our natural conditions and inclinations. To the extent we abandon those values and duties, we risk descent into a state of affairs unworthy of beasts.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy Glory, Love,Happiness and Peace that the birth of Jesus Christ gives to all nations frorm Bethlehem-Palstine.