Christianity – Sommer Season all year

A Dark History

Another of the Catholic Churches’ dark history—a negative or harmful aspect of the past—is being exposed. The article, Ireland Digs Up 796 Infants’ Remains in Septic Tank Scandal! describes a mass forensic exposure at the site of a former Irish Catholic mother and baby institution where the remains of 796 infants and young children were found in an abandoned septic tank. This is a disturbing discovery tied to an institution who claims it is the “one true church” founded by Jesus Christ.” It was 40 years ago, when National Catholic Reporter (NCR) first exposed the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandal. The coverage of this dark past was first revealed in June 1985 on NCR’s front page with an overview of sexual abuse cases of priests in several U.S. dioceses.

CBC has an article written by a Philippine girl titled, I’ve been a Catholic my entire life. But the church’s dark past is making me lose faith. She writes:

My journey of discovery led me to the dark history of the Catholic church in Canada. I learned of the systemic and widespread sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests and the historical genocide of Indigenous people in Canada…I am profoundly disillusioned with the Catholic church. And I can’t be the only one. I can’t be alone in my feelings of betrayal and hurt. How could the church that served as my guiding moral compass to goodness all these years be the same establishment that has caused so much agony and suffering to so many?

I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) can totally relate to this Philippine girl’s feelings. I’ve been disillusioned with the church for many years now for the same reasons. I was raised Catholic and was once a devout Catholic. I recently came across another piece of dark history concerning the Cathars. You’re likely wondering who the Cathars are and why I am bringing them up. Malcolm Barber is a scholar of medieval history and is described as the world’s leading expert on the Knights Templar. He wrote in his book, The Cathars: Dualist Heretics in Languedoc in the High Middle Ages:

Catharism was the greatest heretical challenge faced by the Catholic Church in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The attempt by the Cathars to find an answer to the fundamental religious and philosophical problems posed by the existence of evil, combined with their success in persuading large numbers of Christians in the West that they had solved these problems, shook the Catholic hierarchy to its very core, and provoked a series of reactions more extreme than any previously contemplated.

If you read other accounts about the Cathars, they are said to be heretics. Heretics are those who have controversial opinions, especially ones who publicly dissent from the officially accepted dogma of the Roman Catholic Church. Now I had never heard of the Cathars until a few months ago. I was taught about the crusades, but never the Cathars. Cathars are tied to the crusades and Knight Templar, who I had also never heard about until a few years ago. The World History Encyclopedia says in their article, Crusades, “The Crusades were a series of military campaigns organised by popes and Christian western powers to take Jerusalem and the Holy Land back from Muslim control and then defend those gains.” According to The History of the Knights Templar, From Inception to Downfall there is much mystery surrounding the Knights Templar, as they began as a Catholic military order created to protect pilgrims on their journeys to and from the Holy Land. The article also says their original mission was to carry out “malicide” defined as the killing of evil itself. The connection between the Knights Templar and the Cathars is explained in the articles, Knights Templar links to the Cathar heresy and Templars Were Mortal Enemies of Cathars.

Who were the Cathars? The article, Cathar Beliefs, doctrines, theology and practices, says “Cathars clearly regarded themselves as good Christians, since that is exactly what they called themselves.”

World History Encyclopedia says in their article, Cathars; The Cathars, also known as Cathari, which means “pure ones” in Greek, were a dualist medieval religious sect of Southern France which flourished in the 12th century and challenged the authority of the Catholic Church. Both articles provide much information about their beliefs, practices, etc.

I was horrified while reading the article, Knights Templar links to the Cathar heresy, which says:

In the Middle Ages, France was convulsed by a crusade between the Catholic church and Christians who called themselves Cathars. They rejected many core Catholic beliefs…We think of the Crusades as a Christian versus Muslim thing – but it was also a Christian versus Christian affair. In the Baltics and Russia, Catholic knights fought the eastern Orthodox church. While in modern Turkey, the Fourth Crusade saw crusaders smash up the Christian city of Constantinople. But most terrifying of all, was the pope’s decision to crush the Cathars in southern France.

Now I was always led to believe that the crusades were about freeing the “Holy Land” from the Muslims. I was never taught that the crusade involved destroying those considered heretics. Could that be true?

The World History Edu’s article, History of the Catholic Church: How and When Did Catholicism Begin? says, “Christianity is often described as a religion that emerged from the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth (also known as Jesus Christ).” Does that mean Jesus taught that heretics need to be wiped out? I don’t believe that. That is not the Jesus I learned about and believe in. Something does not make sense. Why would the Catholic Church destroy a community who considered themselves good Christians? Yes, they were considered heretics by the church, but to wipe them out seems extreme. Would a church that emerged from the teachings of Jesus do that and keep that secret? Is the Catholic Church really true to who they say they are?

A response to Did the Church change its position on the punishment of heretics? answered the question of a person described as anti-Catholic and who wanted to know what Catholic Answers, whose mission is sharing, explaining, and defending the Catholic faith, thought. The enquirer claims that the Church at the Fourth Lateran Council said heretics should be exterminated, but then later denied it.

Part of the Catholic Answers response was:

First, the issue Lateran IV (1215) addressed was not the “extermination” of heretics in the sense of killing them. Anti-Catholics have been confused by the use of the Latin extermino in the Council’s decree and have assumed the word means the same as the English verb “exterminate,” saying “the relevant passage of Lateran IV reads, “Catholics who take the cross and gird themselves up for the expulsion [“extermination”] of heretics shall enjoy the same indulgence and be strengthened by the same holy privilege as is granted to those who go to the aid of the holy land.”

That implies, at least from the perspective of the person answering the question, that the church never killed heretics. So, which is it? Did they or didn’t they?

Paul Wallis is a Theological Educator who delivers courses on the History of Christian Thought and Biblical Hermeneutics—the principles of interpreting texts, something I know something about after taking Biblical Theology courses. He has a documentary titled, The Cathars The Untold Story. You can watch the documentary on his website: Paul Anthony Wallis – Researcher, Author, Speaker, on Rumble: The Cathars: The Untold Story (Documentary By Paul Wallis), or watch it below.

Mr. Wallis convincingly shows the killing of the Cathars by the Knights Templar. The article, Holy Horrors: Killing Heretics – Church and State, outlines the history of killing heretics. It says: “Killing heretics was endorsed by popes and saints. They quoted Old Testament mandates such as ‘He who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death.’”

What happens to heretics today? Are they exterminated? The 1983 Code of Canon Law outlines several sins that carry the penalty of automatic excommunication, including heresy. Excommunication does not mean a person is kicked out of the Church. It is when a person or group is prohibited from participating in certain activities and receiving the sacraments until the excommunication is lifted. That would mean heretics are not killed today, or at least that’s the official narrative.

According to Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1563, a Catholic priest represents and embodies Jesus, the high priest, both at Mass and at any other time or place. He acts “in persona Christi capitus,” in the person of Christ the head, and consequently, a priest configures himself to Jesus. Now the Gospels portray, Jesus as a model of virtue and love. His teachings emphasize compassion, forgiveness, humility, and love for one’s neighbor. Catholics are told to strive to emulate Jesus and exhibit Christ-like behavior in their interactions with others. This is where my struggles begin. How can people (priests, bishops, cardinals, popes) who claim to act “in persona Christi capitus,” carry out atrocities like the persecution of the early Christians such as the Cathars, anti-heresy witch hunts during the Grand Inquisition, carry out crusades, priest sexual abuse of children, the papal collaboration with the Nazis during World War II, and more? How can a church said to be founded by Jesus have such a dark history? It appears to have a history of bullying (#bullying, #antibullying). For me, this is unforgivable. The one true church founded by Jesus Christ would never carry out such evils. No one who truly embodies Jesus would carry out evil acts. I am disillusioned.

Let’s Talk about Christmas

In 2017, US President Donald Trump claimed that political correctness had gotten in the way of celebrating Christmas saying, “We’re getting near that beautiful Christmas season that people don’t talk about anymore. They don’t use the word Christmas because it’s not politically correct.” (see Trump: ‘We’re saying merry Christmas again’). It seems every holiday season there is another debate about whether to say “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas.” I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) wrote about this in Christmas Controversies 3.0 and Christmas Controversies 3.1 in 2017.

The ridiculousness has continued this year as the National Post reports that Canada’s Federal commission declares Christmas holiday is ‘religious intolerance’. The Canadian Human Rights Commission — an agency created in 1977 to enforce the Canadian Human Rights Act and is fully funded by the Canadian government—argued that a day off on Christmas is ‘discriminatory.’ Christmas, really? Christmas has been around since at least the 4^th century (more on that later), and suddenly it’s discriminatory?

The commission published a Discussion Paper on Religious Intolerance saying that the Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter get days off, while non-Christians have to “request special accommodations to observe their holy days.” The discussion paper cited the statutory Christmas holidays as a form of “religious intolerance” arguing that this constitutes a “form of discrimination.”

That is a ridiculous argument because polls clearly show that non-Christian Canadians almost universally have no problem with Christian holidays. A Leger poll from 2022 asked non-Christian Canadians whether they were offended by the greeting “Merry Christmas.” Of respondents, 92% said “no.” It also asked Canadians of all religious faiths if Christmas if “religious” holidays should be struck from the country’s official statutory holidays. Only 6% said “yes.” That means potentially, only 6% of Canadians think Christian holidays are discriminatory. Does that warrant removing Christmas as a statutory holiday? Absolutely not.

Then there was the law Student’s request to display a menorah prompting the University of Alberta to remove Christmas trees instead. A University of Alberta law student is frustrated after her request to display a menorah alongside a Christmas tree in a study space led the faculty to remove the Christmas trees. The student says she never took issue with the Christmas trees. The decision to remove the trees and confine any potentially non-secular displays to an out-of-the-way room left her baffled. Now that seems a pretty extreme reaction to me, and borders on bullying (#bullying, #antibullying).

Christmas is the festival that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Is Christmas really the day Jesus was born? It seems the birthdate of Jesus is in dispute as indicated in the article, Why scholars disagree with Christmas birth date. The article states that “despite scholarly research regarding Christmas Day, most ‘experts’ are still unsure about the true date” of Jesus’ birth. The article, On what day and month was Jesus born? using scriptural evidence, places Jesus’ birth between September 16 and 29, while other theologians have suggested that Jesus was born sometime in the spring. This is based on the biblical narrative that shepherds were watching over their flocks in the fields on the night of Jesus’ birth. When I studied Biblical Theology, we were taught that the biblical stories were myth, that they were a symbolic narrative, and not historical.

Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25th? According to Wikipedia the Roman Empire held a festival called the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (‘birthday of the Invincible Sun’) on 25 December, the date of the winter solstice in the Roman calendar. It was dedicated to the sun god “Sol Invictus” (the Unconquered Sun). Some argue that this was the pagan festival that was Christianized . When I took Biblical Theology courses, we were told Christmas was a pagan festival that was Christianized, so that makes sense.

According to The History of Christmas, the church ‘Christianized’ the Saturnalia festival in the 4th century CE, hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. This holiday was a week-long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. Roman law dictated that no one would be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.

This same article refers to the ancient Greek poet and historian Lucian, who in his dialogue entitled Saturnalia, describes the festival’s observance. He references human sacrifice, widespread intoxication, going house to house singing naked, rape, other sexual activities, and consuming human-shaped biscuits.

According to that article, the DePascha Computus, an anonymous document allegedly written around 243 CE, placed Jesus’ birth on March 28. Clement, a bishop of Alexandria (d. ca. 215 CE), thought Jesus was born on November 18. Joseph B. Fitzmyer, professor of Biblical Studies at the Catholic University of America guesses that Jesus birth occurred on September 11, 3 BCE. He based his guess on historical records.

All of this leaves me with many questions. Why would church fathers choose to Christianize a pagan festival involving such debauchery? Why would church fathers choose December 25^th as the birth date of Jesus when most ‘experts’ are unsure about the true date of Jesus’ birth? Furthermore, wouldn’t it make more sense to base the date on biblical evidence placing the date of Jesus’ birth in September or sometime in the spring? Is there some hidden relevance to the December 25^th date that is being kept from us?

According to The History of Christmas, many of the most popular Christmas traditions, including Christmas trees, mistletoe, Christmas presents, and Santa Claus, are modern embodiments of depraved pagan rituals. The article provides a more detailed explanation of this. I doubt many Christians know that. Why would church fathers allow these traditions to creep into the said birthdate of Christian saviour, and the one that Christians proclaim as the Son of God?

No one can deny that Christmas is a hugely commercialized holiday. Christmas focuses on the buying and selling of gifts, with its advertising to convince people what items they should buy as Christmas gifts. How Did Christmas Become Commercialized? It’s not uncommon to hear slogans like “Keep Christ in Christmas” and “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” because Christmas has become so commercialized. There is even a Keep Christ in Christmas Evangelization Program, a campaign that sends religious Christmas cards throughout the US.

I am not trying to put a downer on the Christmas season. Christmas was my favourite time when I was a kid. As an adult, Christmas doesn’t make sense anymore. December 25^th is likely not the actual birth date of Jesus. Governments and media are now calling Christmas a form of “religious intolerance.” Some universities are removing Christmas decorations for reasons that are unclear, likely because Christmas trees are politically incorrect. Calgary’s mayor, Jyoti Gondek, declined to attend a Hanukkah event at city hall, claiming it had “been repositioned as an event to support Israel” and its invasion of Gaza as shown in the news article, Social media reacts to Calgary mayor’s decision to not attend City Hall menorah lighting. It seems Religious festivals are becoming politicized.

As Andy Williams’ traditional Christmas song, “It’s (Christmas) the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” says, Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. What has changed?

There is Something Wrong in Canada

Former Residential School in Alberta, Canada

In early June, News from Kamloops shook Canada when the remains of 215 children on a former residential school site in Kamloops, British Columbia (BC) were found. A week later, 751 unmarked graves at a former Saskatchewan residential school were located. The Marieval Indian Residential School site was operated by the Roman Catholic Church from 1899 to 1997 (source BBC). On June 30^th, once again, First Nations in Cranbrook, BC reported 182 unmarked gravesites discovered near the location of a former residential school site close to the former St. Eugene’s Mission School (source CBC). I’m sure there will be more remains discovered.

Like most Canadians, I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) was outraged by this news, since these deaths resulted from bullying (#bullying #antibullying) by the governments of the day and Christian churches who ran the schools, half of which were Catholic Churches. However, I was surprised by the level of anger. It seems that Canadians either forgot about the revelations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or didn’t pay much attention to it. In the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, in a document titled, Canada’s Residential Schools: Missing Children and Unmarked Burials, it was recommended that a study be done to identify the location of cemeteries and gravesites in which students were believed to be buried. The project was to collaborate with communities to identify options for commemoration, ceremony, and further community-based research. In 2009, the Commission requested the government cover the cost of this research, but the request was denied. I have to wonder, was the Canadian government trying to cover this up? The Commission revealed that there were many children buried in unmarked graves on former residential school sites.

Since the discovery of over 1000 unmarked graves, church vandalism in Canada has exploded and “suspicious” burnings of Christian (mostly Catholic) churches became widespread. The US is experiencing similar events (see Catholic churches have been torched and vandalized in the US). From June 21 through June 26, four Catholic churches located on tribal lands in British Columbia burned to the ground. Nova Scotia RCMP report suspicious fire at Catholic church in First Nations community. An Anglican church burned on June 26, but was extinguished with minor damage. In the province of Alberta, a fire was extinguished in the early morning hours of June 28 at the Siksika Nation Catholic Church. One June 30^th, Alberta woke up to the headline, Century-old Catholic church in Morinville, Alta., destroyed by fire, a church I visited years ago. These fires appear to be intentionally set, and these attacks on churches continue. These attacks are hate-crimes directed towards the Christian community, and some even argue this is a war on Christianity (see Rebel News). I have to wonder why it took Canada’s prime minister 11 days to condemn attacks on christian churches (see Trudeau denounces church burnings, vandalism in Canada) when the October defacing of the mosque in Cold Lake, Alberta, provoked Trudeau to denounce it the next day.

Since the discovery of unmarked graves, a debate brewed in June over whether to hold Canada Day celebrations. According to the article, Cancel Canada Day: ‘Nothing to celebrate’ amid unmarked graves, many Indigenous community leaders and advocates have promoted the cancelation of celebrations, instead, asking for the day to be one to reflect on the real history of Canada and to support Indigenous people. Many communities across Canada have heeded to that call (see Timeline).

Another debate also erupted: What should Canada do about the statues that regard the very men who started the schools where these children died? Many institutions and local governments are acting to remove statues of Canada’s first prime minister, and other politicians, plus renaming streets and schools of those directly connected to Canada’s residential school program. Statues, including Religious statues, in Canada are being vandalized like the Six religious statues beheaded at Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Sudbury, Ontario. Vandalization of Catholic churches is rampant with at least 10 Calgary churches defaced with red paint on Canada Day. Not all Indigenous leaders agree with what’s occurring since some Indigenous chiefs and leaders decry church burnings and vandalism.

The level of reaction to discoveries on former residential school sites is unprecedented. Don’t get me wrong, the reaction should be strong. It’s a collective call for justice, and a call for all Canadians to be united with Canada’s First Nations people. The question is: Does justice mean burning churches, removing statues, vandalizing, and dumping Canada’s national day?

Sheila North, the former Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) says;

“These things are perpetuating the racism and perpetuating the hatred towards Indigenous people without even realizing.”

I have to agree! The ways Canadians are directing their anger is only keeping division alive. Such activities do nothing to further reconciliation. They are actions of revenge which divide us by perpetuating hatred towards Indigenous people, catholics, or some other group.

Not everyone thinks residential schools were bad. An Indigenous person once told me that she felt she benefited from residential schools. There are even some who believe residential schools were a good thing as a Priest under fire after sermon on the ‘good done’ by Catholic Church on residential schools. Personally, I fail to see how any good can come from government-sponsored religious schools established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. How can any good come from an estimated 150,000 First Nation, Inuit, and Métis children who were isolated from their culture, and who suffered abuses in the form of excessive physical abuse and sexual predation?

I understand the anger. I stand with the First Nations people and it saddens me the way our European ancestors treated them. There needs to be justice and reconciliation. However, Cancelling Culture—the phenomenon of “canceling” people, brands, shows, and movies due to problematic or offensive remarks, ideologies, and branding—is not the answer. In the article, What is the Cancel Culture Movement, it says:

One of the biggest problems with cancel culture is that people are quick to cancel, but never so quick to forgive…It ignores the idea that people can pay for their mistakes, and insists that we should all be perfect beings who have never – and will never – make a mistake. The problem is that humans aren’t infallible. Who hasn’t made a mistake in the past?

Our history should never be cancelled, instead, it needs to be studied so mistakes of the past are never repeated. We need to forgive past leaders for the damage their decisions caused, and right those wrongs. Statues should not be torn down, but serve as reminders of people who made mistakes. To cancel history doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

Cambridge Dictionary defines justice as “fairness in the way people are dealt with.” Most Canadians and Americans would agree Indigenous people were treated unfairly. Canada’s prime minister is calling on the Pope to apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools, and is urging Canadian Catholics to demand action from their church. Churches should take responsibility, but why isn’t our government taking responsibility, since all residential schools were mandated by them? Did the PM forget that Pierre Trudeau, his father, was Prime Minister (PM) of Canada from 1968 to 1979, and during that time, the maintenance of residential schools were run by his government?

Yes, the Catholic church and governments need to apologize, but NOT just words. Apologies require actions to correct the wrongs done to survivors. PM Justin Trudeau promised to end all long-term boil-water advisories within five years during his 2015 campaign. If the PM really felt First Nations people were wronged, then he would keep that promise. Instead, Indigenous Services minister says Trudeau government won’t end boil-water advisories by March 2021. Actions speak louder than words Mr. PM.

Adam Soos from Rebel News says:

Reconciliation is a vital conversation that we must have, but please, for the sake of any progress that we have made on the path towards reconciliation, do not associate these hate crimes with progress or justice for the tragedies of our history. This is not justice. This is just the start of another dark chapter in Canadian history.

I couldn’t agree more. This must be a time to unite with our Indigenous people, to reconcile with our history, and to start acting as one people. Mahatma Gandhi says, “Relationships are based on four principles: respect, understanding, acceptance and appreciation.” It is time to respect and understand First Nations people, their culture, and what they endured. It is time to accept them as equals, and appreciate Indigenous people for who they are. Let’s stop this nonsense that Canadians are inherently racist as Critical Race Theory would have us believe. This theory reasons that racism is systemic, is inherent in much of the American or Canadian way of life, and paints “white” people as racist. Racism is learned, and is designed to divide us. As I said in Does Media Mirror Culture, or Create Culture? “We humans are innately good, naturally cooperative, and instinctively altruistic.” It is time to start being who we truly are.

Does Media Mirror Culture, or Create Culture?

A commentary on media

I’ve (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) noticed that the term ‘woke’ is being tossed around on television lately. Wokeness is a term that refers to the awareness of issues that concern social and racial justice. That is not a bad thing, but is it being taken to the extreme? Even the Toronto real estate board dropping ‘master bedroom’ term and replacing it with the word “primary.” I’ve also noticed Gender-neutral language being used in the media. This is language which avoids a bias towards a particular sex or social gender. For example, mailman is no longer “politically correct,” but mail carrier is. It got me wondering why. Is this a way to normalize wokeness and gender-neutral language? In researching for an answer, I came across the opinion piece, The Woke Revolution Is Powered by the Elites, which argues that the woke revolution is not a grassroots movement, but instead is powered by well-connected and guilt-ridden elites. Could this be true?

I recall having a discussion in one of my classes. I asked the question: Does media (the internet, magazines, television, motion pictures, etc.) reflect the world we live in, or create the world we live in? Another way to phrase it: Does media mirror culture, or create culture? I remember it being a lively discussion, but I don’t recall if we reached a consensus.

In the article, How Do Movies Impact our Societies, it says:

The power of audiovisuals has been manifested and exploited politically, socially, and economically throughout history. Leaders such as Adolf Hitler, for example, successfully used films as propaganda tools during World War II. Facts like these show the raw power of film.

Could movies be used as propaganda tools? On debate.org, the question: Is television brainwashing us? one person says:

What is seen on TV is generally not accepted in society, but the more it’s seen, the more people begin to accept it. Often, this is done through humor or through exaggerated behaviors. As we watch these again and again, we can become desensitized to them–things like violence, swearing, and other behaviors that our grandparents would have raised their eyebrows over.

This makes sense to me. When I was a kid, you never heard swearing on a television screen. Now “F-bombs” are commonplace. Nowadays, graphic murder scenes are normal. This wasn’t the case when I was a kid. Is media desensitizing us, indoctrinating us or brainwashing us? I think so. For many years, I’ve wondered why violence, bullying (#bullying #antibullying), marital infidelity, sexual promiscuity, and selfish behaviours are so prevalent on TV and in movies. Now I realize it is to normalize it; to make people believe they’re normal human behaviours.

When I taught religious education as a teacher, I taught my students that humans were innately good, and I still think that. Humans are naturally altruistic. Psychology Today defines altruism as acting to help someone else at some cost to oneself. This is especially evident when tragedies happen as people never think twice about helping another. Most of us have heard the stories of a stranger running into a burning building to rescue someone. Teaching in a Christian school, I used the Christian scripture Colossians 3:12 to support my argument. It says; “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…”

There are many science articles supporting this claim. The Scientific American article, Scientists Probe Human Nature–and Discover We Are Good, After All, sites studies carried out in 2012 which found that a human’s “first impulses are selfless and that we are predisposed to act cooperatively, to help others even when it costs us.” The article, Scientists find evidence that human beings are born with an innate desire to help others, sights studies from Harvard University saying that young children and babies are innately sociable and helpful to others. Most TV programs and movies lead us to believe that humans are selfish, yet the Greater Good Science Center has an article titled, The Compassionate Instinct that says:

Compassion and benevolence, this research suggests, are an evolved part of human nature, rooted in our brain and biology, and ready to be cultivated for the greater good.

Studies support my claim that humans are innately good, yet A 2018 new global Ipsos MORI study found that three in four people (76%) on average across 27 countries think society in their country is divided. Most of us agree, the world feels very divided, especially now. The question is: Why?

The article, Divided People Divided Politics Divided Nations: Why is the World so Divided Today? says:

Politicians always used fear and divisions in society to gain votes, there is nothing new to here…Our opinions are being shaped and divided. The cohesive fabric of the society is being torn and divided…If we allow our minds to be programmed by artificial intelligence controlled by vested interests, then it will lead to divisions and strife.

In April of this year, former NBA star Charles Barkley expounded during March Madness that political parties and elites “divide and conquer” Americans in order to “keep their grasp on money and power.” (see Barkley)

Could this be what is happening? Do elites want us divided? Are we mind controlled to be divided? “Divide and conquer” has always been used as a way of distracting and controlling the non-elites. When television and movie productions repeatedly portray humans a selfish, bullies, violent, and racist we begin to believe it. In essence, we are being indoctrinated or brainwashed to think that is normal human behaviour. The truth is the opposite! We humans are innately good, naturally cooperative, and instinctively altruistic. We know this unconsciously when we get out of our head, and move into our hearts. Or as Albert Einstein puts it; “Don’t let your brain interfere with your heart.” Rumi says:

Love is not written on paper, for paper can be erased. Nor is it etched on stone, for stone can be broken. But it is inscribed on a heart and there it shall remain forever.

The late Steve Jobs once said:

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

Steve Jobs is absolutely right, especially his words; “Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.” When we follow our hearts, and not the brain—which is usually filled with indoctrination garbage or dogma—then we become loving, compassionate and benevolent, which is our human nature. The heart is where love resides, and where our instincts or intuition reside. The bottom line is we are divided, violent, racist, selfish, bullying, because our ego is programmed or indoctrinated by media to be so. The solution is to stop filling our minds with untruths, release false beliefs, and to follow the heart where truth is!

The late English singer-songwriter, George Michael once said:

“You’ll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.”

The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy

A commentary on the state of the world

Back when I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) was in college, I used to listen to the Canadian rock band April Wine, and even attended a few of their concerts. In 1976, they released the song, ‘The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazy.’ If you’ve never heard the song, have a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As7Z3ESdY-4

One of the lines in the song is, “The whole world’s goin’ crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.” That is the way I feel these days. Here’s why.

Canada is not the same country that I grew up in. Spencer Fernando says “Canada no longer feels like a free country.” That is how I feel. Even the mainstream media (MM) in the US are talking about Canada, and not in a positive way. Tucker Carlson of Fox News recently gave this commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDIfFb5z7eQ

According to True North’s article, Tucker Carlson isn’t the only one speaking out about Trudeau’s internment camps, the reactions on Twitter compared the “hotels” to gulags and concentration camps. Back in October, the CBC assured Canadians that any talk of “internment camps” was false, saying in its headline, “Disinformation campaign falsely suggests Canadians will be forcibly sent to quarantine sites.” Another lie told by our MM. This explains why Half of Canadians believe journalists mislead the public: poll. Even censorship is flaunted and thought acceptable, as The head of YouTube brags about how brutal they’ve made their censorship. Florida governor Ron DeSantis calls out 60 Minutes for “smear” alleging pay-to-play vaccine distribution plan. This is another blatant lie by the MM as it was shown false by the Democratic mayor of Palm Beach County, who worked with the governor’s office. It’s crazy! MM is untrustworthy, and freedom of speech is guaranteed by Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but now Trudeau’s Liberals say they will legally censor anyone who “taunts” them — so, it was nice knowing you! This is all pure craziness.

I used to feel pride in being Canadian, and proud of Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The RCMP is stereotypically considered one of Canada’s most cherished institutions, with its brave Mounties courageously keeping our country safe. I will admit, I once believed that, but I have lost all respect for our RCMP, and other police forces, because of their bullying (#bullying #antibullying), most especially their bullying of churches. The stories of Alberta police raid and close GraceLife church, Pastor kicked Calgary cops from church, and Warrantless cops, public health kicked out of Calgary church by pastor clearly show the craziness of police bullying when our Charter guarantees religious freedom. This is not the same RCMP who policed my home town growing up.

It is crazy how the people we elect to serve us are now bullies. They allow police harrassment for protesting lockdowns when the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees Canadian’s right to protest. Yet, we see articles saying, “Stop treating us like we’re walking viruses”: protesters risk $1,200 fines in Whitecourt, Alberta, and Government troops occupy a church in Alberta. Where’s the outcry — even from other churches? Governments acting ‘out of character’ is crazy as Trudeau gov’t gives itself permission to borrow $635 billion this year. Governments typically claim they must balance their budgets to justify cutting programs. It’s wild how members of governments are disagreeing with their political party as in 15 UCP MLAs push back against latest Alberta lockdown. According to Global News, there are now 18 dissenting back benchers and Premier Kenney has warned United Conservative legislature members that flouting the rules means disciplinary action that includes getting kicked out of caucus. Now even the government is acting crazy because people are not listening to their dictating leaders.

The craziest idea our governments are now toying with are COVID passports. That means no freedom without the jab. It’s crazy because it’s like China’s social credit system. As explained in An Introduction to the China Social Credit System, the goal of China’s social credit system, which is still in development, is to provide a holistic assessment of an individual or a company’s trustworthiness, based on a numerical score. The consequences of a poor social credit score could be serious. It may affect travel prospects, employment, access to finance, and the ability to enter into contracts. Yet, Concerns grow regarding use of vaccine passports in United Kingdom. Ontario is the first province to introduce such a thing, as indicated in the articles, Ontario’s “digital ID plan” sure sounds like a vaccine passport, and in Vaccine passports are coming, aren’t they? Yes, the world is going crazy, crazy, crazy!

It is a crazy world when ordinary people act crazy. A School threatens mask-exempt father with Trespass charge for picking up his kids. When parents are prevented from taking their children with them, that’s insanity. When a parent is jailed for advocating for their children, we live in a ridiculous world. Parents have a right, as primary caregivers, to object to their underage child getting a sex change. (see Jailed B.C. father offered plea bargain after speaking out against trans teen’s medical transition and Jailed BC father fighting child’s hormone therapy reaches plea agreement.) It is a crazy world when books once cherished for generations suddenly become offensive, but that is what happened with the beloved Dr. Seuss books (see These are the “offensive” drawings that got Dr. Seuss books banned?)

It is a crazy world with all the COVID confusion and misinformation provided by MM, social media, and health professionals. The latest is New South African mutant Covid strain ‘evades testing and could be more rampant than we know’ and A new coronavirus variant found in France can hide from COVID-19 nasal-swab tests.

US Dr. Fauci is considered the top infectious disease expert. In an article titled, This is Dr. Fauci’s most important coronavirus warning right now, he agrees:

The UK, South African, and Brazilian mutations were detailed in December and January, and many countries have already confirmed infections with the new strains. The South African variation is the most dangerous of the three because it can evade neutralizing antibodies in some cases.

Then in Everything Dr. Fauci Has Said About Coronavirus, he says,

“When you look at the level of virus in the nasal pharynx of someone who’s symptomatic versus without symptoms, the level is exactly the same…So you can make the assumption that… without symptoms, you can spread it. We know from pretty good studies that asymptomatic people can drive transmission of this virus.”

If this new variant evades detection, then how do they know it’s a variant? Wouldn’t you have to detect a variant? How can a person who is asymptomatic and one who is symptomatic have exactly the same amount of virus? None of this makes sense to me. It is crazy how “intelligent” this coronavirus is; a virus that can avoid the body’s antibodies, evade detection, and spread asymptomatically. I’m no doctor, but I taught biology for 35 years, including units on immunity, and I have never heard of this. Biology textbooks always taught that the body’s natural immune system fights off any viruses when working efficiently.

The article in Science Magazine, Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection, says:

Substantial immune memory is generated after COVID-19, involving all four major types of immune memory. About 95% of subjects retained immune memory at ~6 months after infection.

Even Scientific American says Your Immune System Evolves to Fight Coronavirus Variants, saying antibodies can change to counter new forms of the shape-shifting virus. Perhaps this is why even MM columnists are questioning what health officials are saying, as in SNOBELEN: When the facts don’t align with public health’s preconceived notions. Then there is the Doctor [who] invites public to tour COVID wards… then backtracks when challenged to do so. There is craziness even in the medical community.

Alberta just implemented tighter COVID restrictions, one of which is you can only eat in restaurant patios outside. A recent meme said:

We can’t eat inside. But we can eat outside. But it’s cold outside. But it’s cold so we set up outside as inside. It’s fine because it’s outside inside.

The world has gotten that crazy. In fact, here is a video of New Yorkers, banned from eating inside, eating outside during a snow storm. If that isn’t crazy, I don’t know what is. You can’t make this stuff up.

https://youtu.be/CiZd5_uun20

As said in a meme:

In a world where it is normal to raise your child without a gender, quarantine yourself while healthy, cower at the sight of someone breathing fresh air, and snitch on your neighbours for celebrating the holidays…I’m okay with being called crazy.

Yes, as the song says, “The whole world’s goin’ crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.” The truth is, this craziness stops when people think for yourselves, do their your own research, and stop blindly listening to the media, politicians, and health officials. Craziness ends when we say, “Enough is enough!”

The Wisdom of Spock

A commentary on the wisdom of Spock

I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) grew up watching Star Trek. In college, our entire dorm used to watch whatever Star Trek episode was on TV before going to eat dinner at the cafeteria. My favourite character has always been Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy. There is a scene in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, where Spock says, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one.” To me, it makes sense to do what is best for the majority of people. Really what Spock is talking about is utilitarianism, which holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number.

French philosopher, Voltaire, believed that the purpose of government was to protect religious liberty, freedom of the press, and the liberties of the people. Most people believe the governments we elect will protect us and make decisions that benefit the majority of people. That doesn’t seem to hold true at present. There has been a meme going around with a quote by Nathan Fraser which says, “There are two types of people in the world. People who think the government is looking out for their best interest, and people who think.” Ronald Reagan once said, “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” U S President Reagan was right!

The story, Alberta NDP leader has coughing fit during press conference, won’t address COVID questions, indicates that politicians are not upfront with us, or at the very least fail to practice what they preach. They clearly have shown a lack of integrity and are untrustworthy.

If governments were here to help, why are they continuing to lock us down? They claim they’re protecting us from the deadly COVID virus, but are they? I find that difficult to believe when I read news articles such as, Lockdowns have no significant benefits: international study. If governments and health officials truly cared about our heath, they would be more concerned about the mental health crisis (see FUREY: The psychological toll of the COVID-19 lockdowns) and other issues created by the lockdowns. Sexual exploitation of children is on the rise reported in Online sexual exploitation of children up 88% during pandemic. The Economy is suffering as described in FUREY: It’s not just ‘business’ that’s hurting — it’s all of society, it’s life itself. Suicides are increasing as stated in Youth suicide attempts increase due to lockdowns: study. People with food allergies, forced to quarantine in COVID jails, are being fed foods that cause them harm as outlined in DENIED: Delivering pizza to a quarantine hotel. I haven’t even got into the bullying (#bullying #antibullying) promoted by our leaders in the name of “COVID protection.” The article, Cops PRESSURED by health authority to ticket Full Gospel Outreach Church in Saskatchewan, discusses the bullying towards Christian churches. This is not protecting the liberties of the people, or religious freedom. This is bullying by the very people who were supposed to be protecting us.

Spock in Star Trek’s season 1, episode 24 (“Space Seed,” 1968) said, “Insufficient facts always invite danger.” Are governments, media, and health officials giving us accurate information regarding the alleged pandemic? Mainstream Media’s (MM) CTV News says COVID hospitalizations surging among ages 30 to 50, Doctor says, yet according to the ACES monitoring system, the 30 day average of new hospital admissions in Ontario for Pneumonia, Influenza-like illness and infection are all well below the historical (2018, 2019) average. (see Hospital admissions are much lower than historical record despite COVID-19 – ACES monitoring system).

So I have to ask: Is the MM being honest with us? American actor, Denzel Washington, doesn’t think so since he lectures the Media on its dishonesty and ‘Fake News.’ Check out the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwnNrr9RO2Y

I’m inclined to believe the American actor since The Washington Post a few months back reported on the call between Donald Trump and an elections investigator in Georgia, claiming Trump asked her to “find the fraud.” Two months after this story, the Washington Post published a retraction, saying, instead, Trump urged the investigator to scrutinize ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, asserting she would find ‘dishonesty’ there. Many MM outlets such as CNN, ABC News, NBC News and USA Today all claimed that they had “confirmed” The Washington Post’s reporting. If MM lied—lets call it what it is—about this story, how many other stories are false?

Here in Canada, the CBC published feature on business owner who assaulted female journalist. Rebel News, where the reporter involved works, gives their version of the story in CBC Promos Dion Bews, AKA The NDP Thug Who Assaulted Sheila. Why is the CBC promoting someone who is less than honourable? The CBC claims that they were unaware of the man’s assault of a female. Isn’t it their job to get all the facts before publishing a story? I—until recently—always believed that reporters had integrity. I guess I was wrong.

Spock said “Insufficient facts always invite danger,” so I have to ask: Are we being fed “insufficient facts” by media, politicians, and health officials that put us in danger? The story, Conservatives call for emergency meeting over AstraZeneca vaccine concerns, would suggest so. The Toronto Star reports that Alberta joins other provinces in halting use of AstraZeneca shot for people under 55. And then there’s Over 100 Fully Vaccinated People In Washington State Test Positive For COVID-19. There seems to be concerns regarding these shots and one does have to question the effectiveness of the vaccine. Rebel News asks, Why are so many front-line health care workers refusing to take the vaccines? saying frontline healthcare workers are refusing the COVID-19 vaccine en masse. Do they know something that we aren’t being told?

Why are COVID shots being forced upon us? Perhaps Rebel News is right in their article, Worst of times for you, but it’s the best of times for Pfizer! Ask yourself: Who has gained the most from this never-ending pandemic? It is not the small businesses or us regular people. Corporate stores are doing fine. Politicians have never missed a paycheque, and some even got raises (see No April Fool’s Joke). seem to be benefiting. The fear-induced panic driven by politicians, health officials, and mainstream news has sparked a demand for a supposed miracle COVID vaccine, and companies delivered! Who do you suppose is benefiting financially? The story, Bill Gates: Vaccines are ‘phenomenal’ profit makers, concurs with Rebel News’ claim.

Spock in Star Trek’s season 3, episode 5, (“And the Children Shall Lead,” 1968) said, “Without followers, evil cannot spread.” I do not follow mainstream news any more. I do my own research and thinking, and I refuse to blindly do something because some acclaimed expert, such as a politician, or health official, or news anchor told me to. That way, I know no evil can occur to me. I recently saw this story on Facebook.

An anthropologist showed a game to the children of an African tribe. He placed a basket of delicious fruits near a tree trunk and told them: “The first child to reach the tree will get the basket.” When he gave them the start signal, he was surprised that they were walking together, holding hands until they reached the tree and shared the fruit! When he asked them why they did that, pointing out that each one could have gotten the basket for themselves, they answered with bewilderment: “Ubuntu. That is, how can one of us be happy while the rest are miserable?” Ubuntu in their culture means: I am because we are. The African people know the secret of happiness; a secret that has been lost in all societies that transcend them, yet consider themselves civilized societies.

Sadly, this is what is missing at the present time. Because we allow others to tell us how to think, what to believe, or how to behave, we have become a divided and fearful world. No wonder there is so much unhappiness. How can anyone be happy when others are unhappy? The time has come to follow no more, to think for yourselves, to make informed decisions by doing your own research, and find happiness by standing up for those who are being bullied by the media, politicians, and health officials.

Has Humanity Listened to the Wrong People?

A commentary on humanity’s choices

A video came across my Facebook feed recently that got me thinking. The video is from Mindfulness Ireland. Have a watch, as it will likely touch your heart as it did mine. You’re probably wondering why it moved me, and why it got me thinking. Let me (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) explain.

Growing up, I was taught that humans were the pinnacle of creation, and that all other creatures—plants and animals—are inferior to humans. The Christian church I was raised in taught that only humans have a soul or spirit that goes to “heaven.” I even had a conversation with a priest about this topic once. The Christian church has traditionally seen humans as superior to animals based on Genesis 1:26 of the Christian Scriptures, which says:

Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’

Most Biblical intellectuals interpret this scripture text to mean that animals do not have an eternal soul in the same sense as humans do. The website, Catholic Answers says:

The soul is the principle of life. Since animals and plants are living things, they have souls, but not in the sense in which human beings have souls. Our souls are rational–theirs aren’t…Animals and plants can’t do anything which transcends the limitations of matter. Although some animals seem clever, they don’t actually possess conceptional intelligence. They can’t, for instance, conceive of the abstract notion of justice.

To summarize, plant and animal ‘souls’ don’t live on after death. Science conventionally says the same as explained by Dr Arthur Saniotis from the University’s School of Medical Sciences:

“For millennia, all kinds of authorities – from religion to eminent scholars – have been repeating the same idea ad nauseam, that humans are exceptional by virtue that they are the smartest in the animal kingdom…The belief of human cognitive superiority became entrenched in human philosophy and sciences. Even Aristotle, probably the most influential of all thinkers, argued that humans were superior to other animals due to our exclusive ability to reason.” (Source: Science X).

GospelWay.com has an entire essay, Superiority of Humans to Animals in God’s Plan, that argues that God values humans the most because animals have no spirit, no moral responsibility, no eternal destiny, and are not held accountable for right and wrong.

I have always respected the Indigenous or First Nation’s world view. Speaking generally, Indigenous people all over the world have a deep respect for the land, the plants and the animals. Animals played a very important role in their lives, providing them with food and clothing, taught them lessons, and served as messengers and spirit guides. In Honouring Earth, on the Assembly of First Nations website, it says:

Mother Earth…bestows us with materials for our homes, clothes and tools…If we listen from the place of connection to the Spirit That Lives in All Things, Mother Earth teaches what we need to know to take care of her and all her children…First Nations peoples’ have a special relationship with the earth and all living things in it. This relationship is based on a profound spiritual connection to Mother Earth that guided indigenous peoples to practice reverence, humility and reciprocity…Everything is taken and used with the understanding that we take only what we need, and we must use great care and be aware of how we take and how much of it so that future generations will not be put in peril.

Indigenous spirituality highlights a “connection to the Spirit That Lives in All Things.” On the Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples Blog, it says:

Many Indigenous Peoples believe that “the Animal People have spirits and enter the human world to give their bodies to supply men with food, fur and other materials. After their flesh is used the animals return home, put on new flesh and re-enter the human world whenever they choose.”

Many Indigenous people believe animals have souls or spirits which live on after death since those animals “put on new flesh and re-enter the human world whenever they choose.” Even science is re-evaluating what it believes about animal kingdom. Many researchers say animals have feelings and emotions, as in the articles; What Kind of Emotions Do Animals Feel? and Do Animals Have Feelings? Examining Empathy In Animals. In the first article it says:

Instead of considering ourselves [humans] so refined and rational, it’s time for us to squarely face the degree to which we–like other animals–are driven by emotions.

Animals do have emotions, and any pet owner will tell you that. Those videos showing animal affection touch the heart. The video, Unbelievable Friendship! People and Wild Animals, show convincing evidence of this: Have a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXCG6EX5Lek

Science is even admitting that animals are intelligent as the articles, Animal Intelligence and Everything Worth Knowing About … Animal Intelligence report. This video certainly shows the intelligence of the family Corvidae of birds, otherwise known as crows and ravens. Here is the video.

I’ve personally experienced the intelligence of ravens. A number of years ago, while on a hiking trip in the Canadian Rockies, I watched two ravens hover around a table where two hikers were about to eat their boiled eggs for breakfast. Before the hikers got to eat them, they got up and left their table. Two ravens swooped down and grabbed their eggs. This was planned, as ravens and crows are strategic and plan their moves before they act. (see Crow Facts).

By now, you are probably wondering why I am babbling on about humans and animals. Here’s why. All my life, I have watched humanity claim to be the most intelligent animal, yet continually make choices that put humanity and our planet in danger. The article, 50 Reasons Why the Human Race Is Too Stupid To Survive, lists 50 stupid things human have done, and I believe there are way more than fifty.

As mentioned earlier, Indigenous people have a deep respect for Mother Earth—the land, the plants and the animals. They believe animals teach them lessons, and are messengers and guides. I have always felt the Indigenous world view made more sense as opposed to the European world view. Perhaps if the European settlers had adopted an Indigenous-Centric world view instead of keeping their Eurocentric view, with its beliefs of superiority and that the natives were inferior savages, our world would be better off. Since Mother Earth guided the indigenous peoples to practice reverence, humility and reciprocity, there most certainly would be less, or even no bullying (#bullying #antibullying).

You see, I believe we have much to learn from Mother Earth, especially her animals. The One Green Planet article, 10 Important Life Lessons we can Learn From Animals, says there are ten lessons that we can learn from animals. Two lessons, according to this article, are ‘We’re All Connected’ and ‘We Must Stick Together.’ This is what Chief Seattle, who advocated accommodation with white settlers, meant when he said:

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”

Considering the present state of our world at the moment, with all its division, power grabs, and bullying, maybe we would be wise to pay attention to the animal kingdom and Indigenous wisdom. We have nothing to lose, and much to learn. Clearly, the old ways have not worked.

Strange Things Are Happening this Month

A commentary on the spirit of Christmas

Strange things have been happening this month, and I am not referring to the craziness in the world. I’m referring to me (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors). Here is what I mean.

Every year starting in November, my wife starts recording Hallmark Christmas movies, and she watches them endlessly. Every year I ask: “Why do you watch those stupid movies when they are all the same and they are so predictable?” Every year she responds with: “They’re light and make me feel good.” I typically get annoyed with her because she records so many movies that they interfere with the programs I want to record, usually from the History Channel.

Now if you are unacquainted with Hallmark Christmas movies, here is the basic premise of all Hallmark Christmas movies. They often involve a fast-paced, big city type who meets a small-town type who teaches him/her what Christmas or life is really about. The setting is always in a small town with an unusual name like Fertile. Everyone drinks hot chocolate or cider, and these towns have Christmas tree lighting ceremonies or some type of traditional event. These movies always have lesser known, attractive actors and actresses. Perhaps that is the real reason my wife watches these movies as she enjoys nice-looking male actors. Okay, I’ll be honest. I like watching good-looking female actresses too. Often, in Hallmark movies, someone is brought together with an old flame, and involves a going-to-buy-a-tree scene where the couple literally bump into each other and fall in love in a short time. These movies almost always involve some sort of Christmas magic.

Usually when I go to exercise on the treadmill or rower, I watch a movie. Now here is the weird thing. This year, in 2020, I’ve been watching Hallmark Christmas movies. I typically prefer to watch the typical guy movies; action packed Marvel super hero type movies, but not this year. This is a first for me. My wife likes it as I watch some of them with her. But the thing is, my wife is right; these movies do help a person capture the Christmas spirit.

Every year when it comes to decorating for Christmas, I complain. My wife and children call me the Grinch. In fact, for many of the Christmases past, my wife poured me an alcoholic drink so the decorating experience was tolerable for me. I’ll be honest, I hate decorating for Christmas, but this year was different. This year I volunteered to set up the tree and put the lights on it before having a hot tub. Anyone who knows me will tell you the hot tub is my “happy place,” so to decorate before hot tubbing is odd for me. I never complained once; I think my wife would confirm that.

Maybe subconsciously, I had a selfish motive. You see, I love coloured lights on the Christmas tree and my wife loves white lights, so we alternate years. This year is a coloured lights year, so maybe subconsciously I wanted to make sure the coloured lights were put on in case my wife put on the white lights and then claimed she forgot it was a coloured light year. But I don’t think that is it.

I believe the strangeness I am experiencing is answered in the song ‘The World Needs Christmas’ by Emily And Mike. The song says:

It’s been a long and trying year
Full of anxiety and fear
But now it’s finally December
It’s the time when we remember
The world needs Christmas
More than ever this year
Put all the distant, the conflict, the stress, and the trauma behind usThe world needs Christmas
We need laughter and cheer…

If you never listened to the song, here it is

I think I can explain my atypical behaviour. This year, more than any other year, my heart craves love, hope, peace and joy. I need to feel the spirit of Christmas. Some unknown said:

“Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display–so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn’t the holly, it isn’t the snow. It isn’t the tree not the firelight’s glow. It’s the warmth that comes to the hearts of men [and women] when the Christmas spirit returns again.”

American essayist and lecturer, Hamilton Wright Mabie once said: “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!” American novelist, Edna Ferber, says: “Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” Or “Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen,” an unknown author wrote. Yes, I am longing for that Christmas feeling or spirit. Right now, our world needs peace after a trying 2020, the year of bullying (#bullying #antibullying). As American writer of religious and inspirational poetry, Helen Steiner Rice says: “Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.”

Christmas—I speak of Christmas only because I was raised Christian—has always meant something more to me than the commercial aspect of gift giving. It’s a feeling, and I remember well that feeling as a kid. I remember feeling love when we gathered with aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Perhaps American children’s author Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, says it best with:

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

One of my favourite movies is the 1951 version of Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol. I grew up watching this movie every Christmas, usually with my dad, when it was on television Christmas eve. It’s the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly businessman who largely views Christmas as a waste of time. But that all changes on Christmas Eve when he is visited by the spirits, or ghosts, of Christmas past, present and future who show him the errors of his ways. My favourite part of the movie is when Scrooge, played by Edinburgh born actor, the late Alastair Sim, wakes up Christmas morning. Here is what I am talking about. Be sure to watch the entire clip.

Mr. Scrooge definitely caught the Christmas spirit. He is filled with hope, love, and joy. What Mr. Scrooge felt is what I need to feel more than anything this year. I suspect that is true for everyone on this planet.

Christmas time is an important month for other world religions, since Islam, Judaism and Buddhism all celebrate major festivals around Christmas. The Jewish festival of lights, Chanukah, is one such festival. The Muslim festival, Ashura, is celebrated by both Sunni and Shia Islam. The Buddhist celebration of Bodhi Day, celebrated December 8^th, is a celebration when Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment while sitting under a tree. These festivals are all celebrated around the Christian Christmas festival.

The word ‘festival’ stems from the root word ‘fest’ which is a gathering, event, or show having a specified focus. A festival is about relationship as it can mean a day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration. Whenever there is feasting and celebration, there is peace, joy. hope, and love. It is time to bring on the festivals, in whatever form you envision this month, and capture the feeling of Christmas, or Chanukah, or Ashura, or Bodhi day, or whatever festival you celebrate. Author Max Abraham says, “Without relationships, life is useless, empty, boring and lonely.” The world needs that feeling, especially this year.