It is 2:55 AM on Saturday December 15th, 2018. I’m still trying to get into the Christmas mood but it is hampered by a couple of things. The first is probably the news and the dire picture it paints about the state of the world. First and foremost we have a complete idiot of a President along with his gold digging, nude picture publishing, cheated on with porn stars wife. Trump and Melania are both a disgrace but what is worse is that half of America voted Trump into office.
It is not just a simple mistake that is going to correct itself when Trump leaves office. What millions of people voting for someone like him means is that our society is a complete mess. In a few short words we are a Jerry Springer society and America is finally getting exactly what it deserves for a President. America is a business, not so much a country. The overriding ties that bind society together is the chance to make money and purchase things, everything else such as patriotism, religion, and so in is nothing more than veneer.
The monkeys have been let loose in the White House and boy are they causing an incredible amount of damage for the future of the USA. It plays out slowly with each episode seemingly getting worse than the last. If you’re reading this in the far future and wonder how we could be so idiotic this is the fault of the Republican party who have been willing to burn down not only the USA but also the planet just so they could have power.
Yes, the planet is heating up and the Republicans want to hasten the process. Yes the President cheated on his third wife with porn stars and the Republicans, who claim to be religious, look the other way (hypocrites). The wife of the President wears coats that say “I really don’t care, do you?” when visiting children in cages on the border. This is all so surreal but real it is. Our leaders have become a farce.
The only saving grace seems to be states such as California who are driving ahead without the nonsense from the federal government. Innovation continues, the drive towards renewable energy continues, things still look relatively bright so long as we go our own way with a stiff arm to the White House and their stupid policies.
So yes, that hampers my Christmas spirit. There is also the pressure from work which puts a little damper on things. It is pretty much self imposed as things look pretty good but there are a lot of expectations.
Also, Christmas, which I used to celebrate as the birth of Jesus, has completely changed. I am no longer a Christian but most of the people I grew up with are. One of them posted a rant about Christmas and why are people celebrating if not for the birth of Jesus? I had to set him straight in that the birth year of Jesus is unknown, the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, and the Winter Solstice has been a major event (where light begins to triumph over darkness) for millennia. It was the Christians who co-opted the pagan celebrations (and not just Christmas!) for their own use.
Christianity to me now looks so very strange. We live in a modern, technological and scientific era but a good part of humanity cannot break free of the superstition and traditions that are based on a “hearsay of a hearsay of some non-event.”
But I’m still fine with calling it Christmas, not because I believe in the story about the magical birth of some kid in a stable to a virgin – sound so strange to any rationally thinking person doesn’t it? – but rather that Christianity is a major part of human history and it is a part of who I am since I was raised in that faith.
Anyway, I need to force some Christmas spirit upon myself. The trick this year would be to completely shut out the news and nonsense and focus on the positive aspects of life. I cannot control the news or what occurs out there in the world but I can control what I pay attention to and how I want my mindset to be. Time to get working on it.
