Meet reflexive bitterness
President Joe Biden, a famously observant Roman Catholic, issued a Christmas message from the White House Thursday afternoon, in part:
There is a certain stillness at the center of the Christmas story. A silent night when all the world goes quiet and all the glamour, all the noise, everything that divides us, everything that pits us against one another, everything — everything that seems so important but really isn’t, this all fades away in stillness of the winter’s evening.
And we look to the sky, to a lone star, shining brighter than all the rest, guiding us to the birth of a child — a child Christians believe to be the son of God; miraculously now, here among us on Earth, bringing hope, love and peace and joy to the world.
The “smallest act of kindness can mean so much,” Biden said. “A simple smile. A hug. An unexpected phone call. A quiet cup of coffee.” Simple acts of kindness can not only “provide comfort” but “perhaps maybe even save a life.”
“So, this Christmas, let’s spread a little kindness,” Biden concluded.
Nonetheless, since Henry Ford, American conservatives have insisted our holiday traditions include diatribes against secularization (and Jews). Since at least the birth of Fox News, the modern “War on Christmas” tradition has brought comfort and joy to those whose knee-jerk reaction to “Good morning!” is a bitter “What’s good about it?!”
Far-right cable news network Newsmax is really scraping the bottom of the outrage du jour barrel this holiday season by condemning Biden’s use of “son of God” in his Christmas message without naming Jesus. Actor/director/producer Kevin Sorbo complains to Newsmax that devout Catholics Biden and Nancy Pelosi are phony Christians. Former Dukes of Hazzard actor John Schneider asks why Biden can’t just say “ ‘Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior,’ and I will run my country under His guidelines?”
Um, because the U.S. is not a theocracy? (Yet.)
“Satan never mentions Jesus by name, he is afraid of God,” responds Twitter/Truth Social/GETTR user Hamlet Garcia.
Conservatives Outraged Joe Biden Didn’t Say ‘Jesus’ in Christmas Message, blares Newsweek. Father Gerald Murray of the Archdiocese of New York is upset. Former Representative Doug Collins, Republican of Georgia, is upset. And Heritage Foundation’s Kara Frederick.
Which is plenty odd because, well:
Many Names, One Meaning says the Museum of the Bible. 50 Names and Titles of Jesus, says pastor’s wife Debbie McDaniel at Crosswalk blog.
Oh, we can do better than that, says Christ Unlimited Ministries: All the Names of Jesus (over 100). And Ralph Andrus of Faithlife Sermons: 100 Names of Jesus (another 100+).
And not to be outdone, Believers Portal offers: The Over 200 Names & Titles Of Jesus Christ Found In The Bible. They even include a Wordle.
Biden could have read them all and still be condemned. It’s how some Christians celebrate “the reason for the season.”
Happy Hollandaise!