The real meaning of Christmas. Via the Free Republic.
Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
O Holy Night (Download Ready)
November 27, 2008
O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining.
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born!
Oh night divine! Oh night! Oh night divine!
Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother,
and in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise his holy name.
Christ is the lord, that ever, ever praise we.
Noel! Noel! Oh night;oh night divine!
Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!
Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!
In a bizarre incident in one of Saddam Hussein’s old palaces in Baghdad, a news conference with President George Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was in progress. This after a final presidential visit from Bush. In the midst of the conference, an Iraqi reporter with the Iraqi anti-American Iraqi TV news agency based in Cairo called al-Baghdadiya, threw one and then a second shoe at Bush. Bush ducked twice, narrowly missing being struck. He waved off Secret Service escort from the room, as security tackled the man, and dragged him away. White House Press Secretary Dana Perino may have a black eye as a result of being struck with a microphone though.
In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt; Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam Hussein with their shoes after U.S. Marines toppled it to the ground in 2003.
Al-Baghdadiya television later released a statement, demanding the immediate release of reporter Muntadar al-Zeidi, who was detained following the incident. The television network said al-Zeidi threw the shoes at Bush “in accordance with the new era of freedom of speech and democracy that the U.S has promised the Iraqi people.”
Michelle Malkin has an interesting point about a fellow journalist being the initial sacker on the journalist before the Secret Service and security joined. What would have happened had there been a gun instead of shoes?
Freedom of speech? How tongue in cheek.
Newsflash to Iraqi disrespectful shoe-hurling reporter. Freedom of speech is just that; speech. Keep your sandy shoes to yourself. You might poison the unfortunate folks in the trajectory line, those that have to go pick them up afterwards for you, or those that have to beat you down with your newly exposed vile socked or unsocked feet, with the waft of emanating toxic fumes from them. A giant lesson in manners and courtesy might be of immense benefit too. There is such a thing as respectful disagreement.
The EconomistWelcome Home This week's print edition Daily news analysis Opinion All opinion Leaders Letters to the Editor Blogs Columns KAL's cartoons Correspondent's diary Economist debates World politics All world politics Politics this week United States The Americas Asia Middle East and Africa Europe Britain Special reports Business and fi […]
