Peace on Earth
In a couple of weeks Christians around the world will celebrate the birth of a Jew over 2000 years ago, in a country known as Israel. Evidently Jews have been living in that part of the world for a long time. Some call this man the Nazarene, but he is more commonly known as Jesus, born in Bethlehem, and raised in Nazareth. He is also called the Prince of Peace. His words, widely quoted, encourage good will to all and living in a state of perpetual grace.
Currently Jews are celebrating Hanukkah. A holiday that celebrates the liberation from the oppression of the evil King Antiochus, who had turned the Temple in Jerusalem into a pagan shrine. Led by a man named Judah, they recapture the Temple, cleansed it, and rededicated it to the God of Israel. Candles are lit, one at a time, to remember how a small amount of oil burned for eight days during the subsequent festival, thus the length of the celebration.
So what do these two holidays have to do with current events? Simple. Both speak to the historical commemoration of the birth of a man who directly confronted evil and a people who rose up against it. No need to be a Rhodes Scholar to understand what is going on in the world this season.
For some unknown reason, confrontation of evil is now politically incorrect. Take the recent testimony of the three university presidents from Harvard, MIT and UPenn. Sadly these women hid behind the First Amendment in a most woke fashion as they were unable to condemn outright the outrageous antisemitic conduct of their students. It was a complete failure to exercise the moral authority their position demands. This behavior, increasingly seen throughout society, was the obvious takeaway from their appearance. If the Three Stooges were female, these women could play the parts.
This astonishingly ignorant display by these “alleged” brilliant university presidents in their Congressional testimony has spotlighted the educational deficit that their students suffer. This is a sad example of the state of higher education in the “elite” universities where there is no balance of views or understanding of history. Isn’t it notable that the majority of anti-Jewish hate is only found primarily in so called elite campuses? Why?
The streets of major cities are still flush with clueless marchers who continue to ignore the real evil of Hamas. They carry Palestinian flags chanting for a ceasefire that will not end the evil that is widespread among the leaders of Gaza and the Israeli West Bank. The innocents, Hamas hides behind, are the collateral damage of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in their effort to eliminate evil. They are largely peaceful people who regularly commuted to jobs in Israel before the surprise attack of October 7. Why would the IDF want a ceasefire that would only allow the malevolent elements of Gaza to regroup and attack again in the future?
The need to cleanse Gaza of the evil that is Hamas is plain but painful. Video exists of the rape, torture and brutality inflicted by the aggressors. Those who have seen it state that it is so horrific, that the images will be indelibly burned into their memory. It is unspeakable what was done to women and children and yet idiots continue to march in support of Hamas and demonstrate on elite college campuses.
The religious events recognized this month are reminders that a greater good is possible if folks celebrate the decency that results from the elimination of evil and practice what the man from Nazareth taught his followers. One wonders when, if ever, this will be possible. Perhaps the moral clarity needed begins when folks recognize the moral certainty of evil and the need for it to end.
The Price of Peace knew that a small amount of oil burned for eight days when evil was ended. The world needs that light now more than ever.