By Albert Thyrniang
Christmas fever is reaching its peak. In three days the 2.38 billion Christians will be celebrating their most popular festival. Non-Christians too join in the festivity. Fancy lights of all colours are lit in churches, homes, streets, localities. They may not match the Moolamylliang Christmas Lights Extravaganza but their attractive glitters will capture the moment. The sound of carols, choirs and music are not to be left behind. The elaborate dishes will also follow. The modern Christmas is an exaggeration. What we need is a true Christmas. Christmas also throws a challenge to the ‘believers’ if not humanity.
A sober Christmas
The birth of Jesus more than 2000 years was a complete contrast to the current celebrations. His pregnant mother with the foster father, Joseph rode to Bethlehem like other Jews of the time – to submit themselves to the census ordered by the Roman emperor, Quirinius. The overwhelming crowds from all over Judaea left no room for Jesus in any of the inns in the town. Joseph found a random stable for Mary to deliver her son. It was an embarrassing place for any woman. But let us focus on Jesus! There were no lights, no decoration, no celebration, no ‘happy birth day’ wishes. The only visitors were the shepherds. Angels sang in the heavens, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to all people of good will!”. But probably no one heard the melody. The Bible says that the birth of the ‘Messiah’ was foretold by many prophets but no one recognised him at his birth. It was the quietest event.
Today one wishes that Christmas is more sober for the very reason that the first Christmas was so. We have strayed from the original Christmas. The message is humility and an inner disposition. Today the feast is a show. It is commercialised beyond recognition. Christianity itself could be seen as a show. Spirituality is minimal. God could have arranged for a public reception for his son, had he wanted to. Jesus himself refused to be a ‘magician’ or a ‘clown’ when tempted by the devil to change stone into bread and jump down from a high building. His miracles were for a purpose, not for stunts
Jesus did not heal all the sick in Palestine. Even his resurrection was not a public display. He appeared to a few chosen ones. Jesus was interested in interior spirituality and not in dares.
A child-centred
celebration in question
The other day the massacre of children in Gaza was narrated in an article. When the three wise men from the East did not return to inform King Herod of the birth of ‘the future King of the Jews,’ he ordered the slaughter of all two year old males and younger ones, in Bethlehem and the surroundings. The cruel but ironically called ‘the Great’, a Roman Jewish client king of the Herodian Kingdom of Judea was illegally king for he was not a Jew; forget about him being from the lineage of king David. For the Jews their king must be anointed by ‘Yahweh’. When the tyrannical ruler learned of the birth of a potential king he was threatened and sent solders to execute the massacre.
Children are being killed today. The death of 7000 children or more in Gaza is horrible. One is not an IDF spokesperson but Hamas uses children as shields. They have military infrastructure in hospitals, educational institutions, mosques and in residential areas so that when Israel bombs, Hamas and their sympathisers will condemn the ‘Zionist state’ for collateral deaths, including children. Plus we are speaking of terrors that kill children and the elderly, take them hostage, rape women and butcher Jews as a mission. They have pledged to repeat the October 7, massacre. Their chatter unequivocally declares the annihilation of the Jewish race.
We need not travel to Gaza to mourn the death of children. In Manipur children too were not spared. In our state, in June this year a four year old boy and two year old child were killed by their own father in Nongrah. In September a new-born baby was dumped in a garbage truck in Mawpat. As recently as December 13, an infant child was fished out from Wahumkhrah a repeat of the May 7 incident when the body of a male baby was recovered from same river.
The reason for this crime is suspected to be teenage or unwanted pregnancies. It was reported in 2022 that teenage pregnancies in 2019-21 was 21.9%, a rise from 18.8% in 2015-16. The National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS- 5, 2019-2020) for Meghalaya revealed that of all pregnant women 7.2% of them were between the ages of 15-19 years. A teenager may not abandon her new-born but child bearing adversely affects the health and education of both the mother and the child. The problem is more pronounced in villages standing at 8.4% as compared to 3.2% in urban areas.
In festivities like Christmas adolescents engage in sexual activities leading to teenage and unwanted pregnancies. Shame forces them to hide their state and they may even be compelled to abandon their new-born in isolated spots. Ideally Christmas, a child centred celebration should be a time for a serious discussion and deliberation on far reaching issues. But perhaps we have little time and interest for it. We are more inclined to celebrations sans reflections.
Peace still illusive
At his birth peace was announced. Jesus taught, ‘blessed are the peacemakers,’ ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ On the cross he prayed, ‘forgive them for they know not what they do’. After he rose again he says, ‘peace I give you, my peace I leave you.’ The land of Jesus’ birth was in war for at least two millennia before his arrival. When he came to the scene the mighty Romans were the rulers. Jesus did not advocate the overthrowing of the hated foreign regime. He sanctified the land he lived in as the ‘Holy Land.’ But after him conquests and occupations continued. The present situation is bleak. Two Abrahamic religions lay claim over the tiny piece of land. The Jews have established the state of Israel. Arab Muslims desire nothing short of instating the Roman province of ‘Palestina’ into a 21st century Islamic Arab nation erasing Israel totally.
How would it feel to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem or in the Holy Land? In such an environment does Christmas hold any significance? What can Christians do to achieve lasting peace? The question is rebuffed by reality in Christianised Europe. Demands for Sharia laws have been heard in the UK, Belgium, France, Canada, Australia and other liberal countries. Massive pro-Hamas rallies calling for genocide of Jews took place in many European capital cities. This prompted the prime minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni to state, ‘Europe and Islam are incompatible.’ The sentiment is echoed all over Europe.
Conflicts are happening in other places as well but we mention Manipur which is closer to our homes. For the Christian Kuki-Zo community the pre-Christmas ‘gift’ is sadly the batches of mass burials of the victims of the state-wide violence that has entered the eighth month. To even wish ‘Happy Christmas’ to them is improper! For them this Christmas is the darkest. Jesus’ message of peace seems shattered.
Waning Christianity
A drop of Europe’s Christian population from 553 million in 2010 to 454 million in 2050 has been projected – a fall by about 100 million in five years. While Christianity declines, the Muslim population is set to grow by 63%, an increase to 71 million in 2050 from 43 million in 2010. Hindus, Buddhists and others too will witness large gains running to 2050 and beyond. The attributed causes to the drop of the Christian population are low birth rates, the higher percentage of aging among the group, abandoning of the faith, large migration of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and other religions to Europe. The rapid rise of radicalism in Europe has created alarm in the continent but it may not be enough to revive Christianity in the most advanced continent.
Is the European scenario a concern? A theologian this writer recently met was unfazed stating, ‘If we wane in Europe we will gain somewhere else.’ He has good reasons. Reports are rife that Iran is no more an Islamic nation. Christian population has overtaken the Shia sect of Islam in that country. Observers say this is not an exaggeration. Those who leave Islam for Christianity may not openly declare but secret conversions are overwhelming. The oppression in the land of Zoroastrianism will not last forever. As and when freedom comes Christianity is expected to gain massively.
Christianity could occupy the second spot sooner or later. It should not be a worry. What is more important is the authentic living of Christ’s values that he ushered in more than 2000 years ago. A credible life of being true ‘salt to the earth and light to the world’ is all that counts for the December 25, birthday boy.