Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Truce of 1914

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the Christmas truce.  During World War 1, a strange thing happened on the western front.  On Christmas, an unofficial cease fire took place.  From soldiers' letters, it is clear that something did happen that day.

Details and specifics vary, but it is certain that British and German soldiers fraternized for one brief day.  It was reported that candles were lighted all along the trenches and soldiers from both sides sang Christmas carols all night long, including Silent Night.

For one, glorious, miraculous Christmas Day fighting ceased during one of the bloodiest wars the world has ever known.

Despite deep differences, differences that were serious enough to cause a world war, the soldiers shared something in common.

They were Christian.

I am currently calling my own Christmas truce.  When I see someone with saggy pants and hoodies, I smile and say, "Good morning!"  I get a cheery greeting in return, almost 100% of the time.

See?  We are all on the same team, we are all Americans.  We do have something in common, just like those soldiers did during World War 1.

A lot of Americans are Christian.

But, there is another enemy out there.  It is an enemy that we don't understand because we have nothing in common with it.  When we try to pretend that there is some commonality, they just laugh at us.

This enemy doesn't share any of our values.  This enemy doesn't want to live in peace, like we do.  This enemy wants all of us to convert or die.  This enemy believes that women should be raped, beaten and sold.  This enemy doesn't value life at all.

Our enemy is not Christian, we have nothing in common and I am afraid that, with this enemy, there will never be a Christmas truce.

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