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At Large
Celebrating Christmas
The most despotic tyrannies typically do not do so.
Christmas of course is preeminently about remembering Christ’s birth. Some sourpusses like to grouch, understandably, about the holiday’s commercialization. But the globalization of Christmas, for all its kitschy faults, overall seems good for humanity. Even in its most vulgar forms, Christmas retains at least an echo of good cheer and generosity. The most despotic tyrannies typically do not like Christmas. Today, unsurprisingly, North Korea and Saudi Arabia actively suppress Christmas. But much of the rest of the world seems to have at least secular versions of the holiday. Although still officially communist, Chinese cities are more and more decorated with holiday trees and lights, partly reflecting the country’s growing economic integration with the West, partly reflecting the growing Christian population. Much of the world’s Christmas ornaments are now manufactured in China.
The old Soviet Union tried to displace Christmas by highlighting New Year’s Day as the alternative Winter holiday. (In the Eastern Orthodox calendar, Christmas follows New Year’s.) Of course, Christmas outlasted Soviet communism. East European communism collapsed in 1989 in time for Christmas. Romania’s brutal tyrant Nicolae Ceauşescu and his equally brutish wife were tried and executed by the “people” on Christmas Day. Two years later, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned on Christmas Day, providentially ending the Soviet Union.
Less than two decades later, how easy to forget that the last century was dominated by totalitarian monster regimes like the Soviet Union. Soviet communism, Chinese communism, and German National Socialism together murdered more millions than all that century’s wars combined. The Nazis usurped Christmas by emphasizing its supposed pre-Christian pagan origins. This Christmas, we can celebrate, among so much else, despite the world’s current travails, that the great totalitarian murder machines are, for the most part, gone. It’s a sad recollection that the Western democracies, at times, had to align with some of these tyrannies in struggles for preservation against the others, with Stalin against Hitler, with Mao against the Soviets. Better that the Devil’s followers should be divided against each other, but the moral compromises were often horrendous.
It’s also a sad recollection that many in Christ’s Church, through naiveté or betrayal of their faith, openly praised some of those monster regimes, despite their horrendous persecution of Christ’s flock and countless other political undesirables, not to mention the suppression of Christmas. One brief but scandalous example comes from 1923 in the Soviet Union, when Lenin still lived, and before Stalin reigned. Despite the brutal Bolshevik police state, streams of useful dupes streamed in from the West. Among them was American Methodist Bishop Edgar Blake, who outrageously attended a 1923 Soviet church conference when the Bolsheviks were tormenting the official Russian Orthodox Patriarch and creating their own puppet “Living Church.” The Methodist bishop gushed to his Soviet audience: “For the first time in human history a great nation is dedicating itself to do good for the masses of humanity and is striving to attain everything God-given for man.”
Bishop Blake had proceeded to Moscow despite the Soviets having recently executed a Roman Catholic archbishop. A Methodist cohort of the bishop explained away the martyred bishop as a Polish “spy.” Blake himself did not seem to see the big deal, later readily admitting the Soviets had already murdered 1,200 Orthodox bishops and priests. Blake’s outrageous comments, globally reported in newspapers, prompted the Methodist bishops back home to panic into damage control, recalling Blake, and disavowing this unauthorized “personal opinion.”
Heading home, Blake stopped in Paris, unhelpfully commenting about Bolshevik anti-church atrocities: “If the Soviet government dealt harshly with certain ecclesiastics it justified itself on the ground that it was fighting for its life.” He chirped that Moscow probably had less crime than Chicago. While insisting he opposed dictatorship, Blake still declared: “With their social aims in so far as they seek to improve and uplift the masses who have for centuries been exploited and oppressed for the benefit of the few I am in accord as I believe every man who accepts the teachings of Jesus Christ must be.”
The Washington Post editorialized against Bishop Blake’s absurdities and against “other religious apologists for the Soviets,” citing the Bolsheviks’ “murder and terrorism.” Prominent Methodist minister Frederick Harris, future pastor of Foundry Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. and future U.S. Senate chaplain, denounced Blake, saying Methodism is “no more in league with the seven devils who now occupy the Russian house than it was with the devil that has been cast out.”
Once appearing before his fellow bishops, Blake was unapologetic: “I am not a Bolshevist and I am not a reactionary, thank God! I am a little of both.” He urged Methodist support for the new Soviet-created “Living Church” that supposedly would displace traditional Orthodoxy. He told the assembled bishops, meeting in Brooklyn, that the new communist sanctioned church, to which he promised $50,000 from U.S. Methodism, was closer to Methodism by discouraging relics, hierarchy, and celibate clergy. In other words, the Soviets were simply Methodizing the Orthodox.
“I think we ought to sacrifice our denominationalism to save religion in Russia,” Blake implored. “Methodism holds the destiny of Russia in its hands.” He also claimed: “I think personal property is more secure in Moscow than in Brooklyn.” One fellow left-wing bishop responded: “I take my stand at the side of the brother who saw 150 million people in need and struck out in their direction.” The whole Board of Bishops more carefully avoided endorsing any support for the Soviet-backed church, instead politely commending Blake for “fidelity and devotion” in carrying out “a delicate mission.”
Blake’s travel colleague to Moscow, a prominent Methodist editor, was even more provocative than the bishop, hailing the attempted new Soviet puppet church as a “great religious reformation” comparable to Martin Luther’s, “destined” to “revolutionize Christian thought” and “extend its beneficent influence to the uttermost parts of the earth.” In fact, the attempted “Living Church” eventually collapsed, despite the infusion of Western money. The Soviets contented themselves instead to tightly control the existing Russian Orthodox Church, which managed to persevere.
Over the next 70 years there would be many more Bishop Blakes from many denominations in the West, identifying God’s Kingdom among the Soviets, among the Maoists, in Castro’s Cuba, in Sandinista Nicaragua, even in the killing fields of Southeast Asia. Their spiritually blind utterances discredited parts of the church, but never the faith itself, which continued to sustain persecuted millions.
Christmas is now celebrated, however imperfectly, in most lands where the worst tyrants tried to eradicate it and its celebrants. May the Christmas spirit spread and grow, sweeping away the despots and malevolent cranks who resent its good will and promise of transcendent hope.
About the Author
Mark Tooley is president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington, D.C. and author of Methodism and Politics in the Twentieth Century. You can follow him on Twitter @markdtooley.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (22) | Leave a comment
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Jerry| 12.23.10 @ 9:33AM
Wake up man, Christmas in America is almost totally secularized. The music? in the stores is enough to drive the person who thinks about the Christ of Christmas crazy. This is the time of the year people ought to get closer to God, not farther away. I hate to think about what kind of gathering my hard partying neighbors are going to have tomorrow night.
Eric Cartman| 12.23.10 @ 11:51AM
I'm sick of Christmas, and I hate those religious Christmas carols.
All I like is "Jingle Bell Rock." Now that's a jumpty tune gets my fingers to snapping.
Ordered me a Hoveround and the commercial said Medicare would pay for it. Lyers!
Bob Grant| 12.23.10 @ 12:05PM
Yea. Grandma Done Got Run Over By a Reindeer always reminds me of the real meaning of Christmas.
Enjoy, for whatever reason!
Occam's Tool| 12.23.10 @ 1:29PM
Mr. Grant:
I believe "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" (toke) is a vivid existential exploration (toke) of the meaning of Santa Claus and the difficulties of controlling a sled run by deer brains (i.e., Liberals) (exhale).
Bob Grant| 12.23.10 @ 10:21AM
I agree that it tests one's patience walking in a store and listening to Beyonce or Mariah Carey butcher yet another Christmas song, or thinking about all of the cheap, plastic Chinese products that will be under millions of Christmas trees in two days, yet, as I'm writing this, I have O Come, All Ye Faithful performed by Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus in the background and gives me hope that there maybe is a little Christmas spirit behind those things that I don't perhaps appreciate.
Any spirit of Christmas is better than none.
Enjoy it while we have the chance.
Merry Christmas!
Jeff| 12.23.10 @ 11:09AM
I agree with Bob Grant. I also read his book and found it to be a fantastic read with regards to a bunch of issues. Y'all should check it out.
Occam's Tool| 12.23.10 @ 1:26PM
Not being a New Yorker, I did not realize---are you The Bob Grant, King of New York Talk Radio and author of: "Let's Be Heard?"
Bob Grant| 12.23.10 @ 1:49PM
"...are you The Bob Grant, King of New York Talk Radio and author of: "Let's Be Heard?"
His popularity, at least at this site, seems to be split right down the middle so to disclose whether I am or not would be a no win situation for me.
He's the grandfather of conservative talk radio. That's all I know of him - errr -if Im not him, that is.
Occam's Tool| 12.23.10 @ 1:30PM
Never could stand Mariah---looks like a chipmunk, but without their operatic range.
Petronius| 12.23.10 @ 10:36AM
Merry Demos
This hardly matters anymore now that most Christian denominations are controlled by clerics with sandbox mentalities. Since neither they nor government officials can create loaves and fishes, they have both joined forces to confiscate the bakeries and fishing boats ala Hugo Chavez while spitting on the men who invested their own resources and took the risks to offer bread and fish for our tables in trade.
For the Soviets, Christ was antithetical to their revolution to replace God with their "intellect".
For the Chicoms, He is a roundeyed child's idol. And to our post modern pseudo Christian left, He has been transmogrified into an anti-material, anti-corporate, effeminate hippie Who's shift they all hide behind as they bleat about the "injustice" of the marketplaces in which they have no value. Value; that's a word spoken by grownups. When Christ spoke of Value, 2 of 3 men listened, became producers and repaid their benefactor twice over. The wretch merely returned the principle and was banished. To gain a seat at Christ's table I must bring something to it besides an empty hand, and or a jealous disposition, Christmas or any other Day. And Christmas will be cold and bare for many again this year for that reason. The late Malcom Forbes said, "with all thy getting, get understanding." With an understanding of how Christ conducted His own life in the Roman world He inhabited, and true willingness to do what our world requires of every person to become successful, life for all would improve. That is what upsets the Statists. They want the proles to worship them as the source "from whom all good things come."
From the Leveler Papers, to Rouseau, Malthus, Marx, and Mao, there has come extortion, confiscation, and execution. I don't want those for Christmas, or any other day.
Eric Cartman| 12.23.10 @ 12:08PM
Medicare is a crock of sh*t.
Margie| 12.23.10 @ 11:15AM
There is always hope. But not in ourselves. This ruined world is going to continue to get worse until He returns. Christians the world over know this. Why? Because we read our Bibles. It doesn't make us any better or any worse than anybody else, just sober.
I know for a fact that Jesus Christ is real, He wasn't just born on Christmas day but He lives forever. He says He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End... and that "To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of Life without payment." (Rev. 21:6)
He is and He does.
Unlike our politicians, and ourselves.. Jesus makes promises that He ALWAYS keeps.
He is reliable 100% of the time.
He cannot lie. He is unable to, for He cannot deny Himself!
What a wonderful Savior He is.
Everything else in life pales in comparison to that.
Everything!
Praise His Holy and wonderful Name.
Christians look forward to to that Day when He promises this upon His second coming.
This is the reason why Christians celebrate Christ. The holiday of Christmas celebrates His birth, but everyday Christians celebrate His living.. and in a nutshell, here's why:
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His Name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His Kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this." Is. 9:6 & 7.
There's zero hope in this world, but every hope in Christ. He lives forever, and offers to us the same.
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jn. 3:16.
So whether or not you have a Christmas tree in your house, which they are lovely to have, Have Christ in your heart.
Merry Christmas, AmSpec authors & readers!
And God bless every single person reading this today who doesn't celebrate Christmas, because Jn. 3:16 includes you, too!
Frisbee| 12.27.10 @ 2:39AM
Merry Christmas Margie!
Jon | 12.23.10 @ 11:30AM
I think that as society becomes more secular (at least here in the UK) the role of commercialism helps to promote Christmas. Christmas for me is still a magical time, but it if for the children. A time to relax, provide the kids with a little wonder and magic in the home, and bring the family together the eat, drink and exchange gifts. The exchanging gifts part is now hardly done by the adults in my family, focus is on the children. But it is still a wonderful time when we all come together for a Christmas meal. I am not sure how important Christianity is now for many people here (still a majority, just not as much as many assume). But then this time of year has been a time for celebration for a long time, since long before the birth of Jesus.
Zilla | 12.23.10 @ 1:53PM
I have a post about the persecution of Christians around the world. I did not want to leave my readers totally depressed though, so I added a bit from the post above to show that all hope is not lost.
You can read my piece here:
http://zillablog.marezilla.com.....d-our.html
Frisbee| 12.27.10 @ 2:44AM
A lame duck session rams through garbage legislation and you call that "productive"? BO is an evil little man.
Entering the military is not about equality or human dignity. Crippled people, the deaf, the blind, etc etc cannot enter the military.
Repeal the Repeal! Bring back Don't Ask Dont Tell! Or rather, bring back what preceded it: Do Ask, Do Tell, and Get Out.
Marc Jeric| 12.26.10 @ 12:21PM
Our Abu Hussein al-Mombassa (or wherever in Kenya that marxist Muslim was born) gave a White House Ramadan dinner to select imams and mullahs. What about a White House Christmas dinner?
Andrew Sorokowski| 12.29.10 @ 9:34AM
Excellent. The Bolsheviks' evident purpose in supporting the "Living Church" was to weaken the canonical Russian Orthodox Church. Once the latter's resistance was broken, they had no more use for the "Living" or other non-Orthodox churches.
Dakota| 12.31.10 @ 9:50AM
Celebrating Christ's Mass is up to the individual. Personally , the Christmas evening service is the most meaningful time of the year for a Christian. I do decorate a tree, but the Advent Candle and Creche is the focus of our Decorations. If you fall prey to the commercialization , its your choice. No one forces you to go out and spend tons of money . As for church leaders like Blake, despots can always count on a few "useful fools" to advance their control over other peoples lives.