By REV. DR. JOHN HATCHER
Religion Columnist

Let me shake you up a little and then settle you down a little as my way to say something significant about Christmas.

Mary should have had an abortion—if she followed our culture's counsel. Not married. Living in a poverty district. Probably 14 or 15 years old, if not younger. She even might been admitted to one of our psychiatric hospitals because of delusions she said were dreams.

It very rarely snows in Bethlehem—just doesn't get cold enough. Besides all that Bing Crosby snow stuff, Jesus Christ may have been born on what we know as the 4th of July. It was a new convert—Constantine - who set it as December 25.

When Mary delivered, she delivered just like you, Mom. Her water broke. There was blood all around. She cried out in pain, but did not have an epidural. Don't know where the carol writer got the idea that baby Jesus didn't cry. I bet he did.

The Wise Men were not at the manger scene. They probably showed up when Jesus was an emerging two year old. Would it shock us if we discovered that Jesus, too, went through the “terrible twos?” Besides that, there could have been five Wise Men. We assume because of the three gifts mentioned there were just three.

Yet, we do know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Of a virgin. And “of all the armies that have ever marched and all the kings that have ever ruled, and all the navies that have ever sailed,” nothing has impacted the world like that one birth.

The calendars of Christians and non-Christians are dated by his birth. We're ending the millennium because of his birth. Department store cash registers are ringing joy because of his birth. No matter whose home in which it stands, it is still called a Christ-mas tree. His birth closes the stores and the restaurants like no other birth. And just guess where the folks—heathens and Christians —want to be Christmas Eve? In church! The church houses are filled that night more so than any other time other than Easter—and that's all about his second birth.

Folks may seek not to offend by wishing “seasonal joy” or send a card that offers “holiday greetings;” and the TV news people may wish us a “happy holiday.” Yet, you and I know what's behind all of it: Jesus Christ and his advent to this earth. So, however “they” try to say it, what they are really saying is Merry Christmas. And that's what I want to say to you. Merry Christmas. And may all your Christmases be bright!

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