And in English:O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Wie treu sind deine Blätter.
Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit,
Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Wie treu sind deine Blätter.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen.
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren:
die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
gibt Trost und Kraft zu aller Zeit.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren:
die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit
gibt Trost und Kraft zu aller Zeit.
O Tannenbaum! O Tannenbaum!
Dein Kleid will mich was lehren.
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is thy prime.
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
Thy candles shine out brightly!
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.
O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!
Thy candles shine out brightly! [Source]
It's the time of year for peace and goodwill to all men (and women, of course), and it's the time of year to be especially hospitable and charitable to all, including the less fortunate.
It's a wonderful time of year. Sadly, due to the disease of multiculturalism, many people now feel a twinge of guilt when celebrating it. As a result, in some neighbourhoods and districts, Christmas trees are not erected, and all reference to Christmas is eradicated. These sick people - and there are many of them around - are trying to turn our wonderful festival into a "winterfest"!
Well, I don't know about you, but as far as I am concerned, the word 'winterfest' just doesn't cut the mustard!
Christmas comprises twelve whole days. These are the Christians' holy days, for they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, their Saviour. The man who was crucified for their sins.
There are many who deny the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; but these people are ignorant of the historical truth of the event! There is evidence aplenty of His crucifixion. Evidence which comes not just from Christian sources, but from non-Christian sources, too! Please click here, here, and here to read about this evidence.
It is particularly galling for us as Westerners to be confronted each and every successive year with more tales of local councils and businesses refusing to recognize, fully recognize, the significance of Christmastide. So many businesses and schools and council offices up and down the country, both this side of the Atlantic and that side, refuse to offer their customers the traditional greeting of 'Merry Christmas', and refuse, too, to erect Christmas trees and, perhaps more importantly, refuse to put up the traditional Nativity scene. Indeed, in many schools, our children are being denied an important part of their heritage - the re-enactment of the Nativity. These children are all the poorer because of this. They are being raised in ignorance of the significance of Christmas to their civilization and culture! And all in the name of multiculturalism. This is all done in the name of sensitivity to the culture of others, especially the Islamic culture.
I can tell you now, and with certainty, that no such sensitivity exists in Islam. Go and live in a Muslim country over the Christmas period. Then you will see that they pay not even lip-service to our important celebration. Indeed, in Saudi Arabia, the King there usually makes an official declaration that Christmas will NOT be celebrated. No roasted turkeys in the name of multiculturalism for the Christian expats there from him! In fact, where local traders try and obtain a dollar or two from the local expats by putting up some Christmas decorations, the religious police, or Muttawa, come and make the businessmen take them down!
I would say that Muslims living in the West have no right to expect us to relinquish our important celebration. If they don't like this important event in the Christian calendar, if they are offended by it, then they shouldn't be living in the West. I would suggest that such people ought to be invited to find somewhere to live in this world where the traditions more closely meet their needs.
But then we have the other problem: The problem of weak people pandering to the people whom they think they are offending. This phenomenon is particularly pathetic, and these people should not be employed in capacities which allow them to denigrate the underpinnings of our civilization, for they are, in point of fact, traitors to the cause!
But our political leaders have much to answer for, too. How many of them now send 'proper' Christmas cards? The President of the United States sends out a bland message wishing people "Happy Holidays", or some such corny euphemism! Tony Blair last year sent a card with a photo on it of him and his wife under some arch, he looked 'homely' (or 'homey as our American friends would say), and she looked, well, just as Cherie usually does: self-satisfied! They, too, I believe, omitted the real message of Christmas. What makes them think that people wish to 'adorn' their mantlepieces with photos of them and their family, I do not know. I would suggest that they make a poor substitute for the 'Three Kings of the Orient'!
I do hope that Laura will have the good sense to guide her spouse this year to do the right thing and wish their friends and people in high places a "Merry Christmas", since if the President of the biggest and most powerful country in the West cannot find it within himself - even as a devout Christian - to re-affirm the Christian message at Christmas, then I am afraid that, in the long-run, we are sunk as a civilization! Remember this, Mr Bush: It doesn't take much to bring a civilization to its knees!
As for Tony's wife, Cherie. I don't have great hopes that she will have the good sense to direct her husband to send out the Christmas message. It was she, after all, that fought 'the case of the jilbab'! So I am not sure we can expect better from her!
I would suggest that it is high time that we all re-discovered our Judeo-Christian roots, even the atheists and agnostics among us, since Islam, should it ever become extremely powerful here in the West, will allow no such beliefs, or lack of them! And, as far as I am concerned, there is only ONE way to counter the onslaught of Islam, and that is to celebrate our civilization, based as it is on Judeo-Christianity, and be proud of that heritage. It has given us so, so much: wonderful music, wonderful art, scientific discoveries aplenty, liberty and freedoms beyond the wildest dreams of people living in the Islamic world, literature, poetry - the list goes on!
Like the muscles in our bodies, if they are not used, they atrophy. So it is with a civilization. Or as they say in modern parlance: use it, or lose it! The words of the first black Archbishop, Dr John Sentamu were heartening in today's Times. He has spoken powerfully about how multiculturalism has betrayed the English. I would add that it has betrayed the West in its entirety!
©Mark Alexander
7 comments:
"I do hope that Laura will have the good sense to guide her spouse this year to do the right thing and wish their friends and people in high places a "Merry Christmas", since if the President of the biggest and most powerful country in the West cannot find it within himself - even as a devout Christian - to re-affirm the Christian message at Christmas, then I am afraid that, in the long-run, we are sunk as a civilization! Remember this, Mr Bush: It doesn't take much to bring a civilization to its knees!"
Happy Holidays indeed! I wonder if he said this to the folks he invited to the White House to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Or if he wishes his Jewish friends Happy Holidays rather than Happy Hannukkuh? Do you think the African-Americans who celebrate Kwannzaa would like to hear Happy Holidays rather than the traditional Swahili "Habari gani?" Why has become so pc not to acknowledge Christmas?
BTW--A very Merry Christmas Mark!
Nordic_Smile:
And a very Merry Christmas to you, too!
Why it has become "so pc" not to wish people a "Merry Christmas", I do not know. All I do know is that it is a tragedy, since Christmas is such an important event in our calendar.
It's time that people, ordinary people, all people, reclaimed the celebration, and said: To hell with the PC folk! Whatever they do, I don't care. I'm going to wish people a "Very Merry Christmas"! Come what may!
Hello again Mark,
I tried my best to post this link (Operation Nativity) in your comments section, but it wouldn't work. If you click on my name I have it posted on my blog. I think it goes perfectly with your post.
Mark,
I think I figured out the glitch, here's the direct link:
Operation Nativity
forrestshalom,
You might be interested in this:
Christian Friends of Israel
I hope it will improve your negative view of Christians.
Nordic_smile:
Thanks for the link.
I refuse to say "Happy Holidays." Christmas should be acknowledged for the season it is.
As a Christian, I'm not threatened by other holidays. Why are others threatened by Christmas? Seems absurd to me, but absurdity, aka political correctness, abounds these days.
Here in the States, some schools are now not allowed to play even instrumental versions of Christmas carols. But most school systems conduct extensive lessons on Ramadan. No fairness there!
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