SIGNS OF THE TIMES (DECEMBER 17, 2017)

SIGNS OF THE TIMES (DECEMBER 17, 2017)

HERE IS THE LATEST MADNESS COMING FROM THE MODERN WORLD

 Growing Number Of Americans Ditching Jesus During Christmas

If there ever was a “war on Christmas” in America, Santa may have won.  Nine in 10 U.S. adults celebrate the holiday, according to the Pew Research Center. However, that celebration is shifting in a secular direction. And a growing number of Christians discount key elements of the biblical Nativity story. Just three years ago, 51% of U.S. adults said Christmas for them is more a religious holiday than a cultural one.



But that has slipped to 46% in the new Pew survey, released Tuesday. Neither does this trend trouble most people. Only 32% say it “bothers” them even somewhat. President Trump’s demand that Americans all say “Merry Christmas,” which drew cheers at his rallies, now draws shrugs from most U.S. adults: 52% say it doesn’t matter how they are greeted in stores and businesses, and 32% say they prefer to hear “Merry Christmas.”  READ MORE

Indian Catholics Arrested for Singing Christmas Carols

Six carol singers have been arrested in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh after a man accused them of trying to convert him to Christianity. The state has some of the strictest anti-conversion laws in India. One of those arrested was a professor at a Catholic theological college. The group said it was only visiting villages to sing songs. A car used by the carol singers was also set on fire, allegedly by right-wing activists. Police have also filed a case against those accused of torching the car. In the complaint, the resident said that the group, including the professor, had previously asked him to “worship Jesus Christ” and had offered him money to convert. However, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference denied the allegations of forced conversions, saying the group was there just to sing Christmas carols. READ MORE

Mass. high school replacing term ‘freshmen’ with ‘first year student’

It’s all about the pronouns. Easthampton High School students in Easthampton, Mass., are being asked to no longer use the word “freshmen.”  The school is asking students to use the term “first-year students,” instead.  Easthampton High School freshmen are now being referred to as “first-year students” as the school aims to be more gender inclusive. “Changing the way we use pronouns has been a challenge for me,” said Eileen Corbeil of Easthampton. “I want people to feel comfortable and if it means that I have to change the way I use my language, I’m OK with that.” The change comes after students from the Gender and Sexuality Alliance Group made recommendations to the handbook committee, on how the school’s handbook language could be made more gender neutral. A draft of the handbook was first shared with the Student and School Councils before being presented to the school committee for approval. READ MORE

Entire Family In Arizona Turns Transgender

An entire family – man, woman, son, and daughter – in Arizona is transgender.  The father identifies as a woman. His fiancée, the mother-to-be, identifies as a man. The son considers himself a girl and, of course, the daughter thinks she’s actually a boy. An entire transgender family, all under one roof.  Daniel Harrott was born a woman, while his fiancée, Shirley Austin was born a man. Both have previously been married.
Eleven-year-old Mason and 13-year-old Joshua have also switched sexes.  “The whole family is in transition,” Austin said in an interview with KJZZ, which reports the two adults are teaching each other to adopt “traditional” gender roles:  “Shirley taught Daniel how to use a chainsaw. Daniel taught Shirley to memorize all the stones in her engagement ring, in case another woman asks. Daniel does the yard work. Shirley, the cooking.  “Daniel explained that they’re actually ‘very traditional’ people, who really see each other.” READ MORE

Hallmark Christmas movies under fire for spreading ‘Caucasian cheer’

The Hallmark Channel is a throwback to an age when Hollywood produced family-friendly films and love stories that did not involve leather and whips.  The network has earned millions of loyal fans for broadcasting movies that promote the virtues of faith and family — stories that tug at your heartstrings. “We are a place you can go and feel good,” Bill Abbott, the chief executive of Crown Media, told the Washington Post.
“We intentionally branded ourselves as the happy place. Abbott said. “Hallmark’s tagline is ‘the heart of TV.’” And viewership has skyrocketed since President Trump promised to make America great again – making Hallmark one of the most-watched cable television networks in the nation. For the sake of full disclosure, I’m a fan of “When Calls The Heart,” produced by my good friend, Brian Bird. It’s a great place to escape from the unhinged rantings of Rachel Maddow and Don Lemon. READ MORE

WHEN IS THAT COMET COMING AGAIN?