“Good will towards men.”
My reply: Good will towards anyone who deserves it.
“Peace.”
My reply: Peace through strength.
“A time to give, and not receive.”
My reply: If you are giving to someone you like, love or otherwise care about, you have already received.
“Turn the other cheek.”
My reply: Offer your cheek judiciously and carefully — and heaven help anyone who strikes it.
“Feed the world.”
My reply: Promote capitalism, freedom and science everywhere, and the world will flourish. The less government, the better, with just enough government to keep the innocent majority safe from the violent or fraudulent few.
“Love mankind.”
My reply: Love those who deserve it, and love fully, without inhibition.
“End hatred.”
My reply: There’s no shame in contempt for the contemptible; just don’t dwell on it. Those who deserve your love and esteem are far more important than those who do not.
“The brotherhood of man.”
My reply: Only individuals can be brothers, literally or figuratively. Cherish your own individuality, and respect the same in others. Brotherhood will take care of itself.
“Spread the cheer throughout the year.”
My reply: Live your life rationally and cheerfully and you won’t need a holiday to generate the exception. Holidays are fine and wonderful, but if a holiday is all you have — then you’ve got problems.
“Celebrate the true spirit of Christmas.”
My reply: Celebrate the spirit of existence as life-loving, rational, exciting, and filled with integrity and purpose.
“Love your enemy.”
My reply: To love your enemy is to love your destroyer. This means you hate yourself. What’s the point of a holiday — or a religion — to uphold self-hatred?
“Sacrifice is the meaning of Christmas.”
My reply: My happiness does not require your sacrifice, and I will not sacrifice for you. We’re all responsible for finding our own meaning, purpose and survival in life. We can wish each other well in the quest to do so, and even help each other out at times, if we choose. But nobody is entitled to the good will of anybody else. A demand, a wish, or a need in one does not constitute an obligation from another. The moment there’s an “entitlement,” good will is out the window. And everyone knows it; they just are afraid to admit it.
In the best and truest sense of the term, I wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas!