For over a thousand years, the peoples of Europe¹ had only one religion: official Christianity. Their beliefs and practices, even their calendar, were decided by authorities who arranged the stories to benefit the ruling classes. But a few times a year, at Christmas and just before Lent, and maybe around May Day, the unwashed masses put in their oar.

Christmas carols tell us what they felt.

Guess what? They were more interested in the fact that the Creator of Heaven showed up in a barn, and didn't belong to the One Percent, than in all the fancy theology of St Thomas Aquinas.

This week's song reminds us that Christmas used to be a season for blackmailing the rich into giving to the poor – even if it was only a glass of beer. Of course, nobody does that now…

Carollers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your mall privileges.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

21.12.15 Front Page

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