Soft-drink companies spend millions in R&D and market research to find the perfect color, taste and image for their beverages. When I was a child, you could choose Coke or Pepsi and maybe “Tab” diet soda if you wanted cola. There was “Tang” (the astronauts drink it!) for the orange-color set and, for every class party and scouting troop, the ubiquitous “Kool-Aid.” (OK, remember “Fizzie” tablets?). 

The Archbishop of Canterbury advocates grafting facets of Islamic Shari’a Law onto the vine of English Law.

In this election year we will hear much of the candidate’s love for America and all her people. Hillary Clinton’s New Hampshire tears, Barak Obama’s eloquent appeals for a new way forward, John McCain’s constant reminders of his military service and Mitt Romney’s apple pie appeals all speak of their love for the USA. Such rhetoric and sentiments are good, but real love – the love that compassionately puts others first and sacrificially looks to the next generation’s good – only counts if there is ACTION. 

It is election season! Oh my, the promises that are being made and the visions that are being cast – it is all about CHANGE! We can change America, we can heal the world! We can bring back jobs, find Osama bin Laden, stimulate the economy, provide health care for all and balance the budget! “A vote for me is a vote for change! I will clean up Washington. I will expose pork-barrel spenders. I will fix Social Security. I will…I will…”

In the midst of all the ideological and theological battles raging around us, Christmas opens our eyes to the wonder of: