The New Nation - Internet Edition

Merry Christmas

CHRISTMAS, the greatest religious festival of the Christian Community, is being celebrated in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world. Christianity, like other world religions, has a great social significance and humanitarian appeal. The themes of the day include, among others, promotion of goodwill and peace among world's peoples irrespective of religious faiths. Jesus Christ was born in a dark age when the human society was dominated by ignorance, superstition, greed, hatred and hypocrisy. Jesus worked out a transformation and a new turn in the lives of the people. This is how Christ brought about the dawn of a new era. This great occasion calls upon the world community to get rid of all social evils.

The very life of Jesus Christ is a great lesson for mankind. He was neither born of a wealthy family nor in a grand palace. Jesus was the embodiment of simplicity, holiness and renunciation of desires only for worldly wealth and pride. With His great human and divine qualities and knowledge and wisdom he worked as a beacon to those who had lost their way. He salvaged them and showed them the way to the world of enlightenment. This moral and spiritual awakening of man is the real Christmas.

Muslims had always greeted Christians at Christmas throughout history. The biased media have been giving too much focus to extremist voices while disregarding the tolerant and peaceful nature of the faith. "This has resulted in a very skewed and distorted picture of Islam," Prof Aref Ali Nayed, a renowned Muslim scholar, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, head of the Pope's Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, told journalists last year that progress was being made on dialogue between the two faiths. Let the great lessons left behind by Jesus Christ light up man's way ahead.

Benefits of fuel price cut

THE common people are unlikely to get the benefits of the latest slash in oil prices in the face of the refusal of the transport owners to comply with the directive of the present government to reduce fare, 'until a new government takes office after the elections'. As part of the promised review of the fuel price structure every three months, the government has adjusted oil prices with effect from 23rd December. The average reduction amounts to more than six percent. This has been done following the latest fall of oil prices in the international market. In line with this, the government decided to reduce fares for inter-district buses by Tk.0.02 per kilometre and that of diesel-run tank-lorries by Tk.0.01. The proposed reduction is not proportionate to the percentages of oil price cut, yet the people are not going to benefit from it due to non-compliance. Alleging that the government took the decision regarding transport fares without consulting them, the owners of long-distance bus services have decided not to cut fares. On the other hand, tank lorry owners have reportedly termed government adjustment of fares as irrational. They did not reduce transport fares following the previous 12 percent cut is oil prices in October.

The question is, whether the government can implement its decision in face of refusal by the transport owners. The administration should ensure that the people get the benefit of the oil price cut. It is not a good instance that government decisions are violated repeatedly on different excuses. The administration should take all stakeholders into confidence so that none can take advantage of any loopholes in decision-making. The bus fares in the cities should also be adjusted. Reduction in oil prices should be reflected in commodity prices.

The Star of Bethlehem

Syed Ashraf Ali

STARS occupy a very important place in the history of homo sapiens. Although Whitman claims, "I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars", people in various ages have always believed in the maxim: "The stars rule men, but God rules the stars". Stars indeed, have haunted the imagination of saints and seers from time immemorial. To many, stars have been symbols of high ideals and great hopes. Poets have eulogised stars in their poems, patriots have depicted stars on their flags, stars in songs have provided inspiration to the tormented souls of the lovers and the imprisoned. For thousands of years stars have also been used as religious symbols. The ancient Babylonians believed that the stars and the gods were closely related. Ancient writings testify to the fact that the Chinese used to worship the constellations and the whole heavens. The Black-foot Indians of North America believed that every star was a human being. When a person died his spirit rose to the heavens to become a star. From the days of yore, the six-pointed star of Shield of David has been a symbol of Jewish faith. But it is the Star of Bethlehem, the symbol of the Christian religion, which has the unique distinction of attracting the attention of people both in the realm of science and in the world of religion.

The Star of Bethlehem is that unique star following the light of which three wise men found Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. The Christmas Story, as told in the Bible, describes how the wise men from the East followed a bright star to the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. A silver star in the great cathedral in the village has the simple inscription.

"Here, of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was born". And each year, thousands of Christians make a pilgrimage to Bethlehem on Christmas Day and the Silver Star reminds them of the unique Star of Bethlehem which guided the three wise men on the first Christmas Day.

More than two thousand years have shaded themselves with the past since Jesus was born, but the Star of Bethlehem still remains a mystery not only to the devoted followers of Christianity but also to historians and astronomers in this twenty-first century. It seems that the miraculous star was not just a divine apparition. Scientists in various corners of the world have been pondering for years over all known documentation of a supposed number of recorded sightings of the period. As a result many a theory has been put forward. Some claim it to be a regular bright star, others opine in favour of an exploding Nova-Star or a comet. There are still others who advocate in favour of a conjunction of planets.

The only place where the three wise men are mentioned in the Bible is the Apostle according to St. Matthew. It is clearly mentioned that Jesus was born at Bethlehem at the time the three wise men following a star came from the East looking for the newborn King of the Jews. The Star of Bethlehem is shown clearly in famous paintings like Phillipe Lippi's in Florence or Jerome Bosch's in the Madrid Prado. But scientists tried to find proof of the existence of the Bright Object in the sky both historically and astronomically.

One hypothesis claimed that it could be an exploding Nova Star which normally produces unusual brilliance in the sky and overshadows even the Morning or the Evening Stars. But, argues the renowned astronomer Nigel Henbest, everyone in the Middle East would have been astounded by such a sight. Yet, according to St. Matthew's gospel, neither King Herod nor his advisers had seen the Star. When the Magi turned up in Jerusalem demanding, 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews?', Herod with his authority in danger of being undernined, 'enquired of them diligently what time the Star appeared."

What is more, Chinese astronomers used to record with meticulous care their own observations of the sky at the time. But they did not report any brilliant supernova. The supernova or the exploding star hypothesis can therefore be ruled out.

Another hypothesis claims that the Star of Bethlehem could have been the famous Haley's Comet which swings close by the sun roughly every 76 years. An unforgettable view of Haley's Comet in 1301 inspired Giotto di Bondone, the Italian Renaissance painter, that he used it as the model for his 'Star' in a famous Nativity scene. But the records of the Chinese astronomers testify that they saw Haley's Comet in 12 BC, which was undoubtedly too early for the birth of Jesus.

But the Chinese astronomers saw another celestial visitor, which they called 'broom star' in 5 BC on the borders of the constellations Aquarius and Capricorn. Some astronomers claim that it was a nova - an explosion of a dwarf star. But Colin Humphreys, a scientist at Cambridge University, firmly believes that it was a comet. He also opines that this 'tailed wonder' was the Star of Bethlehem. The Chinese astronomical records also claimed that the broom star was visible for 70 days - long enough to guide the Magi to Bethlehem. If this is true then Jesus was born in the spring of 5 BC.

Most astronomers believe that a comet does not fit the bill. The Magi were not kings, but Babylonian astrologers. They were not used to observing the sky closely and logging unexpected events such as comets. They simply calculated the position of the Sun, Moon and planets, and their relations to each other. With this knowledge they could "predict" events months or even years in advance. So, argues Henbest, the Star of Bethlehem must have been something much more arcane and subtle so that it would not be evident to those without astrological (or astronomical) knowledge.

A third hypothesis goes in favour of a rare triple conjunction of three planets. This happened when King Herod decided to massacre all children under two years of age in his attempt to kill the King of the Jews. But the British astronomer D.W. Hughes, of Sheffield University, claimed in 1976 that his research and calculations clearly showed that this coming together of Venus, Jupiter and Saturn occurred in 7 B.C. i.e. seven years before the presumed birth year of Christ. Although Michael Molnar, the famous American astronomical historian, has of late come up with even more spectacular astrological perspective, this claim of the triple conjunction is supported by the majority of modern astronomers.

This claim of Hughes does not, however, surprise the historians since the exact date of Jesus' birth is not known. "To track down the real Star of Bethlehem", says Henbest, "we need to know roughly the date of Jesus' birth. Jesus was not born in the Year Zero (which does not exist) or even in the Year One. According to Luke it is associated with a census which was held in 6 AD. It is also stated that Jesus was born in Palestine during the lifetime of Herod the Great whom the Romans had appointed to rule as King of Jews. Herod died, soon after an eclipse of the Moon, definitely in 4 B.C. and Jesus must have been born earlier than that. Vincent Taylor also admits in The Jesus Report that the date of birth of Jesus' 'could be as early as 8 B.C; since Herod's degree, set in motion by the news of Jesus' actual or imminent birth, that all newly born infants in Bethlehem should be slaughtered, obviously must have preceded Herod's death. The historians point out that although the Christian Calendar is dated from what was supposed to have been the year of the birth of Jesus: the people who worked out the Calendar made a mistake in the date. It was in the A.D. 500s that the monk Dionysus Exiguus, who introduced the present custom of reckoning time by counting the years from the birth of Christ, miscalculated and his reckoning was four to seven years later than the actual date. The calculations of Hughes, with the suggestion that the Star of Bethlehem was a rare triple conjunction of planets, testify to the fact that Jesus indeed was born in 7 B.C. and vice- versa.

This interesting episode attracts both the astrologers and the astronomers. Jupiter, as the king of the gods, symbolises Royalty, and in Jewish astrology Saturn, representing both Palestine and the principle of justice, protects Israel. Pisces, the zodiacal sign of the Jewish people, is also in Spring time, the birth of a new age. The Magi, looking at their astronomical charts, would have interpreted the conjunction as a sign that a Jewish Messiah would soon be born. Hence the birth of the King of Jews as recounted in St. Matthew. In this case, since the Star of Bethlehem, the rare triple conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, appeared in the sky in the year 7 B.C. the world should now be passing through 2015 and not 2008 as we all inadvertently believe.

The left is in the streets

Guy Sorman

The riots that have rampaged across Greece may have many causes, but one that is rarely mentioned is the fracturing of the Greek Left into George Papandreou's traditional socialist party, PASOK, and an increasingly radicalised faction that refuses all accommodation with either the European Union or modern economics.

To varying degrees, this divide is paralysing Socialist parties across Europe. That the traditional Left is so inert in the midst of today's economic crisis is more than strange.

Instead of thriving on renewed doubts about capitalism, Europe's Socialist parties have failed to make any serious political inroads.

In countries where they hold power, such as Spain, they are now very unpopular.

Where they are in opposition, as in France and Italy, they are in disarray - as are Germany's Social Democrats, despite their being part of the ruling Grand Coalition.

Even Sweden's out-of-power Socialists, the country's dominant party for a century, have failed to capitalise on the crisis. The United Kingdom may be the exception, though the pro-market Labour Party shaped by Tony Blair may not count as a party of the left anymore.

European socialists have failed to address the crisis cogently because of their internal divisions.

Born anti-capitalist, these parties all (to greater and lesser degrees) came to accept the free market as the foundation of the economy. Moreover, since 1991 and the collapse of the Soviet system, the left has lacked a clear model with which to oppose capitalism.

But, despite paying lip service to the market, the European Left remains torn by an inner contradiction between its anti-capitalist origins and its recent conversion to free-market economics.

Is the present crisis a crisis of capitalism or just a phase of it? This controversy keeps left-wing intellectuals, pundits, and politicians busy on television talk shows and in café debates across Europe.

As a result, a struggle for power has erupted. In France and Germany, a new far left - composed of Trotskyites, communists, and anarchists - is rising from the ashes to become a political force again.

These rejuvenated ghosts take the form of Oskar Lafontaine's Left Party in Germany, as well as various revolutionary movements in France; one of them has just named itself the Anti-Capitalist Party. Its leader, a onetime postman, says that in the present circumstances, he is part of a "Resistance," a word resonant of the anti-fascist struggles of the Hitler era. The actual alternative to capitalism that this far left seeks is anyone's guess.

In the face of this new radicalism, which is attracting some traditional Socialists, what are the more established socialist leaders to do? When they bend towards the Trotskyites, they lose "bourgeois" supporters; when they seek the middle ground, like the SDP in Germany, the Left Party grows. As a consequence of this dilemma, Socialist parties across Europe seem paralysed.

And they are. Indeed, it is hard to find any persuasive analysis of today's crisis from the Left beyond anti-capitalist slogans. The Socialists blame greedy financiers, but who does not? In terms of remedies, the Socialists do not offer anything more than the Keynesian solutions that are now being proposed by the right.

Since George W. Bush showed the way towards bank nationalisation, vast public spending, industrial bailouts, and budget deficits, the Socialists have been left without wiggle room. French President Nicolas Sarkozy tries to rekindle growth through the protectionist defence of "national industries" and huge investments in public infrastructure, so what more can Socialists ask for?

Moreover, many Socialists fear that excessive public spending may trigger inflation, and that their core constituencies will become its first victims.

When the right has turned statist and Keynesian, the free market's true believers are marginalised, and old-style anti-capitalism seems archaic, one wonders what Socialism in Europe can possibly mean?

The future of European Socialism is also hampered, strangely, by the EU. To build Socialism in one country is impossible nowadays because all of Europe's economies are now interdependent. The last leader to try go-it-alone socialism, French President François Mitterrand in 1981, surrendered to the European institutions in 1983.

These institutions, based on free trade, competition, limited budget deficits, and sound money, are fundamentally pro-market; there is little leeway within them for doctrinaire Socialism. This is why the far left is anti-European. European Socialists are also finding it hard to distinguish themselves in foreign affairs.

They used to be reflexively pro-human rights, much more so than conservative parties. But ever since George W. Bush included these ideas as part of his democracy-promotion campaigns, European Socialists have become more wary of them.

Moreover, without the Soviet Union, European socialists have few foreign causes to take to heart: few understand Putin's Russia, and today's totalitarian-capitalist China is too far and too strange.

And, since Barack Obama's election, anti-Americanism is no longer a viable way to garner support. The good old days when Trotskyites and Socialists found common ground in bashing the United States are over.

The ideological weakness and division of the Left will not, of course, exclude them from power. It can cling to office, as José Zapatero is doing in Spain and Gordon Brown is doing in the UK. The left may ultimately win general elections elsewhere if the new Keynesian right proves unable to end the crisis. But whether in opposition or in power, the Socialists have no distinct agenda.

The lesson from Greece, however, is that what European Socialists should fear most is the far left's taste and talent for disruption.

For the hollowing out of Socialism has a consequence. To paraphrase Marx, a spectre is haunting Europe - the spectre of chaos.