Two-thousand years ago, in a world riven by strife, poverty, and hatred, Jesus of Nazareth, known to millions of Christians as “the Christ," or “anointed one” was born in a stable in Bethlehem. In the mighty Roman empire of that time, few could have imagined the impact this event would have on the world. From the humble manger that served as the baby’s crib came a message of God’s love for mankind and of the eventual triumph of good over evil.
The message of Jesus was the intrinsic dignity and brotherhood of all humanity: each person is made in the image of God. This message invested even the lowliest in the Roman empire, the slaves, with inestimable worth.
The idea that no one could rightfully violate the sanctity of the individual spread and eventually led to limitations on the power of the state. Centuries after Jesus Christ, the ideal of the inviolability of each person became the cornerstone of modern democracy. This principle found expression in the America’s Declaration of Independence, which said, “all men are created equal [and] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.”
At the time of its founding, the U.S. was mostly Christian - although Americans followed that faith in a variety of ways. Moreover, Americans made clear in the Bill of Rights - the first ten amendments to the Constitution -- that freedom of religion must be respected.
In the decades since, people from many other religious backgrounds have come to America. Indeed, the U.S. is now one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world. Christians of all denominations, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and others make America their home. And all are free to practice their religion as they choose.
Such freedom has made America strong. But it has also made America hated by the enemies of freedom and a target of terrorism. Now the U.S. is waging relentless war on terrorism and those who support it. But the U.S., as President Trump has demonstrated in recent months, is vitally committed to peace.
President Trump in his 2017 Christmas message noted, “Each and every year at Christmastime, we recognize that the real spirit of Christmas is not what we have, it’s about who we are, each one of us is a child of God. That is the true source of joy this time of the year. That is what makes every Christmas merry,” said President Donald Trump.
"We pray that our country will be a place where every child knows a home filled with love, a community rich with hope and a nation blessed with faith.”
Christmas 2025
- VOA Policy
Two-thousand years ago, in a world riven by strife, poverty, and hatred, Jesus of Nazareth, known to millions of Christians as "the Christ," or "anointed one" was born in a stable in Bethlehem.
