The World and Everything in It: December 3, 2024

PREROLL: Good morning! And happy Giving Tuesday to those who celebrate.

Today is a special day of generosity, always the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Today’s our chance to invite those who benefit from WORLD … but haven’t supported it yet … to make their first-ever gift. If that’s you, please give online today at W-N-G-dot-org-slash-Giving-Tuesday.

Thanks for considering, and enjoy the program.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Good morning!

JUST SAY NO: Is there any possibility that the president would end up pardoning his son?

No.

An election-loss later for Democrats, the president said yes. We’ll talk with a constitutional expert on the pardon of Hunter Biden.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Also today clamping down on immigration…

RUHS: Over the past decade, European countries have been trying to come up with more effective responses to migration. And that struggle continues.

And later teens refine their debate skills and their faith.

ANDRES: If you're able to have an idea and then present it in a way that's kind and respectful, then I think that can go a long way.

REICHARD: It’s Tuesday, December 3rd. This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

EICHER: And I’m Nick Eicher. Good morning!

REICHARD: Up next, Mark Mellinger with today’s news.

MARK MELLINGER, NEWS ANCHOR: Israel, Hezbollah trade strikes amid fragile ceasefire » Israel and Hezbollah are trading fire threatening their fragile ceasefire in Lebanon.

Hezbollah struck a disputed border zone held by Israel Monday, and Israel retaliated a few hours later carrying out a wave of strikes that Lebanon says killed closed to a dozen people.

Each side is accusing the other of violating the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, which just took effect Wednesday. U.S. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller is downplaying the impact of the recent strikes.

MILLER: “Just as anywhere in the world when you see a ceasefire implemented, you see various violations at times. Ultimately what we don’t want to see is the ceasefire break down, and we’ve not seen the ceasefire break down.”

The ceasefire is meant to end close to 14 months of fighting. Hezbollah started attacking Israel to show solidarity with Hamas, which is battling Israel in Gaza.

Gaza: Blinken meets w/Israel, Trump demands hostages release » Winding down the war in Gaza tops Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s agenda. He’s meeting with Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, pushing for a ceasefire with Hamas.

Allies of Donald Trump say the president-elect is hoping for a ceasefire in Gaza before he takes office, along with a deal to release the dozens of hostages Hamas is still holding captive… including Americans.

Republican Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville…

TUBERVILLE: “I think a lot of us believe that, hey, they’ve been over there too long. There hadn’t been enough done from this administration. We’ve got to get our hostages home. It is a mess in the Middle East.”

Trump issued a threat over social media Monday, writing that if the hostages aren’t released before his inauguration… the hostage-takers will be hit harder than anyone’s ever been hit in U.S. history.

Trump tariff threats affecting Canada’s border approach » The threat of new tariffs from the incoming Trump Administration if there aren’t big changes at the border… is forcing action from Canada.

After a meeting with the president-elect at Mar a Lago Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to deploy more resources to the northern border. Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, says the biggest deliverable Trudeau promised Trump was…

HILLMAN: More infrastructure, so more surveillance, more helicopters, potentially more infrastructure at the border. Again, these are things that we were thinking of doing on our own anyway, just because secure borders are essential.

However, the tariffs on Canada still aren’t off the table. Canada’s public safety minister says Trudeau warned the president-elect Americans will suffer if he follows through with those tariffs.

UK Parliament advances assisted dying law » Several months of a heated debate over death are kicking off in The United Kingdom which is now one step closer to legalizing assisted suicide.

HOYLE: The Ayes to the right 330. The Noes to the left 275. The Ayes have it, the Ayes have it. Unlock!

British lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow adults in England or Wales to end their lives with the help of doctors.

The patient would be required to have less than six months to live. He or she would have to sign two declarations expressing their wish to die. And two doctors would have to conduct evaluations and verify the patient is eligible to end his or her life.

Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater spoke on behalf of the bill.

LEADBEATER: Let's be clear: We are not talking about a choice between life or death. We are talking about giving dying people a choice of how to die.

But critics like Parliament member Danny Kruger say the bill will pressure vulnerable patients to end their lives...while creating a new industry of death.

KRUGER: Like the medics I met in Canada...specialists in assisted death who personally killed hundreds of patients a year in their special clinics. [GROANS FROM LAWMAKERS] And if the honorable members have a difficulty with the language, then I wonder what they're doing here! This is what we're talking about!

The House of Commons still has to review the bill, then vote on it again, before sending it to the House of Lords.

Assuming it survives similar votes there, it moves on to the King for final approval. That whole process is expected to take several months.

California AG pushes pro-abortion legislation » Meanwhile, here in the United States, a push to weaken protections for the unborn.

BONTA: We'll continue to work around-the-clock as we move into Trump administration 2.0.

State lawmakers in California started an emergency session advocates describe as strengthening state protections for abortion against a second Trump term.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the special session last month.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta unveiled two bills designed to protect so-called reproductive health care. One empowers the state to seek financial penalties if any local government hinders the operations of an abortion facility.

Bonta says the other protects chemical abortions.

BONTA: Our Medication Abortion Access Bill would ensure medication abortion remains an accessible option for those seeking abortion care throughout the state.

Newsom is also asking for $25 million dollars to fund court challenges to any Trump administration actions he believes are unconstitutional.

Biden in Angola to counter China, Russia influence in Africa » President Biden is in sub-Saharan Africa, working to temper Chinese and Russian influence on that continent.

The president is spending three days in Angola, where he’s highlighting a new trans-African rail line aimed at providing an economic boost and backed by U.S. financing.

White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby:

KIRBY: It’s going to reduce, literally by days, the amount of time that it takes to move crops and goods from one side of the continent to the other. It’s going to create incredible economic opportunities here on the continent.

It’s also a way of countering China’s growing influence in a region rich with the minerals used to make electric batteries.

The U.S. is considering putting U.S. military bases in Angola as well to neutralize Russia, which has provided military help to African countries in exchange for resources.

I’m Mark Mellinger.

Straight ahead: a presidential pardon for Hunter Biden. Plus, students learning how to speak with confidence and clarity.

This is The World and Everything in It.

MARY REICHARD, HOST:It’s Tuesday the 3rd of December.

You’re listening to WORLD Radio and we’re glad you’re along with us today. Good morning, I’m Mary Reichard

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher. As we said at the top of the program, today isn’t just any Tuesday—it’s Giving Tuesday. We’re asking those who benefit from WORLD but have never made a gift of support to make today the day.

REICHARD: Right, we're asking for first-ever gifts of support to strengthen WORLD's mission of sound journalism grounded in facts and Biblical truth. You know, I really like the concept of Giving Tuesday. Right after Thanksgiving , we see offer after offer to spend money on merchandise (and, hey, we do it, too) and it's all directed to gift giving, which is great. But I also think it's right and good to have a day like this where the focus is on supporting the things we believe in.

EICHER: Exactly. Next week, we’ll kick off our year-end Giving Drive, as we always do. It’s a critical time since most of our funding comes in these final weeks. But before we kick that off, we do want to make a concerted effort aimed at those who've been benefiting from this journalism that we provide as a free public service and, I'll stress, if you've never before given in response to these semi-annual drives, we ask that you do take that step today.

REICHARD: The place to go is W-N-G-dot-org-slash-GivingTuesday. Again, that’s W-N-G-dot-org-slash-GivingTuesday, where you can make a secure, online gift.

EICHER: So this year, I'm making a pledge to join with every new donor who makes a gift today—meaning that for each new donor, I personally will kick in a dollar. I'm not a wealthy person, so I'm not able to do what some of our more capable donors have done in the past and offer matching gifts. This is more in my ability, that I give one dollar for every new donor, today only.

REICHARD: I like that—kind of like a dunking booth! Let’s soak Nick!

EICHER: There you go. So if you like me, make a gift—and if you don't, yeah, make a gift anyway and you can imagine me in the dunking booth. Good image. But seriously, I do have to put my money where my mouth is. Do I believe in this journalistic project or don't I? Well, I do, and I hope you'll join me.

First up on The World and Everything in It: a presidential pardon. On Sunday evening, President Joe Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son Hunter Biden, covering all crimes going back to 2014.

This comes after months of saying he would not issue a pardon.

Why the change, and what does it mean legally?

Joining us now is Ilya Shapiro. He’s Director of Constitutional Studies for the Manhattan Institute.

REICHARD: Ilya, good morning.

ILYA SHAPIRO: Good morning. You know, you asked, what does it mean legally? There's nothing complicated about that. It means that Hunter Biden can't be prosecuted by federal prosecutors, because the president only has authority over federal prosecutions going back 11 years. That the length of time is remarkable, but the legal effect is no prosecution immunity for anything that he's done in that time.

REICHARD: Well, let's talk about the context a little bit, in case people are forgetting, where did those federal cases against Hunter Biden stand before his dad pardoned him?

SHAPIRO: Well, he's already been convicted both of gun crimes, having guns while addicted to illegal substances against federal law and tax evasion, various tax crimes, two separate prosecutions. He was due to be sentenced in coming months. That's where it stood, and now those convictions are going to be wiped out.

REICHARD: Now he hasn't served one moment of time for any of these crimes so far. Is that correct?

SHAPIRO: That's right, he hasn't been sentenced yet.

REICHARD: So most pardons are issued after the person has served at least some time. How does this pardon compare to other presidential pardons in terms of breadth and timing?

SHAPIRO: It seems like every presidency has some pardons that are politically dubious or that, you know, don't seem quite right. I mean, there's nothing legally wrong with it, but whether, whether pardoning supporters, whether, I mean lots of things presidents get, get criticized for how they use or allegedly misuse the pardon power, including during lame ducks. So this is not the first time that's something that the timing is happening, certainly the first time that there's a close member of the family involved.

REICHARD: Now this raises the question of, what is the purpose of the power to pardon, and here it does seem to be to circumvent the justice system. What did the founders intend?

SHAPIRO: Well, this was meant to be one final safety valve for abuses of the legal system. Say, if there's some injustice that has taken place, then the executive can have that pardon power. And this is nothing new. There's a lot new to the way that the U.S. Constitution set out a system of government, presidential authority, dividing power, all of that. But the idea of an executive having a pardon power is not new. Kings had it, elected governors had it. You know, it's just a it's just meant as a safety valve. And interestingly, unlike most other powers, it's completely unreviewable. So there's no appeal. There's no further reconsideration. That's it. Once the President signs it, that's it.

REICHARD: I think the pardon that most people, at least of my generation, remembers, is the pardon of Richard Nixon by Gerald Ford. How does this compare to that pardon?

SHAPIRO: That's the one that's the most sweeping. And so if there's a parallel, it's a high profile, you know, very high name recognition, the president's son versus the former president, as opposed to, you know, Bill Clinton got a lot of criticism for pardoning Mark Rich, for example, one of his donors. Nobody remembers who that is anymore. You know, there are these kind of pardons for cronies, but you're right, the Richard Nixon pardon because of how profile it was, and also because of the breadth of time. Ford pardoned him for any violations that he might have done over I forget what the exact time period, whether it was his entire presidency or some longer period, but that's why people are drawing out that comparison.

REICHARD: I think it was just for his Nixon's term in office, which brings to mind this pardon of Hunter Biden goes back to January 1, 2014 and I don't think that that is a coincidental date. Are you aware of what the significance of that is?

SHAPIRO: Yeah, I think it was April of 2014 that that Hunter Biden Jordan joined the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian company with reporting now that it was done to not because of his business acumen, but because of access to the big guy, quote, unquote, Joe Biden, who was then Vice President. Now interestingly, with this pardon, that means that Hunter cannot invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination in. For example, there are prosecutions against Joe Biden for his activities as vice president. There's no official immunity for that. Now, the Joe Biden can thank the Supreme Court for saying that there is immunity for presidential official acts, but not when you're vice president or not a president during that you know, the Trump's first term. So one curious wrinkle is that if there is any prosecution over Joe Biden's own activities before he became president Hunter, Biden could now be subject to testify.

REICHARD: Oh interesting. Why do you think President Biden changed his mind and issued this pardon?

SHAPIRO: I mean, you read the statement, he thinks it was a miscarriage of justice. Of course, it's his own justice department that was prosecuting his son, so perhaps it would have been easier just to lay off on those prosecutions. But ultimately, I think, you know, you don't have to think too hard. It's the father and a son. I think it's eminently understandable why. You know, when you have a close relative, if you have the power to not allow them to go to jail you do that doesn't mean that's not a misuse of presidential authority, but the human motivation is eminently understandable, going back to Shakespeare or even the ancient Greek playwrights,

REICHARD: But it does lead the common people out here to think I'd be in jail for doing this very thing. Does it not foster a sense of disrespect for the judicial system?

SHAPIRO: Absolutely. Two different standards. Now, again, there's nothing illegal about this. It's a lawful use of the pardon power, but it's it politically stinks, and going forward, as Trump takes office again, I think any criticisms of his use of the pardon power, whether for January 6, protesters pro life, protesters that have been jailed, or others, that kind of criticism is going to fall on deaf ears for the majority of the American people.

REICHARD: Ilya, is there any other aspect of the story that you think is being overlooked or that we need to pay more attention to?

SHAPIRO: I mean, I'd look to see how media personalities are reacting defenders of the rule of law and the supporters of Kamala Harris as having we need to elect the Democrats. They're the party of the rule of law to save democracy, et cetera. Politicians use their political power for all sorts of reasons, and it doesn't matter whether you're a red team, Blue team, so the gaslighting about who is good and pure and has clean hands doesn't go very far.

REICHARD: Ilya Shapiro is a constitutional scholar and Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow. Ilya, thanks so much for your time!

SHAPIRO: Thank you.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Up next: Immigration policy in the European Union.

Over the past year, the EU has been implementing policies that are increasingly tight on illegal immigration and asylum seekers…while working hard to open borders to legal migrant workers.

WORLD’s Mary Muncy reports.

GEERT WILDERS: There is a new wind blowing in Europe.

REPORTER, MARY MUNCY: Geert Wilders is the Dutch Chairman of the Party of Freedom. It’s a conservative party in the Netherlands.

WILDERS: The people are fed up with the asylum and immigration policies that they have met so far in their own nations.

Wilders’ party won a record number of seats in 2023, giving it the majority, and it’s not the only country in Europe toughening its standards on migration.

BBC: Italy’s prime minister has warned Europe will be overwhelmed by migration unless the EU finds solutions.

Italy has been leading the charge, saying its position on the border of the union puts it at a disadvantage. But inland countries are not far behind.

BBC: The German government has announced a package of tougher security and asylum measures after three people were fatally stabbed at a street festival last week. The killings sparked an intense debate over asylum laws when it emerged that the main suspect is a young Syrian man facing deportation.

And last May, the European Union elected a swath of tough-on-immigration members and passed sweeping migration reform.

DW NEWS: The European Parliament approved what is being billed as a fairer system of settling new immigrants the changes will bring in tougher border checks.

But some countries within the EU are moving in the opposite direction.

ELMA SAIZ: (SPANISH) One year and renewals will be for four years.

Spanish Migration Minister Elma Saiz announced last month that the country will issue hundreds of thousands of work permits to migrants.

ELMA SAIZ: (SPANISH) Spain has to choose between being an open and prosperous country and being a closed and poor country.

Saiz says Spain needs to choose between being an open and prosperous country or being a closed and poor country. But are those the only two options?

ANASTASIA KARATZAS: These seem to be two conflicting policy priorities.

Anastasia Karatzas is a policy analyst with the European Policy Center in Brussels.

KARATZAS: Countries pushing back asylum seekers or pushing back against people claiming asylum, on the one hand, but also then offering more opportunities for people to come and work legally.

Karatzas says tighter migration policies are likely fueling labor shortages, so policymakers are trying to create easier legal ways for people to work in their country.

KARATZAS: The fact that we need migrant labor, the fact that we desperately need these workers, actually is mentioned more and more at high level, so by the EU for example.

But labor markets aren’t the only consideration.

KARATZAS: it is very expensive to for people to claim asylum and for the state to have to provide support throughout that process

The European Union’s reforms could lower costs by removing migrants whose claims are denied faster. And the number of migrants illegally crossing borders has gone down.

The European Union’s border agency FRONTEX says crossings peaked at 400,000 last year… and about half as many people made the attempt this year.

KARATZAS: But it's very difficult to attribute causality to these policies.

Public sentiment against migration lawbreakers has been growing in the EU—and citizens are showing it with their vote. Tough on migration parties all over the block gained power this year.

Similar to the US, the EU has seen a few high-profile crimes committed by migrants recentlyand citizens worry about supporting a high influx of migrants in a welfare state.

MARTIN RUHS: I think what a lot of people are concerned about is not so much the material effects, but more like fairness considerations.

Martin Ruhs is a professor of migration studies at the European University Institute in Florence.

He says a lot of countries are starting to make access to welfare benefits for migrants conditional. Like a migrant might only get access to low-income housing after they’ve paid taxes for a certain amount of time.

RUHS: Over the past decade, European countries have been trying to come up with more effective responses to migration. And that struggle continues.

He says in the overall picture, there is a lot of political pressure to become more restrictive on migration, but at the same time, some countries are also realizing they won’t be able to keep their economy going without more workers.

RUHS: When it comes to labor migration, for example, a number of countries realize that they have significant shortages in high and low skilled sectors, and they're issuing work permits and they're considering regularization programs.

But countries have to walk a fine line. Ruhs says Europe can’t let labor migration take the place of the asylum program; some people need asylum and should have the rights and time frame that come along with it.

RUHS: It's quite important, from a policy perspective, to think hard. How do you maintain the integrity of your different types of policies?

Ruhs says one of the differences between the two systems is the perception of control. Labor migration involves people applying to come into the EU from outside of it. A certain number are admitted into various countries in different labor markets for specific purposes.

But there is no way to apply for asylum from outside an EU country. Asylum seekers must apply at a port of entry or from within, meaning countries must react to asylum seekers who show up at their borders asking for protection rather than plan for them. It’s the same system in the US.

RUHS: The more the impression is created that there's a lot of irregular migration and the system is out of control, the more difficult it becomes, actually, politically, to maintain protection systems.

Ruhs says many European countries are shifting right on illegal immigration, but at the same time are opening up pathways to migrants where they can exercise greater control.

RUHS: I think a lot of people would want to offer protection, but they don't like this idea of the system being out of control.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Mary Muncy.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Thieves know they’re doing wrong and that’s why one of the biggest parts of the plan is the getaway.

Problem for some bad guys in Britain a few weeks ago, they didn’t do enough research on the target.

Namely, four time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah—a runner. He went out for a morning run set his phone down on the side of a private road, planning to retrieve it later. He’s a pro runner … no extras!

So an unfamiliar van stopped nearby. A man jumped out, grabbed the phone, and sped off!

But then Mo Farah did, too. He was able to catch up to van carrying the would-be crooks and give them a good “what-for.” He ended up getting the phone back.

And he got in a good workout at the same time.

Funny, he’s a distance runner not a sprinter, but he made quick work of these guys.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Tuesday, December 3rd.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: learning to speak up.

Glossophobia is the most-common phobia and has been for a long time. It’s better known as the fear of public speaking.

Researchers believe this fear begins when we’re adolescents. But just like sports: preparation, practice, and coaching can make all the difference.

REICHARD: Christians know that iron sharpens iron, and one national debate and speech group is helping homeschoolers conquer their fears and share their faith. WORLD’s Todd Vician has our story.

DEBATE: In general, should we pursue something like justice, or should we pursue truth for something else? Or should we pursue it just because it's good?

TODD VICIAN: Under the bell tower of a nearly two-century-old church, 16-year-old Andres Flores cross-examines his opponent.

FLORES: You said that essentially, in order for something to be intrinsically good, it has to lead to something good, correct?

TUCKER: No, basically, it just has to be. If you want me to redefine intrinsic it has to be an important or basic characteristic of another thing.

Flores and 15-year-old Walker Tucker verbally wrestle over a question Socrates posed more than two millennia ago: “Is the acquisition of knowledge an intrinsic good?” The boys are participating in a tournament run by Stoa. It’s a Christian homeschool speech and debate group named after the classical Greek term for a gathering place. The nationwide organization trains homeschool students to speak boldly for Christ as winsome and God-honoring orators.

CLAYTON: One of the many gifts that Jesus was endowed with was the gift of communication. You know, parables, prose. And so Stoa exists to help these young competitors grow in that very same way.

Josh Clayton is the director of the three-day “Fall Coyote Classic Speech and Debate tournament.”

CLAYTON: My encouragement to the students this morning was to take that competitive spirit that they have to compete, and to place, and to win, and to check, these are all terms that mean a lot to them, but to funnel that into the way that they love and serve one another.

There are no age brackets in Stoa tournaments, so a green 12-year old can be pitted against a seasoned 18 year old.

CLAYTON: For those, those more experienced competitors, to compete, to win, but to do so in a way that really equips and enables the younger competitors, that doesn't squash them or discourage them, but instead shows them what can be done, you know, brings them along.

Appreciation for debate clubs is growing. Stoa membership nationwide grew by 70 percent in the past three years. The National Association for Urban Debate Leagues said more than 10,000 students from 20 cities participated in tournaments last year. And a recent study of 3,500 low-income students in Boston, showed 70 percent of debate-club participants improved their ability to read and analyze information.

RIC: A big part of this is the refinement process of giving a speech or having a debate, getting the feedback, then going back and refining it over time.

Ric Flores is Andres’ dad. When they found Stoa 13 years ago, he thought his children would give a speech or two and then move on. Now he proudly says his five children use the skills learned through speech and debate almost every day.

RIC: I'm in business, and we do that, you know, as part of our business, product refinement over time. And so it's just a very powerful thing that that they learn, and it's amazing to see, like a speech that started out in November, how different it is in May.

Tournaments like the recent one put on by Stoa include a handful of competition categories. Sometimes students know the topics they'll be debating several months ahead of time. They can prepare and hone their arguments at home.

FLORES: As the season progresses, you go deeper and deeper into refining some of your arguments, actually coming up with a case that you're going to use, and then testing those ideas. And so that's what we have club for... We see which ideas are going to land, which ideas are going to, you know, completely bomb if we actually ran them, and so that's how you sort of refine your arguments.

But even when they know the topic ahead of time, students don’t know if they will present for or against the proposal until just before the session begins.

Then there are debate categories that are impromptu. In the recent “Parliamentary Debate,” Flores and the other participants had 20 minutes to prepare for a new topic: ranked voting at the national level. 17-year old Chloe Jones began the round presenting several rationale for the change.

JONES: If we as the government team can show that there are more benefits in passing this STV, then we warrant your ballot. What we’ll see is the single transferable vote actually allows for fewer wasted votes.

The opposition countered saying transferring votes from the last-place candidate to the next-highest vote getter would make current election problems even worse.

FLORES: Yes, there would be, I guess, no wasted votes. The problem is that their votes won’t actually be going to the candidate that they most prefer.

Andres Flores says improving his communication skills isn’t just an academic exercise. On a mission trip to Portland this summer, he shared the Gospel in a hostile environment.

FLORES: I was able to present some of, you know, Christian beliefs, Christian doctrine, but in a way that wasn't threatening. And so I do think that debate has helped with that, because if you're able to have an idea and then present it in a way that's kind and respectful, then I think that can go a long way in in terms of Christianity.

And Andres' mom, Michelle Flores, has seen participants mature in their faith through debate.

MICHELLE: There are so many of our former Stoa graduates that are alumni now that have gone on to take an active role within government. Some have started pro life groups. Some have gotten involved in their student government and made a stand for things that are explicitly Christian and have learned to take the heat when they were on their campus.

Back at the Stoa tournament, Andres completed about half a dozen rounds before getting the judge’s scores. And he did better than he expected—winning in both the categories he entered.

ANDRES: …because the acquisition of knowledge is both a process and is morally corruptible, I'd ask for a negative ballot. Thanks. [Sound of resetting timer]

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Todd Vician in New Braunfels Texas.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Tuesday, December 3rd. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Well, a lot of families are getting out the Christmas decorations and playing the special music. WORLD Opinions contributor Candice Watters says there’s one family tradition… we might want to leave behind.

CANDICE WATTERS, COMMENTATOR: Since Thanksgiving, children around the world are anticipating the return of Elf on the Shelf. With “Scout Elf Return Week,” twenty two and a half million Elf dolls are resuming their work of watching the world's children by day, and flying nightly to the North Pole to report their good deeds to Santa. It began in 2005 with a mother and her daughters self-publishing 5,000 box sets of their tradition. Now their company is estimated to be worth $100 million annually. As one of what the Chicago Tribune calls “Santa’s most important helpers,” the Elf on the Shelf has become many parents' go-to for Christmas magic.

It's no surprise the little guy is such a hit. His makers say he provides daily fun, “inspires good behavior,” and “sparks holiday joy.” Each doll comes with a storybook that explains the elf lore, and the rules that keep the magic working. Most important: No touching! Apparently human touch ruins the elf’s ability to fly. But no worries. A sprinkle of cinnamon or singing Christmas songs loudly can give him enough boost to get back to Santa. The toy makers say even better is if the child “writes a sincere apology letter.” They encourage: “Being honest about your mistake creates a very powerful magic that will heal your elf in no time.”

Before you pull your Elf on the Shelf out of storage, or buy one for the first time, consider the downsides of teaching your children that if they try hard enough, they can be good. In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul tells us that “no one does good, not even one.” What children need most at Christmas, and every day, isn’t man-made magic but God-wrought mercy. Instead of Elf on the Shelf and other Santa Claus myths, consider Advent. Not the secular version of chocolate or LEGO countdown calendars, but the sacred observance of remembering Christ’s birth and anticipating His return.

Daily readings from Old Testament prophecies and New Testament fulfillments teach children about Mary and the angel who told her she would miraculously have a baby by the power of the Holy Spirit. They marvel to learn how the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to name the baby Jesus because, as Matthew 1:21 says, He would save His people from their sins. This is what makes Jesus’ birth such good news.

The Elf on the Shelf is a silly, if slightly creepy, game. But what it obscures is deadly serious. Children have real troubles, fears, and guilt for their sin against God. They need big truths to understand their world, and why “the most wonderful time of the year” can feel so disappointing.

Advent means coming. It beckons parents to tell children about Jesus’ incarnation so they’ll set their hope in Him. It’s rightly sobering to confront the darkness of sin, the brokenness of the world, and the centuries spent longing for a Savior. It’s awe inspiring to read how the Creator of the Universe, in humility, took on flesh and was born a baby. And it’s life changing to realize He willingly died on the cross in our place to fulfill what God planned before the world began.

The creators of Elf on the Shelf advertise that their ever expanding products and digital experiences are—in their words—“worthy of the most enduring magic of all time.” But it’s nothing compared to the majesty and mystery of Jesus taking on flesh so that He could one day take the punishment we deserve.

Parents, don’t obscure His glory or squander another December telling your children stories that steal their affections. Why play along with a deception, hoping for a few weeks of fun and good behavior? Instead, teach your children the true story of Christmas. Lead them to the manger–to the miracle of the Bethlehem baby born to be King. And together, love His appearing, and long for His return.

I’m Candice Watters

NICK EICHER, HOST: Tomorrow: Senate Democrats scramble to confirm President Biden’s judicial nominees before the end of the year…we’ll have a report.

And, a Chinese immigrant who helps Americans appreciate and protect the freedoms we have.

That and more tomorrow.

I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard.

The World and Everything in It comes to you from WORLD Radio.

WORLD’s mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires.

The Apostle Paul wrote to his protege Timothy: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” First Timothy 1:5-7.

Go now in grace and peace.

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