Somebody beat him to it

Rocketboy didn't offer any recommendations this week because he's doing his own writing every morning and doesn't want me strip-mining his brain for ideas. Sigh. I'll have to go about it sidewise.

We're almost through the first of the four-volume Story of the World set of history books. Yesterday we read about the life and death of Jesus in the context of the Roman empire. The text mentioned Christmas as an observation of Jesus' birth, and Rocketboy lit up.

"Everyone celebrates Christmas," he said.

"Well," I said, "not everyone."

"Who doesn't?"

"Lots of people," I said.

His eyebrows started creeping downward as his face reddened.

"When I grow up and am president, I will find all the people who don't believe in Jesus and threaten them!" he said.

[Insert your own political snark here, dear reader.]

I rattled off a list of family members and friends who would be harmed by this policy, and he backed off. I think he was surprised to learn that not everyone believes what he believes. Which is funny because until a few months ago he vehemently denied the existence of God, nutmeg, mosquitoes and one of Hombre's good friends. Convert zeal, I guess.

Now we're working on tolerance, which is supposed to be some crazy cornerstone of our religion. You know, once you get past all the threatening.