WELCOME, EVERYONE.
WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS
MORNING.
AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.
I'M MEGYN KELLY.
WE HAVE AN UNBELIEVABLE SHOW FOR
YOU TODAY, A HEARTWARMING SHOW.
CHRISTMAS MORNING MEANS SPENDING
TIME WITH FALLY AND CELEBRATING
THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
AND FOR MANY IT MEANS BEING
HOPEFUL, LOVING ANDF THOUGHTFUL
IN PRAYER.
WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD
TIME TO GATHER FAITH LEADERS TO
DISCUSS RELIGION AS A WHOLE,
CONNECTING AND FINDING LEASE.
JACKIE LEWIS IS WITH US, THE
SENIOR MINISTER AT IMMEDIATELE
COLLEGIATE CHURCH HERE IN
NEW YORK CITY.
ROBBIE MELISSA WHITMAN.
FATHER EDWARD BECK IS A ROMAN
CATHOLIC PRIEST, COMMENTATOR AND
AUTHOR.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> IT'S SO EXCITING.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
DISCUSSION BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR PEOPLE
RECONNECT WITH FAITH.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FEELING
SEPARATED FROM IT FOR A WHILE.
AND I WANT TO ASK, FIRST OF ALL,
HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THAT
IS?
THE RECONNECTION WITH FAITH.
WHAT ROLE, FOR THOSE THINKING
ABOUT IT, TOYING WITH IT.
WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK FAITH CAN
PLAY IN ONE'S LIFE?
I'LL START WITH YOU, REVEREND.
>> THANK YOU, MEGYN.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> I THINK THE REASON WE HAVE
HOLIDAYS AND RITUALS IS BECAUSE
WE'RE ON A JOURNEY OF
REDISCOVERY.
HAVING A CHANCE TO CONNECT TAKES
US INTO THE STORIES THAT SHAPE
THESE FAITHS.
AND THIS PARTICULAR STORY --
EVERYBODY LOVES BABIES.
THIS STORY IS ALL ABOUT THE
BABY.
THIS BABY WHO IS BORN TO MARY
AND JOSEPH.
THIS BABY WHO IS FROM A
MIXED-RACE HERITAGE.
HIS BACKGROUND IS ABRAHAM, ISAAC
ISAAC, JACOB, MOSES AND HE'S
EGYPTIAN AND JEWISH.
HE'S A MULTIRACIAL BABY.
A MULTIRACIAL, POOR BABY,
HOMELESS PARENTS, BORN IN A
MANGER.
DON'T LET HALLMARK FOOL US.
THE MANGER IS LIKE A BARN.
IT DOESN'T SMELL GOOD, RIGHT?
RIGHT THERE, THE IMAGINATION OF
WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH THIS ONE
POOR CHILD, THAT CAUSES US TO
THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE
RESPONSIBLE TO RAISE THE
CHILDREN OF THE GLOBE.
SO, RECONNECTING WITH OUR FAITH
GIVES US A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND
HOPE.
>> PURPOSE AND HOPE.
FATHER BECK, IT'S A TIME WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE
RAISED AND THE TIME WITH YOUR
FAMILY AND THE SENSE OF
COMMUNITY FOR YOU WHEN YOU WENT
TO CHURCH, FOR ME, EVERY SUNDAY.
MAYBE NOT SO MUCH AS AN ADULT.
AND CHRISTMAS IS AN INSPIRATION
TO RECONNECT WITH MY FELLOW
HUMAN BEINGS.
I'M SURE PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY.
>> IT IS.
IN THE CULTURE, WE START TO
THINK, MAYBE WE'RE MISSING
SOMETHING.
MAYBE WE'RE MISSING THE
RELIGIOUS DIMENSION.
NOTHING ANGERS ME MORE WHEN
PEOPLE GO TO MASS ON CHRISTMAS
AND THEY GET YELLED AT BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT THE REST OF THE
YEAR.
>> GUILT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS PART OF IT.
CATHOLICISM IS GUILT.
YOU CAN RELATE TO THAT, RABBI.
>> THE POINT IS, IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY.
PEOPLE ARE HERE.
IF THEY WERE DRAGGED BY THEIR
GRANDMOTHER, WHATEVER REASON.
YOU USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SAY, WHAT ARE YOU MISSING THE
REST OF THE YEAR?
I THINK YOU USE IT AS A MOMENT
TO FILL THAT VOID.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE CULTURAL
MESSAGES THAT THAT'S NOT DOING
IT FOR PEOPLE.
AND SO, WHAT IS FAITH OFFERING
THAT MAYBE IN YOUR LIFE IT CAN
TOUCH?
>> HOW ABOUT -- FIRST OF ALL, I
LOVE THAT IN THE JEWISH
RELIGION, YOU CAN FORGIVE AN
ENTIRE YEAR IN ONE DAY.
YOM KIPPUR, THEY'RE ON TO
SOMETHING.
EVERY SUNDAY?
>> I'LL PUT A STOLE ON.
>> I THINK WEAN HANUKKAH AND
CHRISTMAS AND JUST THIS SEASON,
PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS ARE
LOOKING -- I THINK PEOPLE ARE
KINDER TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND THEY HAVE A PRIVATE
REVELATION TO DO A LITTLE
BETTER, TO BE MORE CHARITABLE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE TAKE
THE DARKEST PART OF THE YEAR AND
WE BRING LIGHT INTO THIS MOMENT.
WE LIGHT UP THE ME NNORAH AND WE
CLAIM THERE WAS A MIRACLE.
THAT FIGHT WAS FOR RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM.
THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE YOUR OWN
FAITH, PERHAPS IN A WORLD WHEN
THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT FAITHS.
AND I THINK PEOPLE WANT TO
CONNECT WITH THAT MESSAGE.
MORE THAN THAT, THEY WANT TO
HAVE MEANINGFUL TIME WITH THEIR
FAMILY AND WANT TO BE ENGAGED IN
A WAY THEY KNOW WILL IMPROVE THE
WORLD.
WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO SAY, THIS
IS -- THERE'S SO MANY
DISTRACTIONS.
THERE'S SO MANY DISTRACTIONS
THAT ARE IN OUR HANDS ALL THE
TIME.
HOW DO WE REMOVE THE DISTRACTION
AND FIND WAYS TO MEANINGFULLY
ENGAGE?
FOR US, IT'S ABOUT SOCIAL
ACTION, GIVING BACK, CREATING A
BETTER WORLD, HEALING WITH OUR
HANDS AND OUR HEARTS AND OUR
MINDS.
>> KINDNESS CREATES AND GIVES
HAPPINESS.
IF YOU'RE FEELING LOST OR
LISTLESS OR NOT FEELING
CONNECTED, DO SOMETHING FOR
SOMEONE ELSE, EVEN IF IT'S A
SMALL GESTURE.
AND SELFISHLY, IT WILL MAKE YOU
FEEL BETTER.
I KNOW THAT SO MANY PEOPLE LOOK
AT OUR COUNTRY THESE DAYS AND
THEY FEEL LIKE WE'RE DIVIDED,
DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.
YOU KNOW?
WHETHER YOU'RE A MUSLIM OR A
CATHOLIC, A CHRISTIAN, A JEWISH
PERSON, THEY FEEL DIVIDED.
THERE'S ONE THING THAT UNITES US
ALL, FOR MOST OF US, BELIEF IN
THE BIG GUY, RIGHT?
>> YES.
IT'S SO INTERESTING.
ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS
STORY, IT IS A VERY, VERY
INTERFAITH STORY.
AS A MUSLIM, THE ONLY FEMALE
MENTIONED BY NAME IN THE KARAN
IS MARY.
AND WE HAVE A CHAPTER DEDICATED
TO MARY.
AND THE STORY OF THE VIRGIN
BIRTH IS SO PRECIOUS TO THE
MUSLIMS.
WE BELIEVE IN THE COMING OF
JESUS AT THE END OF TIME.
THE STORY RESONATES SO MUCH WITH
ISLAMIC SOCIETY, THE FACT THAT
HE WAS BORN, A PERSON OF COLOR,
TO A MOTHER THAT WAS NOT WED, TO
AN OPPRESSED SOCIETY IN
OPPRESSED TIME.
HE WAS A CARPENTER.
HE WAS A REGULAR PROPHET, A
REGULAR PERSON, THAT WAS
RELATABLE THAT STOOD UP TO AN
OPPRESSOR, THAT DIDN'T HAVE A
LOT OF MONEY AND SURROUNDED
HIMSELF BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND
STOOD UP TO A RULER.
AND THAT RESONATES.
HE WAS JEWISH.
WE ALWAYS SAY THAT JESUS CHRIST,
PEACE BE UPON HIM, WAS A JEW,
THAT BECAME A MUSLIM PROFIT,
THAT STARTED A MOVEMENT CALLED
CHRISTIANITY.
YEAH.
EVEN THIS HOLIDAY, I MEAN, THE
CHRISTMAS TREE IS A PAGAN
SYMBOL.
THIS PRECIOUS TIME REALLY BRINGS
A LOT OF FAITHS BACK TO WHY THIS
PARTICULAR PROPHET WAS SENT AND
WHAT HIS MESSAGE WAS.
HE WAS REALLY THE LEAST PERSON
PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT TO FOLLOW.
BUT HIS MESSAGE RESONATES.
>> AND THE UNIVERSALITY OF THIS
FAITH WAS BROUGHT HOME THIS
MONTH WITH POPE FRANCIS.
HE WENT TO MYANMAR AND
BANGLADESH.
AND THERE'S SMALL CHRISTIAN
COMMUNITY THERE'S, 1% AND 1.2%.
AND ALL THE ATTENTION WAS ON THE
MUSLIM REFUGEES.
AND THAT'S WHO HE EXTENDED
HIMSELF TO.
IT'S A MESSAGE FOR EVERYONE.
POPE FRANCIS IN BANGLADESH SAID,
THE PRESENCE OF GOD'S NEED IS
ROHINGA.
FOR THE CATHOLIC POPE TO SAY THE
FACE OF GOD IS THIS REFUGEE
MUSLIM COMMUNITY, THAT'S THE
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE.
HE GAVE HIS HOMILY WAY BEFORE
LAST NIGHT.
>> IT'S A MESSAGE WE CAN
REMEMBER.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT CAN DIVIDE
US.
OUR FAITH AND OUR COMMON BOND AS
HUMAN BEINGS, FAITH IN GOD,
FAITH IN EACH OTHER, FAITH IN
COMMUNITY, THE GATHERING AT YOUR
PLACE OF WORSHIP, WHICH MAKES
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT ALONE
IN A PLACE THAT'S SO DIVISIVE.
>> THAT MESSAGE THAT'S OUT IN
THE STREETS, NOT ONLY IN OUR
CONGREGATIONS BUT OUT IN THE
STREETS, WITH ACTIVISTS WORKING
FOR JUSTICE.
PROTESTANT LEADERS WORKING FOR
HEALTH CARE.
IT'S IN THE WORSHIP HOUSES AND
WORSHIP IN THE STREETS, AS WE
STAND UP FOR JUSTICE.
THAT MOVEMENT IS HUMAN.