Famous Christmas birthdays



Isaac Newton at 46 (Portrait by Kneller)

Some celebrities with the distinction of being born on Christmas Day seem to have taken that honor quite seriously.

Leading the pack, at would-be age 368, is Sir Isaac Newton.  Newton, who is mostly known for harvesting apples from the ground (while transforming the science of physics), was also an enthusiastic theologian.  That is to say, he wasn’t only interested in the universe – but also in its Creator.  According to Wikipedia, Newton “wrote a number of religious tracts dealing with the

literal interpretation of the Bible.”  (However, many of his Antitrinitarian views were kept private since they would have been considered heretical by orthodox standards.)  Although “Newton” and “gravity” were practically synonymous for years, he also had this to say:  Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion.  God governs

all things and knows all that is or can be done.

Then there was Pope Pius VI, born a mere 75 years after Newton.  He has the distinction of reigning longer than practically any other pope (for 24 years, 6 months and 15 days – surpassed in this regard only by Leo XIII, John Paul II, Pius IX, and most likely St. Peter).  He also stood up to no less than Napoleon Bonaparte after Italy was invaded by France.  Because Pope Pius VI refused to renounce his temporal authority, he was taken prisoner and died soon afterwards.

Believe it or not, Robert LeRoy Ripley was also born on Christmas Day.  In many ways, his own life was as extraordinary as his research findings.  Ever wonder how The Star Spangled Banner became America’s national anthem?  It had a lot to do with the 1929 Ripley cartoon caption:  “Believe It or Not, America has no national anthem.”  However, Ripley’s focus went way beyond nationalism.  Along with such radio-show guests as self-made, conservative, “God is My Partner” R. G. LeTourneau, Ripley promoted “a classically evangelical vision of a good society built on the relationship between each individual and God.”

Resources

http://www.pubquizhelp.com/christmas/births.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_VI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ripley

http://readperiodicals.com/201109/2494300681.html

Copyright December 25, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved