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Ben Stein on Christmas/Christmas Trees
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MG61 Offline
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Post: #1
Ben Stein on Christmas/Christmas Trees
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God ? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein
(This post was last modified: 12-21-2011 01:19 PM by MG61.)
12-21-2011 01:15 PM
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OwlFamily Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Ben Stein on Christmas/Christmas Trees
An intersting point of view but I think it cuts both ways.

For centuries the word "God" (in all its forms, Jehova, Christ, Allah, etc etc...) has been used to berate, bludgeon, coerce and control people. Some of the worst genocides and wars in the world have been taken up on behalf of a religion believing that its way is the ONLY way. I think now the pendulm has swung too far and we are attempting to cut "God" out too much.

Many times I have been told by people who are very religous that I "HAVE" to belive in thier way or else I am doomed. Now these friends of mine are some of the nicest, politest, and helpful people I know, but they constantly try and make me "See the light" and that if I dont then my "soul" is doomed and I will be "lost". Now I am a "good" person by most definitions. Never arrested, provide for my family, and help my neighbors. For them to say that the worst serial killers in the world will recieve eternal happines and bliss because they have "chosen" to belive irks me.

I have no issues with how ANYONE wants to believe or practice thier faith. More power to you. However I do have issues when people constantly try and push thier believe on me when I have stated politely that I am not intersted.

I guess it boils down to this. "You keep your faith the way you want to, and pay me the courtesy of the same right" You are neither right nor wrong. As am I.

I hope everyone has a very Happy Holiday (of whatever kind it is) and that you achieve much happiness during it.
12-21-2011 03:13 PM
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Paul of Troy Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Ben Stein on Christmas/Christmas Trees
An atheist country? Are you ******* kidding me? Christians in this country don't know **** about being discriminated against. Plain and simple.
12-22-2011 01:52 PM
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MTPiKapp Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Ben Stein on Christmas/Christmas Trees
I thoroughly enjoyed the first half talking about Christmas and Christmas symbols and telling people "Merry Christmas" etc. Lost interested pretty quickly in the second half.
12-23-2011 01:04 PM
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