Not really sure if its true, but I agree

[NTKG]

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 crche, 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 Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica 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 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 recently) 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 OK.

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?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards.

Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

[lipyanker]

wow!

[TreednNC]

Amen if it's true

[okimavich]

Not quite all true: Snopes Link (http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp)

But another feel-good email forward. :)

[NTKG]

Not quite all true: Snopes Link (http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp)

But another feel-good email forward. :)

yeah i figured it was almost too good, but it did make me think about a few things. ya'll boys at PS are good

[HuskyMD]

I'll probably wish I didn't post this but...

It makes no sense that anyone should want to change the name of the christmas tree to a holiday tree. What other holiday that occurs around the same time of the year as Christmas has anything to do with a large green tree? Do you see Hannukah trees? Didn't think so. Kwaanzi trees? Right.

My father works for a very well known US company. It is always right there with most admirable companies, etc. Nearly the ENTIRE legal department at this company is Jewish. I have absolutely nothing against Jewish people. What I do have a problem with is, at this particular company at least, they are the ones leading the way for political correctness and the changes always seems geared towards Christians. Well, maybe we should force changing the name of the menora to The Holiday Candle Rack. Seems rediculous to me...

[Al Kai]

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 crche, 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 Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica 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 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 recently) 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 OK.

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?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards.

Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

Simple truth and common sense. I like this.

[RuddeDogg]

I agree it does make ya think a bit.

[Fishbreath]

I'll probably wish I didn't post this but...

It makes no sense that anyone should want to change the name of the christmas tree to a holiday tree. What other holiday that occurs around the same time of the year as Christmas has anything to do with a large green tree? Do you see Hannukah trees? Didn't think so. Kwaanzi trees? Right.

My father works for a very well known US company. It is always right there with most admirable companies, etc. Nearly the ENTIRE legal department at this company is Jewish. I have absolutely nothing against Jewish people. What I do have a problem with is, at this particular company at least, they are the ones leading the way for political correctness and the changes always seems geared towards Christians. Well, maybe we should force changing the name of the menora to The Holiday Candle Rack. Seems rediculous to me...
Geez Husky, most of the time, I read your posts and just laugh. This time your post strikes home.

Christmas is named for Christ, not a tree, not a toy, not buying something in a store. In this day of political correctness we are going toooo far. This country was built by many people and many religions and that is what is special about us as a country. Leave the religion to those who practice, keep government out of religion and religion out of government. Leave Hannukah to those who practice, Kwanza to those who choose, and all other religions to their own followers. I for one believe in Christmas and what it means spiritually.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[John Purser]

IF that is all Ben Stein then he's a smart guy until religion comes up. Then he is apparently a moron.

Lots of bad things happened to America back before "We told told God to get out of our schools" (which never happened anyway) so what's the religious wacko excuse for that?

[TreednNC]

IF that is all Ben Stein then he's a smart guy until religion comes up. Then he is apparently a moron. :rolleyes:

Lots of bad things happened to America back before "We told told God to get out of our schools" What happened in voluntarily besides Pearl Harbor, seems as America was prospering.

(which never happened anyway) Oh really? Then why dont they pray in school anymore? Why did they want In God We Trust taken off of money? Why isn't there prayer before high school football games anymore?

so what's the religious wacko excuse for that?
What makes him a religious wacko? What keeps you from being an unappreciative leech to what God has created? Oh wait. The complexity of the Earth was a mere accident, right? There is no higher power, because complex organisms just happen in space. There is no God, no Creator, and miricals that defy science just happen for no reason? Give me a break :rolleyes:

[NTKG]

IF that is all Ben Stein then he's a smart guy until religion comes up. Then he is apparently a moron.

Lots of bad things happened to America back before "We told told God to get out of our schools" (which never happened anyway) so what's the religious wacko excuse for that?


although i appreciate your opinion, i don't feel as though you need to call anyone moronic for their religious beliefs. as was stated previously, if everyone believes that they are entitled to freedom, I am excercising mine to merely say something that was not aimed maliciously at anyone, just a personal belief of mine. I think it was out of line for you to take this thread and turn it into something negative.

Its one thing to be against the war in iraq, its another to be at a soldier's funeral and hold a sign calling him a killer.

I don't believe anything in this post was offensive to anyone, I don't want to jump on a bandwagon to put you down for your beliefs or your lack of beliefs so if you could refrain from doing so with mine and some other fellows on this board it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[John Purser]

Having a religion doesn't make you a religious wacko. Believing doesn't make you a moron.

Using lines like "Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?" makes me think you're a moron because of course no one says you "should worship Nick and Jessica" and of course no one isn't allowed to worship god as they understand him in this country. Ben is certainly educated enough to know this so using this means either he's a moron or he's pretty sure he's talking to morons.

Only a religious (and fairly anti-American) wacko would quote a line like "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." Do you REALLY BELIEVE that someone telling God to get out of our schools would for one instant make him actually abandon kids? What incredible hubris! And no one ever threw god out of schools in the first place of course. We simply said that using the schools for religious proselytizing was inappropriate. There's no law that says kids can't pray and if there was I seriously doubt it would change what kids do before pop quizes anyway.

So IF Ben Stein really said this then my estimation of him just took a serious dive. I thought he was conservative but intelligent and this piece of crap argues strongly that he's neither.

[okimavich]

Having a religion doesn't make you a religious wacko. Believing doesn't make you a moron.

Using lines like "Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?" makes me think you're a moron because of course no one says you "should worship Nick and Jessica" and of course no one isn't allowed to worship god as they understand him in this country. Ben is certainly educated enough to know this so using this means either he's a moron or he's pretty sure he's talking to morons.

Only a religious (and fairly anti-American) wacko would quote a line like "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." Do you REALLY BELIEVE that someone telling God to get out of our schools would for one instant make him actually abandon kids? What incredible hubris! And no one ever threw god out of schools in the first place of course. We simply said that using the schools for religious proselytizing was inappropriate. There's no law that says kids can't pray and if there was I seriously doubt it would change what kids do before pop quizes anyway.

So IF Ben Stein really said this then my estimation of him just took a serious dive. I thought he was conservative but intelligent and this piece of crap argues strongly that he's neither.

Please take the time to read the link first. :rolleyes:

Not quite all true: Snopes Link (http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp)

But another feel-good email forward. :)

[John Purser]

Please take the time to read the link first. :rolleyes:

Read it but my point was about the original cut & paste. Frankly from the link I got "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. "

Which frankly didn't to a lot to improve my damaged opinion of Ben. "People who believe in god" are a distinct majority in this country and no one can push them around any more than anyone else can be pushed around. There is no concept that America is an "explicitly atheist country" (whatever that means) and no one is shoving it down anyone's throat. Ben is either engaging in the marketing of lies or the sowing of stupidity.

So Ben, when you're running down my country hoss you're walkin on the fightin side of me.