A powerful message from a jewish commentator
Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America ... Ben Stein
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)(THIS POTION OF BEN STEINS COMMENTARY IS WRONG IT WAS DR SPOCKS GRAND SON AND FURTHERMORE WHEN SOMEONE HAS TO LOSE A CHILD IN SUCH A TRAGIC WAY ...I DO BELIEVE THAT GOD WOULD BE VERY ANGRY WITH ME FOR BLAMING THE TRAGEDY ON PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS WHO WERE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN IN THE MOST LOVING WAY POSSIBLE with spanking or without spanking...Phoenix) We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.(we do tend to let the experts of every kind including our religious experts tell us how to think Phoenix)
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?
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,
It would be great if people like Ben didn't present the propositions of his
'argument' as facts, when indeed they are just plain wrong( Dr. Spock's son did not
commit suicide ). Worse than that, the rest of these assertions are poisoned with
the persecution complex of the modern day believer. If I was a believer I would be
angry with Ben Stein for poor quality representation. As it stands, as a non-believer,
I am just bemused that this is what passes for 'powerful' or 'commentary'.
Delete this if you must, I guess you will if it is a threat to what you are promoting
here, I have no wish to upset anyone.
Kind regards Paul McCue
Paul......Thank you for your comments, and no....I will not delete it, as you were simply expressing your opinion, and that is allowable...even encouraged, here.
I assure you that we do not suffer from a persecution complex..........I believe that we "suffer" from the exact opposite........we have a "tremendously blessed complex", but there is no suffering involved with that.
Hello Paul
Given that I have many jewish friends who often tell me the same thing as the commentator, and some who dont like Christmas, I like the piece. I also would like to see other faiths in God respected as much as we tend to respect our own faith . I dont think we pay enough respect to jewish faith. we will set meetings on jewish holy days or on other fath's holy days but not on christmas. or we dont even try to understand other ways of seeing the one great source. but then I am a Christian who mingles and ceremonies with many faiths so I look at things a little expansive.
I do think that we tend to pay a lot of attention to celebrities. I am also guilty of that.
I dont want a one religion world that might just be way to controlling. If God is love then I'll accept Gods Love the way God wants to love.We have choice.
I dont feel persecuted that is an extreme way to look at things. Every religion tends to have extremists. but I dont think the commentator is extreme. He is just expressing one opinion and given that we are a christian site the piece is appropriate for this site.
but we can have opinions and speak them if we are respectful and compassionate.
I know that the white house didnt mean to bash christians.
there is room in the world for athiest's and Believers of every faith . A kind God knows that. and no one should be forced to believe any thing they dont understand
Just my opinion.
BTW love your name , Prometheus who had to steal fire from a not so loving god. Once upon a time God was also very strict with us after all God is everything.and we are created in Gods image we can be extreme . I like to think Jesus came to be the last sacrifice of the ages so that we would be saved from Gods harsh side
To show that God is Love.and to show us that we are love too.
I dont know if Zeus did anything like that. I do know that prometheus had to trick zeus and steal fire to save the people on the earth and then zeus put prometheus on a mountain with an eagle coming every day to disembowel him yikes. I love prometheus I dont like zeus so much.
many blessings Prometheus
It appears that there is a statement in the opening post which is incorrect. It is stated that Dr Spock's son did not commit suicide, and for that apparent mis-representation of the facts, we at The Family of God do apologize. We did fail to check our facts in that regard.
Paul I thank you for pointing that out to us.
Thank you Paul for pointing out the fact about dr spocks son I dont believe in spanking either. I am a teacher and I handled kids without ever spanking so I dont see why parents have to spank and then I am not a mother so I cant say much about what it is like for parents at home. plenty of good people have spanked their kids or not spanked their kids and the kids turn out fine.
I wonder if the commentator got some mail about the dr spock discrepency.( It was Dr Spocks grandson who comitted suicide and the commentator should have some compassion about it instead of blaming. that was just plain wrong.I had not thought about it when I first read the article I feel sad for the young mans parents they dont need to feel like they did something wrong. It wasn't anyones fault that the young man was having a hard time. they did everything they possibly could to help him.Everyone is always doing the best they can with what they know ) You should write to Ben Stien, I am going to write to him and to the friend who sent the article to me so that they can also know the facts in a good way. I am always open to correction.
As for the rest of the article well I think it is still a good comment on a portion of our society.
In the spirit of this concept of God is Love and that we need more understanding and allow GOD to remain in our world right out there in the open and honoring Everyone who believes in GOD, I share one of my favorite songs of worship. Personally I know that Jesus doesnt mind one little bit that his name is not mentioned. when I have my channupa (sacred Pipe) prayer ceremony in four weeks to end my current class on prayer I am going to sing this song with my class. I am rewriting a verse to include Jesus. I cant even remember how I found this song which I heard years ago with my very first inipi Sweat group. Even while we sang native traditional songs we sang this one too. Yesterday the HOLY SPIRIT guided me to this song. all day the Holy spirit was telling me how to put together my final presentation for my class on prayer.. and then this song poped up I have been to the rainbow gatherings. I love them .
I will share my verse with you when I finish it.
There are two other things that were apparently not fact-checked. Ben Stein did the commentary, of which the above is loosely based, in 2005.
Also, the White House has never referred to Christmas trees as "holiday trees." It's an Urban Legend akin to the belief that eating Pop Rocks and drinking Coca Cola will kill you from making your stomach explode.
Hi Phil......thank you for checking those things for us. There is so much good information available on the net, and yet many things which are incorrect. One needs to be checking all of the time.
Personally I find myself a bit gullible..........."if I read it, it must be right" but that is not necessarily so. Thanks again.
Hi Phil, what was the other thing
I still appreciate the Idea that Ben stein is talking about. The Idea that symbols of worship of a creator a Higher power are fine all together in the same place. It doesnt bother him as a jewish man to have Christ in the same place as a Menorah. Or for anyone to believe in a great mystery. I also believe that we work together with that higher power to create our lives and that as we think so we are. I believe that in every belief or non belief there are the good guys and in the mix are always the angry extremists who want everyone to bow to them and believe their way. It can be all about power and control.
It doesnt bother me if others dont believe and I dont shove it at them. It does bother me if they lump everyone of any faith into one category as if all athiests are the same or all christians are the same or all___are the same. I do Prefer non believers that believe in compassion . kindness, understanding, helping, taking good care of the feelings of others, allowing for the diversity of people in this world.
I seriously dont believe everything I read especially from organized religion or organized non believing system. I chose to think for myself. and still I am a believer in that man JC but I do get into trouble often for reading everything and hanging out with all types of faiths and non faiths finding God wherever I am and that is why I am a believer in that guy JC who got in trouble often for the same thing and by the way christ was not his last name.
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