Ben Stein is no benevolent. He, like so many other conservatives, continues to try to tell very nice people who want their Jesus in the Manger Christmas, that someone out there is totally out to get them. He even couches his theories in rhetoric that says "I'm a Jew and I'm not offended when I don't see a Menorrah placed beside a Nativity Scene." Whoopee for you, Ben. Neither am I. Nor am I offended by any other celebrations of the season by people of every faith and ideology. So I'm going to post for you the gist of what I wrote to my Mom and, to her credit, she is always willing to read another opinion. I'll tell you her response at the end because I laughed. She can't fight her Catholiciness. So, here's my commentary on the phony war on Christianity:
Dear Mother - I know that you sent this with the very best of intentions. I got a similar type of missive from Toni. The problem is that it's a fake controversy. I'd really like this whole "assault on Christians" nonsense to disappear." So here's a little something to think about from me.
Thanks for sharing the wisdom of Mr. Moneybags, Ben Stein. He's quite articulate. There's an inherent problem with all of this. NOBODY discrinimates against Christians in America. In fact, the majority of the bullying and railing against other faiths and other belief systems generally emanates from fundamentalist Christian organizations/faiths. This stuff always ticks me off because it is couched in this benevolent language that sounds so reasonable and kind.
Now, referring to some of the issues highlighted by Mr. Stein: "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. We said an expert should know what he's talking about.. And we said okay."
The truth is that spanking IS bad. It teaches kids to hit one another.
"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."
Nothing wrong with teaching morality and having an intelligent discussion on issues of right and wrong - and as far as prayer goes, if you want to give everyone a few moments in the morning to reflect upon their personal faith that's great. Just don't demand that it be YOUR faith.
Nobody picks on Christians and nobody says you can't celebrate Christmas, even though Jesus was born in July and this holiday actually came from the Pagan ritual of the Solstice. It just coincides nicely with that time when the days, once again, begin getting longer and the period of time when the economy needs a final boost before the year-end numbers come in.
Nobody picks on Christians and nobody says you can't celebrate Christmas, even though Jesus was born in July and this holiday actually came from the Pagan ritual of the Solstice. It just coincides nicely with that time when the days, once again, begin getting longer and the period of time when the economy needs a final boost before the year-end numbers come in.
Nobody is less cynical about Christmas, the Christ Child, Wonderful Christmas Lights, Manger Scenes, Menorahs and even the "holiday trappings" than I am. It is a wonderful thing, as the year draws to a close, to remember friends and family, those with us and those who have passed on. To spend time thinking of a gift that would light up the face of a loved one, or make them laugh or just remind them that they are loved is tremendous. I love Christmas/Holiday music. Now there's an area where the Jews could work on things a little more. That Dreidle song kinda sucks.
I'd like to actually give credit to Mr. Stein, though he didnt' intend for his words to so closely quoted. Here is one of his final comments on our moral decline."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.' "
Yes, Mr. Stein, we reap what we sow. And as to you and your ilk, the poor, the disenfranchised, even the middle class is reaping what you and your wealthy pals in the safe, upper 1% of the wealthy bestow upon us. Meager existances, crappy jobs and little hope for the future. As you write your Christmas Bla-de-Bla, let me tell you that we, like the Whos down in Whoeville will still celebrate Christmas. Oh, there might be less lights and a lot less under the tree.
There might be a chicken or even maybe a stew and a Cherry pie as a treat instead of the usual Christmas feast. But there WILL be a Christmas because you and your friends don't get it and can't figure it out, much less stop it.
Go open your garage to your new fancy-ass car with the bow. It won't hold a candle to the WII game that Mom and Dad saved up for so that the entire family could share a gift. Or the Christmas dinner to which countless numbers of us contributed so the folks down at the Denver Rescue Mission could feel safe and warm and human and wanted and cared for.
You, Ben Stein, and Bill O'Reilly, and Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh and the rest of your ilk will never know this feeling.
Well, there is my missive on the subject of Christ in Christmas. Christ is the first half of the word. Just don't try to squeeze Christ into Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Solstice. He doesn't, nor would he want to, fit there. He's is as he always was. Happy to be among us.
Oh...Mom's response was: "I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE SPANKING." Gotta love her.
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