Warning --- Religious Overtones

[killrwheels@autogeek]

Normally I pass on forwarding any email or postings that contain religious, political, and ethnic issues as there are always to offend some. Once in a great while, you read something that has some merit and should be shared in hopes that it helps the greater masses or at least makes us think. Please close this now if easily offended, as not intended to offend, but might be something worth a quick ponder.

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

[Tonya]

That was good Scott thanks for sharing!

[ryandamartini]

such truth in this statement.

I myself was once scared to bring out a Bible in school. As it was said that if I was caught, I would be punished for "influencing students". It does sadden me the offenses people say they are given. ive always thought the Minorah a neat tradition and very beautiful, Im a sucker for the big ice ones. Also why have a problem with Islam? I have Islamic friends who are also of the nicest and kind people I have met from devotion to their faith.

It truelly astounds me how people can differ so greatly in belief of their own ideas and in turn exert tensions into believers of a different faith. It seems that individualism and a strong disregard for a faith or believing in a greater good in our nation.

Gone are the days of unity, come to stay are those of seperation in beliefs, despite us all living within these boundaries we have fought for hundreds of years to protect. God forbid we make small sacrifices in society to stand united.

[wytstang]

I agree 100% thank you for sharing........also when people tell me happy holidays I normally tell them Merry Christmas to you too .

[richy]

Well done..thanks for posting that.

[wolfpacker92]

Originally Posted by wytstang

I agree 100% thank you for sharing........also when people tell me happy holidays I normally tell them Merry Christmas to you too .

That is a great response and I think I'll start using that too. Thanks killr for sharing that.

[wytstang]

Originally Posted by wolfpacker92

That is a great response and I think I'll start using that too. Thanks killr for sharing that.

Thank you say it with a sincere smile too.

[Wolf-Strong]

Originally Posted by wytstang

Thank you say it with a sincere smile too.

I know I do...Thanks for sharing that!



Oh...and it's 'IT'! Love those movies!!!!

[ltoman]

Originally Posted by killrwheels@autogeek

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.


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

Scott,
I think that is a really good one. Working in a school, I totally agree.
Just another of the many things in our world that needs fixing - maybe we wouldn't all be killing one another!!
Thanks for sharing - I am going to share that with some co-workers and friends, for sure.
Lauren

[hydro556]

Excellent post. How anyone can deny something so obvious would be comical if not so detrimental to our society. Our country is a shadow of what it once was due to political correctness. We need a Statesman to lead us back to common sense. Will there be one or are we doomed to succumb totally to this insanity?