Ben Stein “Christmas Trees” spam still a good read. 12/18/2013
I was recently forwarded an email from a coworker called “Christmas trees Ben Stein”. That was the subject line. Interesting I thought I like Ben Stein and wondered what he had to say considering he is not a Christian. I am going to put the entire comment here as it was in the email. This does not appear to be knew and according to Snopes it dates back to 2005, when he appeared on CBS news in an interview with Charles Osgood. The transcript can be found in the Snopes article. In this review Snopes also points out when modifications were made to the version we see today. Apparently this chain letter either modifies itself or is manipulated by those that read it before us. I did find it interesting because ultimately it repeatedly raised the issue of the “Bible in School” and implies because it was not there that we are going south in a hand basket.
My first comment is it does seem to be an issue as to where many Americans point there morale compass. It is not specifically the fault of the schools, I learned about the bible and so did many of my friends. We were sent to religious school, you know Church, CCD, Sunday School, Hebrew School, Bar Mitzvah training, etc. I even went to the Yeshiva for a brief period. What I did not learn in school my Grandmother taught as hopefully I would teach to my children. However, I did not do a all that I wanted to do here. My kids did not get the same religious exposure that I did and I feel that it will effect them in the wrong way, but I did still try to teach them right from wrong and only time will tell if they learned their lessons. So shame on those who simply want to blame the schools or the atheist’s etc. for the lack of their children’s morals because those should have been taught in the home, and neighborhood. Start inside your four walls and make a change where it counts in the heart, and minds of the ones you love. Teach those how to love and treat others and the infection of proper living will grow.
Now the Ben Stein letter as received in 2013:
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.
A little sanity please…
Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! !
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
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 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 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.
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?
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
Please read the Snopes article to see how the new version has evolved from the original airing.
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