lobsterman

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary. <DIV align=center>

My confession: </DIV>


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 Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God a s 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 w hen 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 q uestion 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 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


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Barnacle Brain

:clap :clap

I like Ben Stein he tends to show alot of wisdom.

biggamefishr

wow every time i see this it gets more and more altered.........ben stein only said about 5% of that. the rest has been fabricated over the past several years that its been circulating the net

lobsterman

In response to:<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=SmallTxt width="80%"><DIV id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__c tl3_smAuthorName_SimpleMenuDivLayer &#111;nmouseover="InstantASP_OpenMenuMouseOver('_c tl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl3_s mAuthorName','_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopics Repeater__ctl3_smAuthorName_SimpleMenuDivLayer','< table width=100% class=PanelBar_OuterTable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td><table width=100% cellspacing=1 cellpadding=7><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>View Member\'s Profile</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>Add to Buddy List</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendPrivateMessage\',\'1566 \'); &#111;nmouseover=\'&#119;indow.status=&#119;indow. location;return true;\'; &#111;nmouseout=&#119;indow.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Private Message\'>Send Private Message</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendEmail\',\'1566\'); &#111;nmouseover=\'&#119;indow.status=&#119;indow. location;return true;\'; &#111;nmouseout=&#119;indow.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Email To Member\'>Send Email To Member</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butShowMemberPosts\',\'1566\') ; &#111;nmouseover=\'&#119;indow.status=&#119;indow. location;return true;\'; &#111;nmouseout=&#119;indow.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Find All Member\s Posts\'>Find All Member\'s Posts</a></tr></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>','165px');" style="DISPLAY: inline" &#111;nclick="InstantASP_OpenMenu('_ctl1_ctlTopic_ ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl3_smAuthorName', '_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl 3_smAuthorName_SimpleMenuDivLayer','<table width=100% class=PanelBar_OuterTable cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td><table width=100% cellspacing=1 cellpadding=7><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>View Member\'s Profile</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light>Add to Buddy List</tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendPrivateMessage\',\'1566 \'); &#111;nmouseover=\'&#119;indow.status=&#119;indow. location;return true;\'; &#111;nmouseout=&#119;indow.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Private Message\'>Send Private Message</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butSendEmail\',\'1566\'); &#111;nmouseover=\'&#119;indow.status=&#119;indow. location;return true;\'; &#111;nmouseout=&#119;indow.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Send Email To Member\'>Send Email To Member</a></tr><tr><td class=TableCell_Light><a href=__doPostBack(\'butShowMemberPosts\',\'1566\') ; &#111;nmouseover=\'&#119;indow.status=&#119;indow. location;return true;\'; &#111;nmouseout=&#119;indow.status=\'\';return true; Class=\'SmlLinks\' Title=\'Find All Member\s Posts\'>Find All Member\'s Posts</a></tr></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>','165px');">biggamefishr</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Here's the link to exactly what Ben Stein said.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp

__________________
AKA Jiggin Junkie
II Chronicles 7:14

Randy's Canvas & Marine Vinyls

850-279-4140
850-855-5314 cell

Custom Awnings - Repairs
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