Ben Stein and Holiday Trees

[Boogalou]

Something supposedly by Ben Stein has been floating around on my Facebook lately. I checked it out and it is really only partially true (why people don't look these things up before they post them is beyond me) but I thought I would address it here anyway. People obviously agree with the sentiment behind it if they are willing to write it and share it, even though Ben Stein didn't actually say all of it:

Very insightful and very true....Take a second to read this:

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 . . .

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

Except that is not exactly true. First of all, Ben Stein never said all of this. Secondly, the White House calls their Christmas tree... as Christmas tree. Lying for Jesus!

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, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

That's great. I generally like calling things what they are too.

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 crib, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

Again, that's great that you feel that way. People pass this stuff around though as if just because Ben Stein feels this way every other Jewish person (and by extension any non-Christian or person who doesn't celebrate Christmas) does or should feel this way too.

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.

Ah, the poor persecuted Christians, they are being pushed around all the time. No one said America is an atheist country, it's the separation of church and state. You can read all about it in the First Amendment to the Constitution. I'm sorry that you think the law is being shoved down your 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.

And now we have pining for the old days when America was perfect even though that time never existed.

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?â€

Bad things never happened before atheism! Bad things only happen to bad people! I am sure Kelly Crafword, the godliest of them all, would take issue with this.

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 neighbour as yourself. And we said OK.

The bible says to marry your rapist as well. Please see the First Amendment, as discussed above.

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.

Dr. Spock's son never committed suicide. The bible also says not to lie. Maybe we should read the bible in schools?

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.

Back to America used to perfect...

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.'

Oh, CAPS LOCK! It must be TRUE!

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

I passed it forward. Do I get some god points now, or should I worry about natural disasters? Also, so nice that they put Ben Stein's name right there at the end, just to emphasise their lies for Jesus.

Edited, because I forgot something.

[guidedbybobafett]

Ugh, I am so tired of people taking the belief in god for granted. I don't care what 'the lord' thinks of me because I don't think he exists. OH NO I AM THE DOWNFALL OF AMERICA.

[Kaylee]

Here's snopes on the truth behind it: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/confessions.asp

Basically, he said the first part about Christmas tree, manger scenes, etc not being offensive to him and not liking people getting pushed around during an interview in 2005.

The bit at the beginning about the White House Christmas tree is untrue, not said by Stein, and was tacked on in 2011 as a dig at Obama.

The "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." part and everything that follows was also not said/written by Ben Stein as was tacked on by somebody in 2006 as this circulated around the internet.

[Boogalou]

Here's snopes on the truth behind it: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/confessions.asp

Basically, he said the first part about Christmas tree, manger scenes, etc not being offensive to him and not liking people getting pushed around during an interview in 2005.

The bit at the beginning about the White House Christmas tree is untrue, not said by Stein, and was tacked on in 2011 as a dig at Obama.

The "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." part and everything that follows was also not said/written by Ben Stein as was tacked on by somebody in 2006 as this circulated around the internet.

Thanks Raine. That is where I was looking to see if this was true. I probably should have linked to it, eh!?

[JesusFightClub]

Ugh, I am so tired of people taking the belief in god for granted. I don't care what 'the lord' thinks of me because I don't think he exists. OH NO I AM THE DOWNFALL OF AMERICA.

Well, this.

Why am I supposed to respect religion, exactly, again? I have seen it cause disastrous consequences everywhere from the West of Scotland (where I'm from) to the Middle East to Africa to the US to the Far East to...well, everywhere. If someone thinks another person is mean to them because they question them about how many children they have and that is SOO EVIL AND SECULAR AND PERSECUTION they should try being on a Scottish street at midnight, refusing to join in The Sash singalong and see what happens. Or being surrounded by people singing "Up to me knees in Fenian blood". Or being Asian and wearing a hijab because your mum believes you should and having "Fucking Paki, fucking blackberry" yelled at you. Or perhaps, as happened to a mate of mine whose family is of Pakistani origin, being handed a leaflet by fascists saying "Repatriation for all non indigenous citizens" and being leered at and told "That's what's going to happen to you. You better get used to it."

These people think being wished "Happy Holidays" is persecution on a grand scale. They do not know what they are talking about.

[dawbs]

I will say, that I don't like them being 'holiday trees'--because I've found that people think "call it a HOLIDAY party, then you can sneak all of your Christian traditions and beliefs in and pretend you're not being exclusive to others' beliefs"

[Guest Anonymous]

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.

If you discard this (frankly ridiculous) Internet circular, and its 'thought process', then you have no right to complain about the state of the world? Really?! Whoever wrote that (I'm assuming it's tacked on) has a pretty high opinion of themselves. Hell, if somebody only listened to this dude, and followed his instructions, we'd have world peace by now! :roll:

[slickcat79]

One of my more annoying FB "friends" took a right-wing turn a couple of years ago, and she posted some part of this a few days ago with some message about how she loves Ben Stein. The fact that it was almost completely made up was pointed out to her in the first comment (along with the snopes link) and her general reaction was "La la la, still love Ben Stein and I love Christmas!" :roll:

[NotALoserLikeYou]

I've seen this several times on FB and always point out that it is untrue, of course they never take it down. And people pretend they didnt see my comment and they keep bashing that heathen Obama.

Someone just posted it yesterday and her response was: False or not, the sentiment behind it is what I resonate with

Um, thats not a reason to spread lies about people?

[Maggie Mae]

I've seen this several times on FB and always point out that it is untrue, of course they never take it down. And people pretend they didnt see my comment and they keep bashing that heathen Obama.

Someone just posted it yesterday and her response was: False or not, the sentiment behind it is what I resonate with

Um, thats not a reason to spread lies about people?

I usually link to Snopes. One time I had someone say that it is a "liberal bias site". People make me irritated on FB sometimes.

[Minerva]

Ok, who worships celebrities? Lots of people go pretty apeshit over them, but worship in the literal sense of the word? Nope. Not the same thing.

I will say, that I don't like them being 'holiday trees'--because I've found that people think "call it a HOLIDAY party, then you can sneak all of your Christian traditions and beliefs in and pretend you're not being exclusive to others' beliefs"

This is exactly what I was trying to explain to someone at work the other day! You said it so much better.