Ben Stein FB Meme

[GeoBQn]

One of my FB friends shared this, saying, "Don't usually share these things . . . but whole heartedly agree!"

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 attacks, 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.

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

I am confident that I can continue to believe in G-d without spanking children or forcing public school students to pray. And is he saying that because of what Dr. Spock and O'Hare believed, they somehow deserved tragedy in their lives or brought it on themselves? Of course, this is assuming that Stein said any of this. It sounds like something that would just be attributed to him and passed on without thought.

I am really angry about this and which I could respond to the person who posted it, but she is a college acquaintance who I don't normally talk to directly.

[GeoBQn]

I was right, it looks like most of this was fabricated. And Dr. Spock's son did not commit suicide. I still find the sentiment ugly.

snopes.com/politics/soapbox/confessions.asp

[slickcat79]

Regardless of who originally wrote it, why would anyone look at that crap and think it has merit? Full of false comparisons and items that are factually untrue.

Apparently some of it also came from a speech given by Billy Graham's daughter Anne Graham Lotz. Sorry guys, when your people make up some 3/4 of the country, you are not persecuted. Build a bridge and get over it :roll:

[church_of_dog]

I have never been able to fathom why this is so difficult for people to get. Or more likely, people understand perfectly well but cannot admit that because it doesn't suit their agenda... Anyway what I'm getting at is the idea that people want to pretend that "freedom of/from religion" equates to "an atheist country".

I mean, I am an atheist, and I truly believe that religion is "the opiate of the masses", but nevertheless I respect people's right to believe what they want (as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others). But as I learned the history of the USA, the important principle was the freedom to worship as one wanted (including "not at all" when applicable, but the desire for that freedom wasn't driven primarily by atheists, at least as I was taught it).

In other words, even if every single person in this country believed in a mainstream religion, we would still of course want/need our separation of church and state and our freedom of religion, because we as a country embrace a wide variety of religions and it's a truism that each person thinks their own beliefs are the real ones. Duh -- they wouldn't be beliefs otherwise! :facepalm:

[Talitha Cumi]

I have never been able to fathom why this is so difficult for people to get. Or more likely, people understand perfectly well but cannot admit that because it doesn't suit their agenda... Anyway what I'm getting at is the idea that people want to pretend that "freedom of/from religion" equates to "an atheist country".

I mean, I am an atheist, and I truly believe that religion is "the opiate of the masses", but nevertheless I respect people's right to believe what they want (as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others). But as I learned the history of the USA, the important principle was the freedom to worship as one wanted (including "not at all" when applicable, but the desire for that freedom wasn't driven primarily by atheists, at least as I was taught it).

In other words, even if every single person in this country believed in a mainstream religion, we would still of course want/need our separation of church and state and our freedom of religion, because we as a country embrace a wide variety of religions and it's a truism that each person thinks their own beliefs are the real ones. Duh -- they wouldn't be beliefs otherwise! :facepalm:

The reason the Christians pushed for separation of church and state was so that one form of Christianity wouldn't be privileged over the other. If we became a Christian country-- well, 25% of Americans are Catholic, making the Catholic Church far and away the largest Christian denomination in America. Do the Gothardites/QF crowd really want to be ruled by OMG THE POPE? (Except Abigail. She'd love it.)

[2xx1xy1JD]

I was right, it looks like most of this was fabricated. And Dr. Spock's son did not commit suicide. I still find the sentiment ugly.

snopes.com/politics/soapbox/confessions.asp

This is why I loves snopes, hate mindless email forwards, and always tend to be the bitch who says, "You are forwarding something that is false/distorted, here's the real story, please check your facts before ever forwarding anything to me ever again."

[Hane]

I used to love Ben Stein's old Comedy Central trivia show, "Win Ben Stein's Money." Some time after it ended, I saw footage of him at an anti-abortion rally, announcing that abortion should be treated like murder, and was appalled. He also made a documentary bemoaning the fact that college professors who defend creationism are "marginalized and persecuted."

I recently learned that one of my old classmates is BFFs with his wife, who seems to be a perfectly reasonable person. My friend can't figure out their marriage either.

[kaetrin]

This is why I loves snopes, hate mindless email forwards, and always tend to be the bitch who says, "You are forwarding something that is false/distorted, here's the real story, please check your facts before ever forwarding anything to me ever again."

But... but... Snopes is a liberal conspiracy!

[Hane]

Oh, and, for the record, Dr. Spock did not advocate permissive child-rearing. My mom had his original "Baby and Child Care" book back in the '50s, and I read it cover to cover as soon as I was old enough--and it did not oppose corporal punishment.

[Hane]

But... but... Snopes is a liberal conspiracy!

That's what our pals to the right of center like to say--yet Snopes will happily quote Politifax's "pants on fire" judgment of liberals and conservatives alike.

[SquirrelySquirrel]

I used to love Ben Stein's old Comedy Central trivia show, "Win Ben Stein's Money." Some time after it ended, I saw footage of him at an anti-abortion rally, announcing that abortion should be treated like murder, and was appalled. He also made a documentary bemoaning the fact that college professors who defend creationism are "marginalized and persecuted."

I loved his show too! I was really shocked when I learned of his political leanings. All of the intelligent people on CC seem to be quite liberal, after all. When I see him pop up on something I sometimes wonder if his outspokenness on a lot of issues is why we don't see him on many shows or movies anymore. He was pretty prevalent in the 90's/early 2000's if memory serves.

Oh, and, for the record, Dr. Spock did not advocate permissive child-rearing. My mom had his original "Baby and Child Care" book back in the '50s, and I read it cover to cover as soon as I was old enough--and it did not oppose corporal punishment.

I hope you aren't saying that lack of corporal punishment = permissive parenting. It could be read that way.

[infooverload]

I can't say as I am suprised about Ben Stein's political leanings because he did work for some prominent Republicans when he was younger. I just take him to be a guy who found a schtick and used it to make a career for himself. The only thing that suprised me was the documentary he did since that goes a little against the public image I think a lot of people have of him. As far as the Snopes thing being "a liberal conspiracy" this is par for the course for anything not Fox New. In the conservative world Fox News and The Blaze are seen as bastions of truth and everything else is twisted liberal propoganda.

[anniebgood]

Met him one night at a gathering of radio people in Pasadena and he's so white bread it's hard to get a real read on him. He adored Nixon, loved Reagan and took jabs at all the Democrats in office. I enjoyed his TV show too, but he's not like that at all in person. I wonder what his child is like?

[crazyforkate]

What a vile, vile thing to write, especially the part about people dying or suffering with implication that it was because of their beliefs. Ben, you have officially cancelled out your appearance in Ferris Bueller.

[Hane]

I hope you aren't saying that lack of corporal punishment = permissive parenting. It could be read that way.

No, not at all. Dr. Spock was a pacifist who opposed America's involvement in the Vietnam war, but his book didn't advocate permissiveness. I wish I could figure out how the "Dr. Spock=permissive childrearing" lie came about. Maybe because he never came out and said "Beat the crap out of the little bastards"?

[silversurealism]

I've seen this shared before. I've given up on telling people to fact check stuff before they post it and link to Snopes. There is seriously so much ridiculous stuff out there, and some of it is downright dangerous. I literally -headdesk-'d when my grandma was taking medical advice from one of those FB reposts of an email forward.

But... but... Snopes is a liberal conspiracy!

I have relatives who genuinely believe that (and that so many other things are liberal conspiracies). It kind of shocked me.

[rward]

I can't say as I am suprised about Ben Stein's political leanings because he did work for some prominent Republicans when he was younger. I just take him to be a guy who found a schtick and used it to make a career for himself. The only thing that suprised me was the documentary he did since that goes a little against the public image I think a lot of people have of him. As far as the Snopes thing being "a liberal conspiracy" this is par for the course for anything not Fox New. In the conservative world Fox News and The Blaze are seen as bastions of truth and everything else is twisted liberal propoganda.

I wonder how much of it is a schtick. According to rush limbaughs niece, he is totally pleasant in person. So how much is the paycheck on these guys, and how much is real?

[PennySycamore]

No, not at all. Dr. Spock was a pacifist who opposed America's involvement in the Vietnam war, but his book didn't advocate permissiveness. I wish I could figure out how the "Dr. Spock=permissive childrearing" lie came about. Maybe because he never came out and said "Beat the crap out of the little bastards"?

A bit OT, but I saw Dr Spock sitting on the grass near the National Mall in DC chatting to some other protesters at a march supporting the impeachment of Nixon. I wish I'd gone up to talk to him.

[lovemygsp]

My idiotic family members posted this today. I was just shocked. I wish I was better at formulating replies as I really want to say something.

[mlady]

This is why I loves snopes, hate mindless email forwards, and always tend to be the bitch who says, "You are forwarding something that is false/distorted, here's the real story, please check your facts before ever forwarding anything to me ever again."

I was the bitch that pointed out publically, on peoples FB walls, when they posted faux-facts and straight up lies. I had to stop. Not because I lost "friends" but because there just isn't enough time in the world.

[lizziesmom]

I used to love Ben Stein's old Comedy Central trivia show, "Win Ben Stein's Money." Some time after it ended, I saw footage of him at an anti-abortion rally, announcing that abortion should be treated like murder, and was appalled. He also made a documentary bemoaning the fact that college professors who defend creationism are "marginalized and persecuted."

I recently learned that one of my old classmates is BFFs with his wife, who seems to be a perfectly reasonable person. My friend can't figure out their marriage either.

Speech writer for Nixon and Ford. Conservative asshat. That is Ben Stein.

[Nothing2CHere]

I wonder how much of it is a schtick. According to rush limbaughs niece, he is totally pleasant in person. So how much is the paycheck on these guys, and how much is real?

This is what scares me the most about people like limbaugh (if what his niece says is true), because the people who listen to him and scream stuff like, "Yeah!!!!!!!!!!111!!! Dittohead for life! Kill all the feminazis!!!111!!!" don't realize a lot of it is just a schtick for entertainment purposes and those listeners really, truly believe this way.

[Hane]

My classmate, who's friends with Ben Stein's wife, says his extremist conservative rants are just shtick: He's spouting the Extreme Crap o' the Day, just to fit in with his Republican buddies, not because he believes it.

Contrast that with, say, someone like me, who says, "I can't imagine a situation in which I'd feel compelled to have an abortion, but hell if I'm going to take away other women's choices."

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

I remember a few years ago Limbaugh's niece wrote an article for either Salon or Slate about how nice "Cousin Rusty is ok" (exact words). She cited him being kind to family and friends. Which is meaningless. Plenty of terrible people are nice to their family and love their wives and give kids candy. Sorry to go Godwin, but let's recall that one of Hitler's pet projects was figuring out a more humane way to kill lobsters.