Are You Offended by Christmas Trees?

This article is atributed to Ben Stein. I am not sure if he wrote it, could just be an urban legend passed around on e-mail but it was sent to me by Jo Ann Forrester of SI Business Associates and I know she is a Professional with Impact. I don't know if Ben Stein wrote this article but I do know that whoever wrote it is also a "Professional with Impact."


The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBSSunday Morning Commentary.My confession:I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it doesnot 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 feeldiscriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don'tthink 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 celebratingthis happy time of year.


It doesn't bother me at all that there is a mangerscene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. Ifpeople want a cr裨e, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a fewhundred yards away.I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't thinkChristians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think peoplewho believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. Ihave 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 thereare 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'sintended 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?" (regardingKatrina) 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 bodyfound 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. (TheBible 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.


Ithink 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 ony our address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what theywill think of you for sending it.


Techno Granny addendum: I don't personally care what anyone thinks. This is my blog and as the obstinate "covered over" grey grandmother that I am, I believe that I can express my beliefs freely on "my Blog." This is America and we need to take it back from those who would steal it from us. We need to celebrate all of our ethnicities, all of our faiths and all of our differences. That is what has made this country great. I will never condemn an atheist for his or her beliefs or tell him he cannot express them. If he has a "higher power" he can worship that higher power. If the atheist depends on himself, that's okay, too. I think he or she is going to be pretty lonely, but that's his business.


Many of our ancestors came here for religious freedom. What I object to is "Bullying." I object to the kid who says, "I don't like your game so not only am I not playing but I am going to make sure you don't play either."

If you have a comment, I would welcome it, after all, THIS IS STILL A FREE COUNTRY.