The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
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, 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 crche, 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 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 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 when
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 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 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
The sad part is that this is all true. We, as a society, only call out to him in time of crisis. Why do we look for him when we need his help? In reality, we should never take our eyes off him, in good times and in bad. He is suppose to be our guide and anchor, not our backup plan. He wants a relationship with us. Like all close relationships in our lives, turn to him, laugh with him, talk to him on a regular basis. Then and only then will we find peace in a unpeaceful world.
