The Statement of a wise man

Subject: The statement of a wise man.
I loved this when I read it. Merry Christmas and and Happy New Year to all of you and your families!
> The statement of a wise man.> > 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 crèche, 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> > > > Amen=