Remarks on CBS on Sunday Morning

[HokeyReligions]

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

 

I got this in an email. I have forwarded it - but it is true - I did not forward it in my workplace because all it takes is one person to 'complain' and I could lose my job. I still wear religious jewelry, but I don't stop to pray at work; or keep religious objects in my office. The person near me stops to pray several times a day. In fact, the company has made a special room available and furnished it with appropriate religious items (prayer rugs, etc.)

 

There are people in my office building who have adorned their workspace with their religious symbols and texts. They are Muslim and are 'allowed' where I, as a Christian, am not allowed. I cannot have my daily prayer calendar sitting on my desk in plain sight.

 

 

Anyway, here is Ben Stein's comments:

 

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

[M30USA]

My own ex-wife and ex-MIL petitioned to have the court judge prohibit me from spanking my kids or using any physical discipline. And both of them claim to be Bible-believing Christians. The Bible says to use the rod of discipline on children so that their souls are saved from the pit. I'm not asking for the rod. Just a simple ass spank now and then. Just like EVERYBODY got last generation--and somehow wound up MORE disciplined and mentally stable than this generation. Oh well.

[lollipopspot]

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 don't know why he feels persecuted, since most Americans believe in God. Generally about 90%

More Than 9 in 10 Americans Continue to Believe in God

 

For the 10% who don't believe in God, I'm not sure why they should have to support, pay for, or approve of public displays.

[Allumere]

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

 

I got this in an email. I have forwarded it - but it is true - I did not forward it in my workplace because all it takes is one person to 'complain' and I could lose my job. I still wear religious jewelry, but I don't stop to pray at work; or keep religious objects in my office. The person near me stops to pray several times a day. In fact, the company has made a special room available and furnished it with appropriate religious items (prayer rugs, etc.)

 

There are people in my office building who have adorned their workspace with their religious symbols and texts. They are Muslim and are 'allowed' where I, as a Christian, am not allowed. I cannot have my daily prayer calendar sitting on my desk in plain sight.

 

 

Anyway, here is Ben Stein's comments:

 

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

 

Although there are things I agree with, it was not written by Stein (hints maybe) and has been floating around for a long time.

[Eclypse]

Just wanted to point out that people have been killing and maiming each other for thousands of years, quite often in the proud name of their religion. Why do people think this is only a problem for this generation? Society has come a long way. In the not too distant past blacks were used as slaves and passed around like currency, Natives were being exploited and massacred. The majority of society saw this as an OK thing.

 

Anyway, personally I'm ok with people having their religious symbols, as long as it's not shoved in my face. With science advancing at the rate it is, more and more people are leaving religion. Of the many many people my age I know (early 20s) only a handful are religious. The vast majority are atheist. Then again this could be due to my surroundings.