Religion in America

Well, here we go again. I really should get off of Facebook; it's sole value is connecting to former students and friends - but sometimes things people post just piss me off.

For example, this tripe by Ben Stein (you know, the guy who used to work for Richard Nixon - that paragon of virtue; the guy who made the deceitful "documentary" Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed; the guy who's main claim to fame is appearing in second-rate movies as a monotonic bozo) showed up in my News feed this morning:

"Very insightful and very true....Take a second to read this: Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as “Holiday Trees” for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America . . . 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, bejewelled 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 crib, 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 celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? 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. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her: “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Hurricane 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 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"

Well, Ben - how about if I blog about it instead? How about if I point out that the first amendment of the Constitution makes it crystal clear that we all have the right to practice our own religion - or no religion - but we absolutely DO NOT have the right to force other people to practice our religion (prayer in school anyone)? How about if I point out that using other people's tragedies to "support" your agenda would most likely by abhorred by God? How about if I note that calling a tree a "Holiday" tree might well be an effort to be more inclusive, instead of exclusive? Maybe - just maybe - the President thought it would be a good idea to be inclusive rather than politically correct. Maybe that's entirely appropriate for the President of the United States.

You think God is responsible for the many ills of society (and that's exactly what you're saying - that God is a petulant child who takes His toys and leaves when the game isn't going His way - whichever way that is)? I'm glad I don't share your version of religion! You think Christians are being "pushed around"? How do you feel about Muslims? Buddhists? Hindus? What exactly constitutes "pushing around"? Are Christians not allowed to practice their religion? Oh - I see - they're not allowed to use public spaces to push their particular view of God on the rest of us. They're not allowed to use public schools to present only their holy book to children. Yep - sure sounds like "pushing around" to me!

Guess what? I think it's entirely appropriate for the Bible to be in public school. And it's entirely appropriate that the Qu'ran be in public schools, or the Bhagavad Gita or - pick your holy text. In fact, I think the country would be better off if a comparative religions class was required of all public students - then our citizens would know something about other points of view instead of relying on sound bites from third rate commentators.

You "think" all this mayhem that you decry (school shootings, terrorism) started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare succeeded in stopping school prayer (guess what - it wasn't her - it was the U.S. Supreme Court)? Maybe you should learn a little history. The most children killed in an attack on a school in the U.S. occurred in Michigan in the 1920's. Terrorism didn't start in the U.S. in the 1950's (just ask an African American about lynching, for example). You "think" that because Dr. Spock recommended that we not spank our children - that explains teen suicide, murder, relativism? Wow - I bet Dr. Spock had no idea he was so powerful!

Catch a clue, Stein. There are other, more effective, ways to discipline children. How about logical consequences? If a child breaks a toy in a fit of temper, how about taking away all toys for a predetermined time. If a child refuses to pick up her room, how about any toys and clothes left on the floor go into the Goodwill bag to be donated to children who might actually care about them? Is spanking the only answer to a mis-behaving child? Is that the limit of your imagination? And what does spanking teach a child, anyway? Is it the case that Dr. Spock advocated inflicting NO discipline on children? If that is not the case, then your whole screed is a crock. And that is the best polite description I can apply to it.