Christmas trees, holiday trees, and a CBS reporter's observation.

[Steelharp]

Got this in my e-mail. I liked it a lot.

---------------------------

(Apparently not from the original source quoted in the e-mail I received, but rather from Ben Stein in 2005)

 

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 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 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 neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Steven 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, 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.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Steelharp

[bersaguy]

If I could like this 10,000 times I would..................... :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

[bersaguy]

As far as the Christmas Trees go I had a long standing falling out with the manager at the local Lowes store here about 6 years ago about their sign that said in big bold letters "HOLIDAY TREES FOR SALE" I walked into the store and a clerk ask me if he could help me and I told him I was looking for a Christmas Tree. He said real of artificial and I said  real. He took me out side and pointed to the trees called Holiday Trees. I told him I didn't want a Holiday Tree, I wanted a Christmas Tree. He knew quite quickly he was in over his head so he requested a manager come and assist him. I went through the same thing with the management  and he finally told me the only Christmas Trees they have are fake and walked away with his clerk in tow.

On New Years Eve I was back and there was no Holiday Trees to be found and I asked the a clerk to speak to the management. Dang if it was not the same guy. I asked him were all the Holiday Trees were at since after all New Years day was a Holiday and I wanted Holiday Tree. He just looked at me and said they were sold out and walked away. He saw me again on Easter and Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. Finally he asked me just what my problem is and I said political correctness is my problem and companies that kiss Politically Corrects ass. He ask me for my name if I had an email and I gave him both. Somewhere on one of my old computers I have their letter stored and it is such a great email letter I am hoping to find it so I can post it. In the end I won the battle of the Christmas Trees in the Gallatin store that i know of. When the real trees went up for sale at the store the sign read. "CHRISTMAS TREES ON SALE." That year Lowes actually did sell out of live trees for the first time in about 5 years. None were thrown out. Walmart followed the next year here and employees in both stores began wishing people Merry Christmas again. Just a small victory but a victory none the less................jmho

Edited December 17, 2015 by bersaguy

[btq96r]

Not by Steven Levy...

https://twitter.com/stevenlevy/status/427563822216257536

[ou812]

It was Ben Stein back in 2005 who was on cbs about holiday trees.   and the white house has never referred to a Christmas tree as a holiday tree.

Edited December 17, 2015 by ou812

[ou812]

CHARLES OSGOOD: We all have our own thoughts about the holidays. Here's Ben Stein with his. 

BEN STEIN: Here at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart. I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. 

(Footage of People magazine; Us magazine) 

STEIN: I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I'm buying my dog biscuits. I still don't know. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores who they are. They don't know who Nick and Jessica are, either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they've broken up? Why are they so darned important? 

(Footage of People magazine) 

STEIN: I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I don't care at all about Tom Cruise's baby. 

(Vintage footage of congressional hearing) 

STEIN: Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I'm a subversive? Maybe. But I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young? Hm, not so bad. 

Next 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 beautifully lit-up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. 

(Footage of Christmas trees) 

STEIN: I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are — Christmastrees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they're slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. I shows that we're all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. 

It doesn't bother me one bit that there's a manger scene on display at a key intersection at my beach house in Malibu. 

(Footage of manger scene; menorah) 

STEIN: If people want a creche, fine. The menorah a few hundred yards away is fine, too. I do not 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 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 used to know went to.

[Mike.357]

one thing I have noticed about Holiday vs. Christmas is people are pretty vocal with Merry Christmas now days.  I hardly ever hear have a nice holiday or other generic names for it all.  

 

I get a kick out of it all.

[Oh Shoot]

Not by Steven Levy...

https://twitter.com/stevenlevy/status/427563822216257536

 

Just to contribute, I've read Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything

and

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution.

 

:)

 

- OS

[Steelharp]

Not by Steven Levy...

https://twitter.com/stevenlevy/status/427563822216257536

Thanks for the clarification.

[TMF]

I haven't encountered anyone yet who gets offended when I wish them a merry Christmas.  In fact, almost every service industry employee (for the big corps) will say "happy holidays" to me during this time of year, and it's been this way for at least the past 5 years.  I often respond with "merry Christmas"; not because I'm making a point to it, but because that's what I actually mean.  I'm sure I've encountered folks who don't celebrate Christmas, but none have ever acted offended that I could tell.  However, I see all the time people get offended by people saying "happy holidays".  I don't see the issue with it.  We are a diverse nation, and although the majority celebrate Christmas, not everyone does.  It just makes sense for businesses to water it down and make it non-specific, because not ALL of their customers will celebrate Christmas... like 20% of their customers. 

 

I will say, though, not calling them Christmas trees is ridiculous.  That's what they are for.  Nobody is calling a menorah a "8 candle holder".

[bersaguy]

Well, when I grew up as a child it was a Christmas Tree that we decorated every year and everyone said Merry Christmas. That was also the way my parents grew up. That is the way my children were raised and that is the way they have raised theirs.  

It seems that because a (very small minority of people) decided one day that it offended them so they pitch a fit and wal-la Political Correctness is born. Very shortly everything in our lives must be politically correct or we are some kind of bigot. so for about 5% of the 300 million Americans 240 million Americans (give or take a few million) must change or alter their beliefs so they won't be called a bigot. Well, I guess I am a bigot because they are Christmas trees and I do say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year when ever I decide to and I don't do it to be mean or vindictive. I do it because that is the way I was raised......................jmho

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Ya'll

Edited December 17, 2015 by bersaguy

[hipower]

" I do it because that's the way I was raised...and believe."

Just a little add on, buddy. Hope you don't mind.

Merry Christmas...ya'll! Said in a Southern Redneck drawl.

[Hozzie]

I would say that if you get offended because someone says Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays respectively, it is you with the problem.  When did we become a nation of weenie's on everything.

[TMF]

Very shortly everything in our lives must be politically correct or we are some kind of bigot. so for about 5% of the 300 million Americans 240 million Americans (give or take a few million) must change or alter their beliefs so they won't be called a bigot.

 

Like I said, I've never once had anyone act offended by me saying "merry Christmas" to them, and I say it all the time this time of year.  A lot more than 5% of the population don't celebrate Christmas, by the way.  That's okay.  They don't have to.  It's a free country.  Just like you're free to say "merry Christmas".  I don't see why you and other folks lose their minds if someone else says "happy holidays".  Why do you care?

[bersaguy]

Like I said, I've never once had anyone act offended by me saying "merry Christmas" to them, and I say it all the time this time of year.  A lot more than 5% of the population don't celebrate Christmas, by the way.  That's okay.  They don't have to.  It's a free country.  Just like you're free to say "merry Christmas".  I don't see why you and other folks lose their minds if someone else says "happy holidays".  Why do you care?

I didn't really care until it became a political point of view and that is when I took it kind of personal. I heard many folks say Happy Holidays as I was growing up and my replied back to them was a Merry Christmas to you also. Only when it went from a nice greeting which ever way it was said to a politically correct one that almost eliminated folks from saying Merry Christmas for fear of being considered a bigot was when I made my stand on the issue..........jmho

[Mike.357]

i am pretty sure there are more important things to be concerned with than merry christmas or happy holidays

[TMF]

I didn't really care until it became a political point of view and that is when I took it kind of personal. I heard many folks say Happy Holidays as I was growing up and my replied back to them was a Merry Christmas to you also. Only when it went from a nice greeting which ever way it was said to a politically correct one that almost eliminated folks from saying Merry Christmas for fear of being considered a bigot was when I made my stand on the issue..........jmho

 

Who has ever become offended or accused you of being a bigot for saying "merry Christmas"?  I get that political correctness is silly, but no one is telling you that you can't say that.  Are you saying you're offended because other people say "happy holidays"? 

[btq96r]

I can't say I've been offended per say by someone saying "Merry Christmas" to me, but I do find it equal parts amusing, arrogant, and ignorant that someone would have a baseline assumption that I celebrate the holiday for religious or secular reasons before taking the time to actually find out.  I'd imagine that the feeling would be mutual if said person was forced to have multiple people wishing them the traditional greeting of a major religious or cultural holiday that they had no desire to partake in.

 

That said, friend and stranger alike who celebrate Christmas for whatever personal reasons, I do genuinely hope they have a good one, and enjoy the time with family and friends.  But when it comes to involving me, Bah Humbug and all that.

Edited December 17, 2015 by btq96r

[TMF]

I can't say I've been offended per say by someone saying "Merry Christmas" to me, but I do find it equal parts amusing, arrogant, and ignorant that someone would have a baseline assumption that I celebrate the holiday for religious or secular reasons before taking the time to actually find out. I'd imagine that the feeling would be mutual if said person was forced to have multiple people wishing them the traditional greeting of a major religious or cultural holiday that they had no desire to partake in.

That said, friend and stranger alike who celebrate Christmas for whatever personal reasons, I do genuinely hope they have a good one, and enjoy the time with family and friends. But when it comes to involving me, Bah Humbug and all that.

I suppose if I lived in Tel Aviv one might wish me "happy Hanukkah". I wouldn't find that arrogant at all, nor would I feel compelled to correct them.

Living in a country where the majority of people celebrate Christmas should be enough for folks to expect the assumption that they also celebrate Christmas, without taking offense. Folks just need to chill and focus on the intent and not look for some hidden meaning to find offensive.