American and God.

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.

My Best Regards. Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

** This reminds me of when I was on my Mission in TN. There had recently been some school shootings in the world and one Preacher was asked what he thought was going on in our world. He replied quite simply,"when you take God out of the schools, who do you think steps in?"
Very true, and makes me think we need to safe guard our personal homes. My Mission President said if you watch movies with Crash vulgar wards, killings and people not living the Gospel you have purposely invited that into your home. So your home has become a place were that is acceptable. Again, true. So with the wisdom of Conferance (Where LDS members across the world listen to Church leaders advice and spiritual guidance), fresh in our minds. Lets all take a stand to make our homes more of a safe guard from the world. A place where our Father In Heaven can truly reside. :)

Love, Jo