11/29/2008

My confession by Ben Stein

Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning (everyone should read!)
I thought this message was definitely worth a post.

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

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 creche, 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 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 k new went to.


My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

4 comments:

Sunny said...

Wow, I did not know Dr.Spock's son committed suicide?

Claudia said...

I didn't either until I read this. Not the best solution to a less than perfect upbringing.

Unknown said...

THIS IS NOT TURE!!!!! This speech has been edited to be offensive. While I don't support Ben Stein's view, I do support him to be judged for what he actually said and not the additions of some chain-mailer.

The actual comments can be found at Ben Stein's site: http://www.benstein.com/121805xmas.html

Claudia said...

Alas - As the post notes, these are the remarks he read on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary, not the shorter version posted on his website.