Awesome Statement By Ben Stein

[wadsab]

Take the time to read this one. He has made a point of saying what many of us have been thinking for a long time.

If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

Herewith a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important?

I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.

Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.

If this is what it means to be no longer young, it's 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 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 crèche, 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.

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 God could 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 shall not kill; thou shall 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 h---. 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? 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

 

[jwmorrice]

Yeah, Ben is getting old...and goofy!

jwm

 

[LancsLad]

Good post, its bound to offend the usual suspects though. Thats another reason to like it. Guess I'm old too.

 

[jwmorrice]

Usual suspects indeed!

Good post, its bound to offend the usual suspects though. Thats another reason to like it. Guess I'm old too.

Jesus Christ Lancs, if you agree with Anne Graham, as Ben Stein apparently does, you're not just old, you're senile!!

jwm

 

[LancsLad]

Jesus Christ Lancs, if you agree with Anne Graham, as Ben Stein apparently does, you're not just old, you're senile!!

jwm

Senile?????


If I could remember what I said, I just might be offended. What were we talking about?

 

[Ranger68]

Yes, because, of course, GOD KNOWS, the only way that children can have any sense of morals instilled in them is through religion.


Oh, BTW, see Snopes for a full discussion of this article - much of which was NOT written by Ben Stein.

Next?

 

[papasmerf]

Yes, because, of course, GOD KNOWS, the only way that children can have any sense of morals instilled in them is through religion.


Oh, BTW, see Snopes for a full discussion of this article - much of which was NOT written by Ben Stein.

Next?

Actualy Ranger moral are something that need to be taught consistantly both at home and school The Ten Commandments are a pretty good start. You may not agree with the frst one but you have to admit the rest are pretty much so spot on.

 

[maxweber]

Praise ME -- or ELSE!!

Oh, BTW, see Snopes for a full discussion of this article - much of which was NOT written by Ben Stein.

Now THAT makes some sense. Stein is very conservative, a defender to this day of Richard Nixon--but that goofy? Katrina happened because we followed the Constitution? We were punished for being a nation of laws instead of superstitions? That's some sick shit, right there.

MW

 

[woolf]

Why do some people try so hard to force Christianity on people?

Celebrate Christianity if that's your wish ... and wish anyone you want anything you want.

Just don't expect to have the government force your religious beliefs on others.

"thou shall not kill; thou shall not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself" were around long before Christianity, and even Jewish religions came into existence.

 

[wadsab]

Why do some people try so hard to force Christianity on people?

Celebrate Christianity if that's your wish ... and wish anyone you want anything you want.

Just don't expect to have the government force your religious beliefs on others.

"thou shall not kill; thou shall not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself" were around long before Christianity, and even Jewish religions came into existence.

I will not force my Christianity on you if and only if: You do not prevent me from celebrating Christmas, in public or private places, the way it has been celebrated for ages; You will let me call a Christmas Tree and all the symbols which come with it by their names and no other artificial names; otherwise it is an all-out war to preserve Christmas identity and holiness, the way they should be.

 

[LancsLad]

I am basically a non Church going Christian. I think the Big Guy likes us whether or not we gather together in a big building or just go about our lives generally being decent people.

I am tired of every group getting their views out there except for Christians , who must be clearly very bad people because they are so successful. Hoooy.

Whenever I am asked for my name with reservations or ordering things I will specify that I am giving them my Christian name rather than the politically correct "first" name. My own gesture of defiance.

 

[MuffinMuncher]

I think alot of what he says is dead on. The young people of today (teenagers) have no respect for anything, they have this amazing sense of entitlement without having to put in the sweat and effort.

Somehow religion became evil, discipline and order became punitive and strict parenting became abuse. We became so uber-sensitive to political correctness that we can no longer define the boundaries of acceptable conduct. As a result, we creep ever closer to chaos... behavior without consequence because WE (all of us collectively) find it easier to turn a blind eye rather than stand up for what we believe to be right.

So next time you ask "what is the world coming to", remember that you (we all) have some responisibility in finding that answer.

 

[katsrin]

Yes, because, of course, GOD KNOWS, the only way that children can have any sense of morals instilled in them is through religion.


Oh, BTW, see Snopes for a full discussion of this article - much of which was NOT written by Ben Stein.

Next?

Yeah, most of it is false. Here's the snopes link:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp

Apparently Stein really did say that he doesn't know who Nick and Jessica and Linsday Lohan were.

But I don't get how the host of "Win Ben Stein's Money" could be so ignorant of American popular culture as not to know about those celebs.

Now I don't really know what those three celebs are famous for myself but, unlike Ben Stein, I'm not in the media and / or show business.

 

[maxweber]

trust brute force, Luke!

Take the time to read this one. He has made a point of saying what many of us have been thinking for a long time.

I would call holding views like this many things--but "thinking" is not among them.

MW

 

[wadsab]

Yeah, most of it is false. Here's the snopes link:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp

Apparently Stein really did say that he doesn't know who Nick and Jessica and Linsday Lohan were.

But I don't get how the host of "Win Ben Stein's Money" could be so ignorant of American popular culture as not to know about those celebs.

Now I don't really know what those three celebs are famous for myself but, unlike Ben Stein, I'm not in the media and / or show business.

I was hoping you show a better proof than an obscure web site claiming that Ben did not say this or said that.

 

[wadsab]

I would call holding views like this many things--but "thinking" is not among them.

MW

Yes, I definitely agree, as it should read, "thinking rationally/logically". Just "thinking" isn't good enough (IMO).

I fully agree, only rational and logical people should think long and hard about the threat surrounding our holiest time of the year.

 

[papasmerf]

Jazzy

Faith is something that no government can ever regulate. It is found with-in you and spread through your actions

 

[papasmerf]

I know that "freedom of religion" includes the freedom to not believe if one so chooses (atheism). I am simply addressing the rights of the faithful being taken away, or sometimes, stepped on.

We have seen that hapening here but it seems the public just refuses for the mot part to be PC on religion during Christmas. Live your Faith and you will be doing what it takes to spread the Faith. Never be fearfull to wish someone a Blessed Holiday or even a Merry Christmass. Next times someone sneezes fell free to say Bless You. Just because the PC folks want it stoped does not mean you have to stop it.

 

[Gyaos]

Take the time to read this one. He has made a point of saying what many of us have been thinking for a long time. If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.

He also never says the fine print. "wow".... He think everyone is like him, but never states that everyone should get compensated with TV shows and TV commercials where he gets the bulk of his cash for doing nothing. He supports financial aparthied, spewing information as if everyone can get a TV show for loads of cash like he did via syndicated residuals. Gee, Ben Stein, can I be like him?

The CBS commentary he had the week before this thread was how he enjoyed his freedom being in America driving along Texas with nothing in site but the stars and oil rigs. He never said "What if I got a flat tire?" Then he'd be thinking twice. He never goes to Harlem. He never goes to Comptom, CA. Nope. Just Beverly Hills and eye drops, which I think he needs in his ear.

Not as smart as you think. He's manipulated many to think his name is all there is, so he thinks one has to listen to it. CBS should have an opposition commentary to Ben Stein. ...............Wow..................

Gyaos Baltar

 

[MuffinMuncher]

Jazzy, dont worry.... at some point before the end of this thread's second page, it will cease to be a critique of Ben Stein or political correctness and instead it will all be blamed on George Bush and the Americans. LOL

I'll never understand why so many people on this board cannot discuss and debate a topic or an issue without trying to turn it into an opportunity to blame it on someone.... Ben Stein, George Bush, American, whoever.

And that, to me, is the root of this problem. Before you worry about what someone else said, did or thinks..... look in the mirror. Are you just as guilty? Are you going to be part of the solution, or just a cog that perpetuates the problem? That sense of responsibility is what we used to have, even if it was through discipline. I fear for our society 50 years from now, when this "but Ben Stein is such a rotten person" mentality is the rule rather than the exception.