Ben Stein on Christmas Trees being renamed
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, 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 ? 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 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 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
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Clarke & Dawe - The Front Fell Off
As featured on the Root Cause Analysis blog, www.taproot.com/blog
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Get our Free Inspirational Newsletter (just click the link above and enter your name and email). Our site also features 11 other inspirational short films. _____________________________________ Acknowledgment says: You matter to me and I believe in you. It is a powerful and profoundly easy way to heal our society. It begins with our children, our families and then extends out to the people living and working with us in our community. Acknowledgment is easy to do, and to make a difference we must embrace opportunities life offers us to do so. Who I am Makes a Difference - Blue Ribbons Project
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Rusty, the narcoleptic daschund
This brief clip from an educational short on narcolepsy features Rusty the Daschund who falls asleep at the most inconvenient times, while performing arbitrary physical tasks.
Added by: bmommy
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U.S. Economy: The Philosopher's Stone
We switched out top box videos recently, so here again is the previous featured video - the powerful "Philosopher's Stone" by Aravoth.
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Crawl for the Cure (5th Annual) FULL VIDEO
On Saturday, August 16th 2008, 90 brave souls took to the streets of Moncton, NB to raise money for an excellent cause. This is their story...
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To see the whole amazing story, buy the full dvd and help The Born Free Foundation save more wildlife. Christian left the Kora Reserve in 1973. He made his new territory along the Tana river, but when the Wakamba herdsmen kept bringing their livestock to his hunting ground, he moved on. George Adamson said in his autobiography, "I used to count the days on which we hadn't seen Christian, but when they reached 97, I gave up recording them in my diary." Because a lion can live from 12 to 15 years in the wild, Adamson believed that Christian ended his days in the Meru National Reserve only a few miles up river.
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The 5th annual Crawl for the Cure event took place on Saturday, August 16th, 2008. The event aimed to raise $2000, and awareness, for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Atlantic Chapter.
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John Rich - Shutting Down Detroit
I am not much of a country music fan but when I first heard John Rich's "Shutting Down Detroit" I loved it! Even if it wasn't for his heartfelt lyrics I still think it's an awesome song.
BRAVO to John Rich and the people of Detroit and it's suburbs.
Added by: dick
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Earthquake, Tsunami, Nuclear Meltdown: SUPPORT JAPAN NOW!
- Japanese Red Cross: Call at +81-3-3438-1311.
- Canadian Red Cross: Call toll free at 1-800-418-1111
- American Red Cross:
- CanadaHelps: In-depth listing of Canadian charities providing aid to those in need.
- Oxfam Canada: Teams and partner organizations are on-site and monitoring the situation from the ground. Donate here.
- The Salvation Army: Helping victims of the quake recover from the disaster. Donate here.
- Global Giving: Working with Save the Children, International Medical Corps and others to provide support on the grounds of Japan. Donate here.
- ADRA Canada: ADRA Japan has extensive experience with providing national and international support to those affected by such disasters. Donate here or call 1-888-274-2372.
- Plan International Canada: Has activated its emergency response teams currently stationed in Philippines and Indonesia. Donate here.
- World Vision Canada: Donations will help the organization to rush supplies such as food, clothing, blankets and shelter to those in need. Donate here or call 1-800-844-7993.
- Yahoo! Japan: Donations / Volunteering [JAPANESE]
Added by: bcmoney
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Terry Kelly - Pittance of Time
A Timely Video for Remembrance Day in Canada
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On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a Shoppers Drug Mart store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store's PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.
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Mr.T - Understanding Cancer TV
Mr. T, cancer survivor of 12 years, feels it's his responsibility to deal with his cancer publicly so others can be encouraged to fight their cancer as he has. For more visit us at -- www.understandingcancer.tv
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After three days, a 4-month-old baby was found alive amongst the debris in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture within the Tohoku region of Japan which was battered by an Earthquake and Tsunami on Friday, March 12th, 2011.
According to news reports, she was reunited with her father shortly after being saved by members of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces rescue crew.
This is an amazing and inspiring story, considering the other photos and reports coming out of Japan.
UPDATE:
Baby plucked from tsunami wreckage now living in shelter with parents.
Also see the: Fukushima Radioactive Fallout Map.
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AliG Interviews Posh and David Beckham
Posh Spice and David Beckham agree to be interviewed by Ali G for a fundraiser in England for Save Africa.
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The world's simplest cure is good nutrition.
Beautiful Truth (2008) on IMDB
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