Ben Stein
Posted on April 19th, 2006 by catalyst into the Uncategorized categoryThis post was forwarded to me by my old college roomate. I thought I would share it here, just to get your reaction. To be honest, I don't really agree with a lot of what Ben (Beuller, Beuller) Stein says, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS
Sunday Morning Commentary, Sunday, 12/18/05.
Herewith at this happy time of year, 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 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."
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April 19th, 2006 at 6:04 am
Near as I can determine by searching the web, the original Ben Stein comment ended with the line:
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.
The part beginning with “In light of the many jokes we send to one another …” and ending with “WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.” has been added by someone else.
See http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp
Ben Stein is cool. I always thought he’d be a great spokesperson for Prozac.
April 19th, 2006 at 6:58 am
bLAH bLAH bLAH…
YADDY YADDY YAH
April 19th, 2006 at 9:18 am
If my memory serves me correctly, Billy Grahams daughter made that statement after the 9/11 attack and not the Katrina disaster (unless she used the same statement twice–which is a good statement by the way).
I love snopes.com, I can spend hours there. Whoever added the ending to that speech makes some good points.
April 19th, 2006 at 10:02 am
Reformed Pope
What happened to the Marc posts? One meeting with Howard and you take them down. You are as weak as Joel F.
Since when has a Morton or this blog been worried about offending some one?
Marc represents everything about City Bible that we take offence to. He is extremely worried about his image, always talking financial wealth, and pretends to care about you when all his actions say the opposite.
I am disappointed in you.
April 19th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Good point John, I didn’t notice the end quotation in there when I passed it along to The Catalyst. I hate forwards, but I thought since it related to religious themes that the brothers Morton might enjoy it. My apologies.
April 19th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Hey Peter,
The quote at the end is still valid - and was made by Graham’s daughter - just wasn’t cited by Ben Stein (the voice of Eeyore).
I remember on 9/11 thinking about the scripture “When God is pleased with the ways of a man, He makes even his enemies live in peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7) … the fact that we were under attack says God is not pleased and is no longer making our enemies live in peace with us.
Ruth (?) Graham’s comments were right on.
April 19th, 2006 at 10:29 am
Wait a second. Are you guys saying that something on the internet may not be 100% true? I’m really going to have to re-think my entire life.
April 19th, 2006 at 11:17 am
Truth can only be found on Drudge’s web site. Occasionally on Rense.
April 19th, 2006 at 11:51 am
April 19th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Hey now. JP has always maintained that this blog was meant for personal attacks at anyone (CBC employed or otherwise). And if in hindsight he feels that his excerpts from Marc’s book were not in the spirit of this blog, than he has every right to remove whatever content he so desires. Kudos JP on having some integrity!
April 19th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Good Point, Pete.
Except JP spells integrity T-A-N-E-L-L.
April 19th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
I have to say, I’ve been lurking around this site for awhile but never posted, so maby this is partly my fault, but ever since y’all got sicked on by those laywers this site has gone downhill fast. The stuff about CBC’s attitude as shown by its publications (marc) was some of the most poinet reading this month. but feel free to take it down without comment……… (sarcasm). anyway, I used to check in daily, then weekly, now i dunno,. anyway, just my thoughts from the peanut gallery. and bring back jimmy. he/she at least was interesting.
April 19th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
oh. I wanted to add, I hate email forwards, especially lame ones like this. to take away the comments about cbcs publications and replace them with this crap? mehhhhhhhhhhhhhh. keep it to cbc.
much love tho!
April 20th, 2006 at 11:03 am
Dude,
I agree. We peaked when City Bible threatened to sue us. But you have to be realistic, there is no way we can maintain that type of pure entertainment. It’s just not possible.
As for taking down Marc’s writings, that was JP’s doing. And I have no idea why he did it. But I guarantee it had a lot to do with his wife. That said, we are sensitive bloggers, so if you like something you have to tell us.
Lastly, a lot of our readers don’t go to City Bible. And I haven’t been there in over five years. Frankly, I just don’t care that much about them. I’ve said all there is to say, and I’m kind of moving on. But hey, if you want to listen to a sermon and do a re-cap. Please feel free. Send it to citybusiness@gmail.com
Thanks for reading.
-Justin
April 21st, 2006 at 7:15 am
Fedup my numbers is 503-740-4439, bring your rock or whatever if you want to.
April 21st, 2006 at 11:39 am
Jeremiah-
I am sorry if you don’t like the company that I lumped you in with. If you have a problem being compared to JP than should you take that up with him, or run and tell your pastor Tim.
April 21st, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Jeremiah and Fedup,
You guys need to learn how to get along.
I’m scheduling you both a meeting with Howard. He’ll straighten you out.
April 21st, 2006 at 2:44 pm
I like Jeremiah; it is you who I think is a jackass. Well you and Marc.
April 21st, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Oh and Mike Owen
April 21st, 2006 at 3:00 pm
fed,
I wish someone would just gouge out your eyes.
April 21st, 2006 at 4:06 pm
BULLETIN
Stupid Chick Thinks She Talks for God
“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”.
Yep! God is out there/in here/everywhere/all encompassing and at the same time he’s broken hearted by our stupid schools and governments. Yep!!! That’s fresh. Take another Ectasy pill Anne…
P.S. Yes Mom! I’m incredibly negative and sarcastic.
April 21st, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Make it a biblical prayer, RP … a 1 Samuel 5:9 affliction would cure that smart mouth of his.
April 22nd, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Who is this Jeremiah Johnson?