WASHINGTON, DC—In a sudden and unexpected blow to the Americans working to protect the holiday, liberal U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt ruled the private celebration of Christmas unconstitutional Monday.
“In accordance with my activist agenda to secularize the nation, this court finds Christmas to be unlawful,” Judge Reinhardt said. “The celebration of the birth of the philosopher Jesus—be it in the form of gift-giving, the singing of carols, fanciful decorations, or general good cheer and warm feelings amongst families—is in violation of the First Amendment principles upon which this great nation was founded.”
Well… not quite yet. But read the whole Onion article, it’s true enough to be really funny.
Upon your page loading one is first greeted with the Sin of Pride, then witness an entire String of Lies with you giggling how absolutely funny they are.
Looks like your *avowed* pursuit is going to be a loooong one, if achievable at all.
As to the “Sin of Pride” I’ll have to plead guilty. God is still working out that pride and competitiveness in me. Ten years ago I would have actually cheated so there has at least been some progress.
In point of fact, Jay Adkins or the Evangelical Outpost will deservedly win. I just didn’t want to be last. The whole contest was a bit of a flashback to high school student council elections, and fun for that reason. Ace actually suggested that Dick Cheney kills a kitten every time you vote for someone else in his category. I couldn’t possibly top that so I settled for an overlarge banner at the top of the page template.
The “String of Lies” is also known as “satire,” a form of humor in which truth is exaggerated to the point of fiction, usually to make a political point. It has a long and honorable history in this country going back to the leaflets Benjamin Franklin printed. Martin Luther also employed satirical caricatures of Catholic church officials. In this case, the Onion article is both funny and instructive. Given the current trends, this Onion article which is beginning life as humor may turn out to be quite prophetic.
Your use of unnecessary capitalization indicates a person who takes themselves entirely too seriously. Do yourself a favor and lighten up.
As to the “*avowed*” – why is my desire to pursue holiness in dispute? Now, whether it is successful or I have progressed as much as I should is certainly open for debate. But, *avowed* written in that way is just a stretch – as if you’re just desperately looking for one final slam. Really, it would have been so much better if you had suggested I tripped over my pride in the pursuit or something. Or perhaps my unfortunate sense of humor represents a pothole on the road to holiness. Be more creative! You really missed an opportunity here, and I wish you better success on your future attempts at snarkiness.
Well, thank you for being honest!
Yes yes, I AM familiar with “Satire”, but how many ’satirical’ things can be said before they become mean spirited?
To what I read… there were enough.
Why question your pursuit?
OK, I’ll admit 2 entries probably were perhaps not enough to fully justify that statement — but they were both at the top, read both at once, and both together hit me with a 1-2 punch.
Please accept my apologies, and good luck with your Pursuit — everyone should have such a magnificent goal, for that I commend you.
As a very liberal, and very religious person, I did take umbrage at much of that one post. It is one of the most ridiculous things in the world to think that if one is Conservative they (in the main) are considered to be “good Christians” while if one is considered Liberal they are anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-religion in general.
I say ‘Merry Christmas’, have ALWAYS said ‘Merry Christmas’ unless I have a feeling I may be talking to a non-Christian, and at those times I WILL use ‘Happy Holidays’ just so I can wish them a joyous celebration of their own.
BTW, “Merry Christmas” are NOT dirty words!! You won’t find too many liberal Christians strictly saying “Happy Holidays” unless they’re VERY PC (yah hon, sorry but you’re still going to see some caps — explanation below) and being that way sadly is a huge drawback if not a downright cage, I mean talk about UPTIGHT!). If I’ve ever said “Happy Holidays” it’s been very close to Christmas and by the plural I’m including New Years.
Now, when I find myself saying “Merry Christmas” people take me as a ‘brave Conservative Christian making a political statement’ and to be truthful I DO have a problem with that. Not with the Conservative but with the Political Statement. Really, lately it’s now akin to ‘throwing the finger’ towards those ‘Godless Liberals’!!
Oy gevault!
Anyhow, the belief and support in Separation of Church and State is as much for the protection of the churches, IMO, as the protection of the State.
Also, even though the vast majority of Americans are Christian, it would be a humongous mistake to qualify this melting pot as “a Christian Nation”.
Look, here’s a small part of my reasoning: See how many thriving denominations of Christianity there are in the US? ALL of us (there’s them caps again : ) on our Sabbath, whether it be Saturday, Sunday or whatever; 8 a.m. or noon or 7 p.m.; can safely and peacefully go to our churches or meeting halls and no hard feelings between anyone. For whatever reason.
That is not normal in the rest of the world, even in the ‘civilized’ or ‘Western’ countries. Our ‘Freedom of Religion’ and ‘Freedom From Religion’ as outlined in our Constitution has made this all possible.
We are unique in all the world.
Now for example look at Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Both sides are Christian, and they’ve been aggravating, battling and killing each other for decades (going on centuries).
Why? Because each social group strictly identifies with one certain, different Christian sect, yet to point out the obvious — THEY ARE STILL BOTH CHRISTIAN!
It makes no sense. In fact it’s downright ridiculous.
You may say ‘well that’s the way it’ll be here’ — but it won’t. The “majority” is rearing it’s head now and insisting on many things, some which are absolutely barmy, some perhaps not, but UNDOUBTEDLY trying to exercise secular power.
And history shows these types of things, once gotten a foothold; just get worse and worse, stricter and stricter.
How many Baptist demonimations are there alone? American and Southern spring to mind, and I do believe there is at least one other. It’s only another step and we’ll have a RL version of a Dr. Seuss book (darn, can’t remember the title offhand — the guys of whom half had circles around their bellybuttons & the other half doesn’t. That will happen. Someday will come a mandatory ‘unified’ Baptist church and God Help You (literally) if you hold a few different opinions on perhaps relatively minor things!
The Inquisition was not an anomaly. The Taliban is not an anomaly. It is a regular part of religions in most areas of the world!
And what about the fringe Christian religions? The few Shakers left, the Quakers (Society of Friends), the snake-handling holy-rollers (No offense meant, I know they’re some sort of evangelical or pentecostal but cannot remember their official name right now — I’m aphasic AND dyslexic); the Roman Catholics (many different branches within that first one alone!), Episcopalians and Greek Orthodox who are all from the same orignial church, broken up by past disagreements and even greed (Henry VIII). IMO these 3 SHOULD be reunited, but that’s just my opinion. There are a couple-three versions of Mormon – LDS (Latter Day Saints, really they ARE capitals, or should I say initials! : )
There are the Witnesses and Christian Scientists, the Methodists, the Ukranian church (should have been included up there with the R.C. group), the Pentecostals, the Evangelicals, the A.M.E Zions, the Unitarians; heck there’s even denominationals!
–those last would be the ones probably first under attack –to start let’s say ‘pressure’– having no real unified nationwide support.
Of course I’ve omitted naming dozens of other Christian churches in this country alone, and we won’t even get into the KKK or the different Christian Militias!.
Do you not see the start of some very big problems??
Are not things fine as they are? We each go and worship as we please and give little to no thought, on the whole, about rival churches.
Until the past 20 or so years, you could not have found anyone anywhere complaining about other Christian churches — it was live & let live, go forth and worship as you will. Not anymore, not near so often.
I think you get my jist so I won’t belabor the point.
Another quick point I’d like to make though, is the overt, obvious, SPECIFIC display of certain religious tenets on public property — of course the first thing that comes to mind is the 10 Commandments monument.
Now, there surely is nothing wrong with the 10 Commandments. They are to help us, to remind and exhort us to lead a more decent, civilized, pious, MORAL life!
No argument there!
However — take it a step further, which WILL happen.
What if the other religions want their tenets displayed alongside the 10 Commandments?
I’d like to think that you’d say you have no problem with that. After all, “God” is mentioned in our Constituion, it doesn’t specify WHICH God, so unless Christianity is made more than a spoken acknowledgement of the U.S being ‘a Christian Nation’ and becomes the official, national religion; what’s the problem? Most other religious tenets are moral and innocuous. No question.
The 3 principles of Buddhism fit in identically with our 10 Commandments. I’ve read many books comparing the 2 philosophies, including books written by John Paul II and the Dali Lama. It’s amazing and beautiful how truly identical they are. If Jesus was God in the Buddhist religion (there are many types of Buddhism — from the kind which has no ‘individual God’ per se, just God and Godhood as the entire universe (which I feel Jesus Christ Himself is) to Buddhism with dozens of different Godheads. Of course Hindu too.
But, with Freedom of Religion, what of those that AREN’T?
How would you feel with the monument to the Christian 10 Commandments sitting next to the Atheist declarations?
How about smack alongside a monument to the Satanic 10 Commandments? Freedom of Religion, even if this country IS declared a ‘Christian Nation’, is not going to be repealed from the Constitution (at least not for a number of years, even if one Christian denomination establishes dominion) and there is no legal reason to refuse the same to another religion.
And, knowing Satanists (sons & daughters of Lucifer & Chaos) methinks there would be little better they would like than to ’stir the Christian pot up’, and so they would be hiring a lot of stonecutters… mark my words.
Most Islam tenets are nothing to be afraid of either — but their Islamic law, Sharia, IS something to be feared; at least if one is used to Western civilization and rights.
Stoning or beheading of women (no, not men of course!) for relatively minor (I.E. something that would not even draw a prison sentence in the US, if not a downright common behavior) is quite common. (I’m sure you’ve heard of the ‘Honor Killings” *YEAH RIGHT* where a father or uncle can viciously and without remorse and with approval of the patriarchal Imam’s or ‘Holy Men’ (as is standard in Islam) slaughter his daughter or niece even for the SUSPICION or RUMOR of something that would cause him to ‘lose face’.
Lose face? Well sure! In fact, LET ME RIP IT OFF FOR HIM!!!
I hope you see even a little where I, a religious Liberal (one of very many believe it or not) is coming from!
And maybe why you (hopefully) can understand the slander of me and my religious beliefs, all because of narrow Black & White thinking.
And that mostly this PC crap of “Happy Holidays” in PLACE of Christmas is in the main antsy, illogical and overreactive Corporate Heads who care for NOTHING except their profit$ — and if that includes a couple thousand atheists not shopping at their stores well, sobeit!
We have the freedom not to shop at THEIR stores (for the principle, not the politics) if they choose to carry it overboard.
But also, I do recognize that at least a part of their reasoning is not to offend non-Christian such as Jews — although American, at least, Jews are quite used to Christmas and the Christmas greeting.
Where do you think “X-Mas” came from?
Those are cards sent by Jews to their Christian friends and coworkers. Personally I am far from pleased our Christ being reduced to the letter X — but it is a long standing tradtion and, if not way too late to DO anything about it, putting myself in their shoes (many regard Jesus as a prophet, and many regard Christ as an evil influence upon them that has caused them nothing but trouble. Unfortunately the latter is all too true
As for creche’s on government propety, BIG DEAL!
Erect all the other religions holiday symbols too if that’s a problem! As I mentioned, America is a melting pot and there is no reason to exclude ANYONE from celebrating their religion (well, other than the Satanists and the Ku Klux Klan — but that’s my own little bit of bigotry : )
PLEASE don’t forget that a very many of these anti-Christian, ‘anti-Christmas’ lawsuits have NOT been made by the liberals, religious or otherwise — for the most part it’s the atheists we have to “thank”. Yeesh. Like it’s hurting them SO much! Like they couldn’t just not look. Like they couldn’t live & let live. But I can’t help but feel Compassion for them too — they must have so little joy in their hearts…
Lastly, and very quickly, I’m also going to say that I don’t think religion has ANY place in the public school classroom (other than groups who wish to gather together on school grounds to pray and practice their religion, but this must be in their own private space with freedom of course for any student to join in (or leave) as the spirit moves them. It can be very insulting for a Christian to attempt to evangelize a Jew or a Muslim, or indeed for one Christian ’sect’ to badger one of another to join their group especially when they have doubts or it is against their will).
My opinion is that religion and the brunt of morals should be taught through the home and our picked, individual churches. Myself, I would not WANT any Public School teacher to teach my child their version of religion, of what must be believed or not be believed; MUCH less their version of “Morals”!
That is something that should and must be inculcated through the family, their church and pastor and their specific religion.
Wow. Looong letter — I hope it wasn’t tedious for you!
Anyhow — Me? Take myself too seriously??
LOL
Seriously though, please don’t psychoanalyze me.
Actually, I’m a pretty funny & a fun person — the reason I captialize so much is that I really miss vocal inflection –I feel it’s needed to get my specific point across, just as if we were chatting face-to-face, and my words due to my language/verbal usage can and are miscontrued far more often than not when I don’t capitalize. so I’ve observed. I also use a lot of emoticons (mostly smileys : ) because they temper my language — sometimes my word selections may SOUND grouchy, aggressive or even downright mean when, if you were talking to me in person or on the phone you’d know they had no such meaning.
I’d LIKE (LOL, see? I don’t think it’s gonna stop hun : ) not to have to use so much capitalization, but this is the only way, or should I say the best way so far I’ve learned how to deal with it.
Any suggestions?
Again, apologies for the curtness.
I am sorry — but that article DID hurt… but then again, my skin is growing thicker & thicker every day!!!
Please take care,
God Bless,
Mary Ellen
(Shortened to my initials ME)
(“Shortened” to phonetic sound of initials ‘Emmy’ : )
What’s really funny about this is that I read that Onion article as mocking the Christian right (as opposed to the Christian left, a whole other subset which includes some of my family members so I am very familiar with the concept) for being so dramatic and going to battle for the Christmas trees and the “right” to be greeted as they please in department stores. I mean, have you heard John Gibson and Bill O’Reilly on this issue? They’re hysterical, and you can take that to mean both unintentionally amusing, and emotionally overwrought. My point is that Christians are fighting for the wrong things, things that aren’t even biblical. They’re fighting for secular power just like the atheists are, and most of them don’t even realize it; they think they’re defending the faith.
In What We Should Fight For, I’m advocating defending objective history, free speech, equal treatment for charities whether religious or not, and against bans and restrictions for lawful private or public religious expression. That’s neither left nor right; I don’t see a conflict or slander here. (By lawful, I mean if your religion calls for only nude prayer, you should not be permitted to pray in a public park in a city where there are laws against public nudity, that kind of thing.)
We’re not entitled to freedom from religion in this country – only the right to speak our minds. Atheists should be saying “I disagree” not “I insist on you shutting up.” I think the Christian left and right can probably agree on that. Muslims can and do advocate Sharia, we should be able to repudiate that without being called Islamophobes. We have the political process to prevent Sharia from being implemented here, and the evangelical process to try to change the hearts of those who advocate it.
Where holidays are concerned, Christmas should be treated equally with other religions – we can have menorahs, references to Kwanzaa (even though that’s not really a religious holiday) and whatever else seeks to be recognized. I see nothing unAmerican with having a nativity scene next to a menorah next to a fir tree decorated with pentagrams if that’s what Wiccans feel like doing for winter solstice. As a Christian, I naturally feel like my nativity scene is superior and the only item representing the one true faith, but I am not interested in shutting other people up. Evangelism generally begins with dialog, and what better way to spark it? My confidence in Christianity is such that I believe given equal presentation time, we will convert others, not be converted. But the reality is that certain groups really do seek to restrict public expression of Christianity. They want less freedom, not more. That’s bad for everybody.
As for permanent public displays; things that are historical – and our laws were based on the judeo-christian ethics and the ten commandments – I don’t object to that. I know of no historical evidence that our founding fathers gave the least thought to Buddism or anything else. A monument to something non-historical, say, a statue of Jerry Falwell, for example, I’d have to object to pretty strenuously.
In short, I’m in favor of not messing with history, and in as much freedom as we can get. Unfortunately, there is a segment of the left in this country – and it is largely the non-religious left – who seeks to restrict both where religion is concerned. But I think we agree more than we disagree.
I just love the Onion! Always have. Satire is in my blood. And evenhanded, everybody gets it, jabbing satire is to be applauded. Like The Wittenburg Door good satire makes you stop and think. Even knee jerk reactions to good satire is a starting place for honest review of what I believe and why.
As to picking battles, we really should choose carefully here. Because we aren’t called to defend ourselves, and we will be persecuted, and it will get worse and worse the longer the Lord tarries. But, I don’t think we have to go quietly either, we just have to go with love. And that is something I do see missing from the conversations going on about defending our rights this Christmas.
“Keep Christ in Christmas” is a great thing to say, but there is more love and more potential to bring transformation (as opposed to regulation) to our culture to say “Christmas: When God came down to be touched by man.” Defending the Christmas tree and the nativity and the ability to use any phrase with “God” or “Christ” in it in public will be a non-issue when we have actually “won” all our neighbors to the Lord through our love and compassion.
Keep us thinking and talking!