Christians often like to boast about how their lives are better because they follow God’s Guide to Better Living, a.k.a. the Bible. Yet, some seem to have a particular disdain for one of the 10 commandments, the one that prohibits bearing false witness.
Recently I was sent an email concerning a speech, or perhaps a monologue, delivered by a certain Ben Stein. I’m not too sure who Ben Stein is. I have come across him all too infrequently on TV, usually as an actor in commercials, but also as some type of political and financial expert. At the very least, he seems to be educated and well-read. If we took the email at face value, though, he would seem to be someone who states, if not believes, that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Or, at least, the United States are.
The email says that the monologue was read verbatim on TV. After checking on snopes.com, I see that is the case, but only up to a point since alterations were made to the version I received. In other words, part of the statement can be attributed to Mr. Stein, but not all. For example, there is mention of Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of the late and famous preacher Billy Graham, in the email. But in the original text, she is not mentioned at all, nor is there any mention of the suicide of one of Dr. Benjamin Spock’s children. (Indeed, it would appear no such suicide ever took place.)
I’d like to know why some Christians felt the need to add things to Stein’s statement and pretend they were his thoughts. Someone, somewhere, felt something should be added to Stein’s commentary on Christmas and the U.S. attitudes toward it. Does this mean Stein’s great for drawing attention but just won’t go far enough? Are Anne Graham’s statements so flimsy that Stein is needed to prop them up? And if Stein didn’t mention Dr. Spock, why pretend that he did?
On to the email:
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Stein says that while he is Jewish, he has no problem with Christmas trees being called just that, or with people saying Merry Christmas. He adds that he doesn’t feel slighted in the least. Rather, he likes the fact he is being included in the celebrations. Later, he says he doesn’t mind if a manger scene is displayed at “a key intersection” near his home.
Stein isn’t explicit, but I think what he’s saying is he prefers “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays.” Through this, he is arguing against the (mistaken) belief that private citizens and private sector businesses are prevented from saying Merry Christmas due to the presence of non-Christians. How they came to this conclusion is a mystery, but it’s one they like to repeat to look like victims of reverse discrimination.
Professional naysayers know better, but continue to obfuscate the argument. Agents and institutions of government do indeed have to find ways to be as respectful as possible of all religious beliefs. Government neutrality in religious matters demands no less. This does NOT apply to people in their own spare time, nor to private sector businesses. If a private citizen on private land wants to display a crèche, more power to him. And even government employees can say “Merry Christmas” to clients. That is the official name of the holiday.
Someone as well-read as Stein should know that. If sincere, he should make that clear.
“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.”
This statement by Stein is dishonest in the extreme. Atheists themselves know very well that the U.S. is not an atheist country. What we say is that the U.S. Constitution does not mention GOD! The constitution is godless. This is NOT the same as saying the U.S. is an atheist country. Stein is smart enough and knowledgeable enough to know this and to know that he is not being honest.
And now, those statements attributed to Stein but definitely not his:
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The email goes on to give us a quote from Anne Graham, purportedly after many southern states were devastated by Hurricane Katrina: “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?”
First of all, the quote isn’t entirely accurate, but more of a paraphrase. Secondly, this was not in reference to Hurricane Katrina, but to the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Don’t believe me? Check out urbanlegends.about.com and breakthechain.org. Still, for the purpose of this study, let’s consider the statement as is.
The email writer called the answer profound and insightful. To me, it just sounds like blaming the victims. God wouldn’t save them because “we” told him to butt out! So much for being All-merciful. In any case, how do we know all the Katrina victims wanted God out of their lives? Oh, it’s the cumulative effect of being shunned by so many fellow citizens, you say? Then Anne Graham and those who think like her are guilty by association?
In reflecting upon the September 11, 2001, the author goes on to suggest that terrorist attacks by Muslims are caused by the absence of prayer and Bible reading in American schools. Therefore, we wouldn’t need all the extra security in the airports if we would just start praying again in schools. Wow!
Concerning the many shootings that have happened in recent years, especially in schools, the email author wonders why we listened to Dr. Benjamin Spock and stopped beating (okay, “spanking”) our children. “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,” the email continues.
Why does the email writer assume the killers don’t know right from wrong? Only truly insane people could ever aspire to such a state of mind. The people who commit these acts know very well what is right and what is wrong. What they suffer from, rightly or wrongly, is a delusional sense of injustice so great that they see these horrendous acts as “necessary evils.”
I don’t know why some people kill. Some say children learn to be violent when they are spanked. Others say children lose their inhibitions when they lose their fear of punishment. I am NOT a proponent of spanking. However, does anybody really know who’s right?
“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'.” If we sow confusion, dismay and division, that’s what we get. In that respect, the email author seems to know his or her job.
But let’s try to go beyond the confusion. First of all, what did we “sow?” We made reforms to the education system that discourages dropping out, so students stay in school longer. If those students responsible for school shootings had already left school, they probably would have killed workers in the field instead. What did we reap? Murders on a scale commensurate to the high-tech weapons of today. No wonder such carnage didn’t happen in the past. The technology just wasn’t there. What used to require five gunmen can now be accomplished by only one.
Turning now to the shootings in Tucson, Arizona:
They didn’t occur in a school setting, but given the age of the shooter, they could have. Whatever his politics, if any, it seems more like he just wanted to make a splash. He certainly did. Some want to blame the political right, and I sympathise with them. If a link could be established between vitriolic speech by some and the violence of another, I would be overjoyed.
But the truth is there probably wasn’t any link in this case. As time goes on, we learn that whatever his influences, conservative talk shows and Sarah Palin’s “crosshairs” target list weren’t among them.
So who – or what – would our aforementioned email writer suggest we blame? Lack of prayer in schools? Parents who don’t spank their children? Easy access to dangerous weapons?
I wish I knew the answer. In fact, I’m sure NOBODY knows the answer, other than to say that Jared Lee Loughner was a very sick man. Not insane; just sick. I don’t believe prayer would have helped. Not without a straitjacket anyway.
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