Confession by Ben Stein

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 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 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 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 events like ... 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 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 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

Due for a miracle

Hi bloggey loves!
Long time no postey and for that I do apologize! However, I do want to keep you all posted... The best way to know what's going on in my life is to follow my Twitter @laurencemasson. And there you have it, my blog cover is blown! You all know my real first and last name! Oh well... I kept up the façade for long enough!

So here's the low-down on Blake lately:
-The boss man is running me ragged with 55 hour work weeks and basically babysitting me to make sure I'm doing everything I should be doing. She also cut my pay back to what is was before she gave me a pathetic 50 cent raise. She also got mad when I told her I'm no longer cleaning for her if she intends to screw me on pay. Boss man wasn't happy. Too bad for bossman!
-A client of mine that I met a few weeks ago offered me some freelance writing work. She wanted me to script her a 5 minute speech about herself and her achievements as a realtor. I wrote it, she loved it. My professor told me to charge her $25 for it (I'm a student, not a pro) and she generously gave me $100. She continued saying that my work was much more valuable to her than a spray tan and that she APPRECIATED all the work I did for her and my perserverance as a professional. SCORE! It was so validating for me to read that about myself.
-September 30th marked the 8th anniversary of my grandfathers passing from Alzheimers. I had a surprisingly good day, and this year instead of being sad I decided I would live it up and make him proud by going to work and being ME. I think it worked. I felt so much better.
-I received a letter from my current college giving me the green light for december completion of my Associates.
-School is amazing, I'm enjoying my classes even the dreaded math.
-Ive been getting caught up on my Bible readings. I forgot how much it soothes me late at night. The more I read the better it gets. I'm currently at Exodus 5:22...the story of Moses. I need this in my life... I don't know how or why I ever put it on the backburner but that's really not an option anymore.
-Roxane is taking me to see a psychic tomorrow... Hypocritical much???^^^see above^^^
-I ordered my halloweenie costume and it's a surpriseeeee
And finally
I have begun the employment/roomate/apartment hunting process for the NYC metro area. If you know anyone, please hit a girl up!

How are my blog peepz doing??!

Xoxox
LBM