I am a lapsed Jew, and definitely NOT a Christian, but I am completely offended by the war against Christmas, and have made it a point to wish everybody I see an unapologetic "Merry Christmas" this year.
After all, December 25 is Christmas day whether one celebrates it or not. So if I can't wish a non-Christian "Merry Christmas" -- shall I hope they have a rotten Christmas day instead?
Anyone who is offended by Christmas needs deep and long therapy.
Great article. I just wish the author's Jewish compatriots would listen.
The vast majority of American Jews are still so shackled to the liberal plantation that they cannot see the truth.
A wonderful article which hits the nail square on. The fight that is going on today is a miniature civil war between secularists and traditionalists no matter what their religious leanings. The secularists, in the disguise of the ACLU, are determined to take away our liberties and our unique American culture. They must be stopped forthwith.
Okay, somebody needs to post that poem "When they came for the Jews, I said nothing, for I'm not a Jew. When they came for the Christians there was no one left to speak up for me." Anybody have that?
Strange gift ;)
The point of the piece was how much I loved the music and the trees and the ornaments and the shepherds and the wise men and the candy canes and how that annual long-awaited Yule immersion neither “humiliated” me nor “isolated” me nor deflected me one spiritual inch from my own beautiful Jewish religion.
This is how I recall Jwewish kids dealing with Christmas public schools as well, from the Christian side of it.
"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemoller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.
When I was a young Catholic boy in St. Louis in the 60s, we lived around a large Jewish community. I had a Jewish teacher and I was in love with a little Jewish girl. We learned all about Chanukah (sp) lol, and I was invited to my teacher's large Jewish wedding in the local Temple. We also sang Christmas songs and had a Christmas play every year.
Funny, before we were rescued by the ACLU from offending each other, I don't ever remember anyone being offended. I only wish my girls today could experience such a rich and free life.
As a committed Jew, I support the Jews for Christmas movement. Christians are the backbone of America. They should be able to observe their celebration of the birth of Christ without shame or fear of being politically incorrect.
In addition to forming a Jews for Christmas organization, how about an organization to oppose the ACLU in their attempts to remove any recognition of Christianity in the public sphere. While they claim that evidence of Christianity, like a miniscule cross on the County Seal of Los Angeles is unconstitutional, they are wrong on the law and wrong on the issue. The ACLU is one of the most subversive organizations in the US today and must be stopped from destroying that which made this country what it is today.
End of rant.
Barry has some interesting stories to tell, about the liberals' anti-war movement during World War II, in New York.
Bump.
Great article ... I'm sending it to my supposedly tolerant lib friends. :o)
I am touched and grateful that so many of my Jewish FReepers pals are defending the celebration of Christmas. Truly mean that. I offer you an unqualified THANK YOU.
For the record: I don't "cotton" to individuals or organizations that utter so much as a negative word about public displays that honor Hanukkah. That won't happen in my presence in the future, either.
Happy belated Hanukkah!
"I have a dream – “Jews For Christmas,” a vigorous movement of American Jews rising up to make sure nobody pushes around those Christians whose ancestors decided, for the first time in history, to make a unique wonderland like America, where nobody gets pushed around because of his God-loving ways. ... I want to say to the American Christians: “Hey, fellows. You all relax. We non-Christians owe you one. From the birth of this American republic you’ve made sure WE have every right to religious freedom. You Christians deserve to sit this one out. WE who have been the beneficiaries of your enlightened governance now want to go out and fight and win this one for you.” ... I say to them: “Damn right, it’s our country, too. But American Christians don’t need you to tell them that. The reason it’s our country, too, is because their Christian forefathers demanded that it be so. They were telling YOU it’s your country, too, while your great-grandfather was hiding your grandmother in the hayloft while her sisters were being raped by drunken Cossacks in Minsk.” ... The absolute best friend the Jew has had anywhere on earth is the American Christian. If it weren’t for the American Christian, there’d be no state of Israel and no Jew left alive except for those able to fake another religious identity. ... to say to our Christian founders, protectors, rescuers, neighbors and brothers: “MAZEL TOV!” Which means “Congratulations!” in Hebrew."
Mr. Faber's words deeply move me. I am deeply grateful for them. I can only reply to Mr. Faber that Jews like him and the ones I've met here in FR are the best friends of American Christians. To his welcome "mazel tov" I not only say it in return to him and the wonderful Jewish people I've meet here in FR, but I have to add, as a Southern US Catholic Christian my own sentiments to him and you - God Bless Y'all Real Good!
It is one of the most uplifting, pro-American essays I've read on FR.
God bless us, every one.
As I said elsewhere, you don't need to be a Republican or even an American to celebrate Lincoln's birthday. Why would you need to be a Christian to, at least recognize if not celebrate Christmas? It's the birthday of a baby born to become a rabbi, some say a prophet and many say a Redeemer. Not bad for a Jewish boy from a poor town.