President Obama meets Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. AP Photo Charles Dharapak
For weeks now Fox News has been devoting extensive coverage to the so-called "War on Christmas." Earlier Bill O' Reilly did a segment in which he slammed one New Jersey for not allowing students to sell Christmas memorabilia at a holiday fair. O' Reilly even went as far as to threaten to go after the principal involved if she does not start answering questions. Meanwhile liberals have argued that no such "War on Christmas" exists and that conservatives are simply used trumped up stories in an attempt to increase their ratings.
Today Fox News continued their coverage in criticizing a number of ads run by an atheist organization. The ads claim that no God exist and encourage people to be good "for goodness sake." The advertisements have been displayed in public places which has drawn the ire of various conservatives like those found on Fox & Friends.
While everyone has the right to criticize the ads as being in poor in taste given the Christmas season the Fox & Friends hosts seem to go even further in suggesting the ads should not be allowed at all. So in a sense the conservative media now is demanding that Christmas be said and displayed while at the same time demanding that atheist ads not appear at all. Amy Grant seems to give a more moderate viewpoint in expressing her disagreement with the ads while still maintaining the right of the organizations to display them. The Fox News hosts, on the other hand, seem to have no regard for freedom of speech in suggesting some filter be put in place to not allow the advertisements.
Comments
The religious bigots come out this time of year and you are no exception.
The next thing you will be telling me is that there is no Santa Claus.
I believe in Santa Claus.
We go to church every Sunday. Our bigotry is not confined to the month of December.
The founding fathers were Christians who left Europe in order to worship God and celebrate the birth of Christ (CHRISTMAS) without persecution. Where were these newly found intolerant atheists when "IN GOD WE TRUST" was coined as a national motto? Have the atheists seen dollar bills lately?
IT IS JESUS BIRTHDAY SO HOW DO U KICK HIM OUT OF HIS OWN BIRTHDAY???KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS..THATS WHAT IS ALL ABOUT
Christmas is the Christian adaptation of a 4000 year old Pagan winter solstice festival called "Yule", since it predates the supposed birth of Christ by about 2000 years, how can the holiday be entirely about him? By the way, the "in god we trust" was added to paper currency in 1954 to coincide with the "godless-commies" anti-soviet propaganda being used in the US during the Cold War, it wasn't put on there to endorse a god, and even if it were, where on the dollar does it say anything about Christianity other than using the same term for a deity that is used by just about every religion? Here's a question for the Christians here, when you guys try to take over every single aspect of the entire month of December, what are Atheists supposed to do, just sit quietly for a whole month while you blast your religion at us? Respect goes both ways, don't expect any if you're not willing to show any, and keep in mind that there are in fact other people in this world with differing beliefs.
Right wing nutcases crack me up. They keep saying there is a 'war' on Christmas, just because intelligent retailers recognize that there are at least three other holidays in December depending on a persons religion. SO - by saying 'happy holidays' we are INCLUDING Christmas, but saying ONLY 'merry christmas' you are EXCLUDING pagans, jews, muslims and many African-Americans. Anyway, as one poster mentioned, Christ (if there really was one) WASN'T born in December. Read your Bible people... when he was born there were 'lambs in the field' meaning he was born in SPRING. The date was simply moved to help blend early Christianity with the more common pagan rites (Yule or Solstice) that were prevelant. So please, remember in this country we DO have freedom of speech... and that doesn't mean that only the thing YOU agree with get to be said. IF you can't support MY freedom of speech, then you are not a good American!!
Since the majority of Americans in this country constantly sit back and let themselves get bowled over by very vocal and radical minority groups of agitators and their political lapdogs, Obammie should sign a federal law that only Festivus can be celebrated in December.Towns and schoolchildren can decorate a trafficlight or a school gym basketball hoop as the official Festivus Pole and Atheists, Satanists, Jews, Muzzies, and other Loonies that have nothing better to do than complain about pictures of Santa Claus can dance around it after the 'airing of grievances' and 'feats of strength'.
Just curious, but how do atheists think the world was created? Is it the big bang theory or that we evolved from monkeys?
And if so, then why do we still have monkeys? Not trying to be humorous, just curious.
Say what you will about Christmas, but some truths remain: 1)
We believe. 2) Retailers make a gazillion dollars off of it. 3)
Most people try to be a little kinder and giving during that time. In the words of Mr. Bill Murray (aka Scrooge in the Scrooged movie), it's the one time of the year where we TRY TO BE
the sort of people we hoped we would be.
AND in the words of Bob Cratchett, 'I love Christmas, and I say God bless it!'
I am Jewish and I find absolutely no problem with Christmas being celebrated in such a lovely manner as I have seen it celebrated all my life. And by the way, atheism is also a religion! And frankly, when it comes to freedom of religion I don't particularly like having atheism shoved down my throat. The Constitution guarantees Freedom OF Religion, not Freedom FROM Religion and I don't like atheists trying to shove their form of religion down my throat any more than I want Evangelicals ringing my doorbell or Muslims trying to either convert me or kill me! But I find no fault with people celebrating their holidays in the manner in which they have been doing so in America for years. Besides, Christmas is fun!
Religious Bigots says:
We go to church every Sunday. Our bigotry is not confined to the month of December.
In response to Religious Bigots says, as copied and pasted above, one question: Who the heck appointed you the have all and know all, and who gave you the right to call others bigots. Frankly I believe is its YOU who are the bigot and I doubt if your bigotry is confined to anything other than your rather small mind. Get a life!
I hope one day that those who believe in Christ as the son of God and celebrate His birth without all the buying and giving that is so much a part of the Christmas celebration and then all those who rely on Christmas sales each year can turn their attention to athiest sales and see how things work for them. Our family celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus without a lot of spending and yet Christmas in our family is a wonderful and joyous occasion. Merry Christmas everyone!!
Santa is not Christian. The holiday was stolen by the Christians in order to increase attendance at church services by atheists. Look it up! Christians stole just about every pagan holiday just to up the attendance! Jesus wasn't even born in December. Do your homework SHEEP!
Christ wasn't born in December sheep. Quit believing the dogma and think for yourselves!
Believe in your doubts only if you have the nerve to ask questions. Otherwise you are only sheep.
Janice, being an atheist I wish to enlighten you to the true fact that we are without religion and therefore we are not a "form of religion". We are the highly educated and well read minority that has the gift of a questioning attitude and a thirst for truth about the world around us. I consider it a blessing to be able to study and learn new things without the bias a religious doctrine would place upon the facts presented to me. We were fortunate enough to have parents who were without the low I.Q. necessary to believe in mythical sky creatures and demons.
Yearly we hear angry voices of a few who, ironically claiming to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, utter economic and legal threats against those who do not bark "Merry Christmas" to one and all. They claim that such greetings as "Happy Holidays" are politically correct, a derisive term to demean a phrase that is more inclusive. But the days that approach us with smiles and family gatherings are not just about a single event, a single religion, or a single tradition. Some Christians do not celebrate Christmas at all, noting its pagan origins, while many people welcome the solstice with thanks and cheer. Our Buddhist neighbors will celebrate Bodhi Day on December 8 -- the date, according to Mahayana tradition, of Siddhartha Gautama’s presentation of the Four Noble Truths, the foundation of Buddhism. Ethical Culture will soon celebrate Winter Festival, borrowing from many traditions willingly and lovingly. This holiday period belongs to many cultures and many voices.
It seems as though the whole world - every belief system - is at war with one another over their beliefs. The Muslim world wants to wipe Israel and the Jews off the map. The Chinese will not even let the Dalai Lama live in his homeland. The Arabs blew Buddah off his mountain side. The Catholics are still preaching women and sex are evil while they destroy their little boys and then hide it. The Athiests want to wipe out Christians; they already killed God. M.M.O'Hare was a hate-filled, vitrous, destructive liar and a thief. The earlier post by Janice was the best I read on here. We have Freedom OF Religeon, not Freedom FROM Religeon. Christians intend to practice that Freedom and there's stopping us until the King comes back.
fox believes in freedom of speech only when conservatives are doing the speaking..
Manufactured...I love it!!
Everybody knows that Christianity is just an offshoot of the Mother religion Kwanzaa. Also I am offended by the picture above....we all know that Santa is Black...what is this misrepresentation???
We can at least be comforted that if this were the season of a muslim high holiday there would no story and no criticism.
There are those in society who have remomed God from public schools and have been successful in many other venues. You'll notice praying and bibles and 'scripture references' are still prevelent in the federal govermnent though.
Lib/progressive politicians don't dare 'run for office' stating their true intentions. They reveal their true intentions (to those who are paying attention) when they choose 'judges'. The judges do the dirty work of getting rid of God. It's all so clever and dishonest.
The word "God" comes from the proto-Germanic "Gautr" which was one of the many names of Odin. Odin, you will remember, rode upon his 8-legged hourse Sleipner on Dec 25th to pass judgement on all of the peoples of the Earth. Children would leave snacks for the horse and they would leave out their stockings in hopes of getting treats. Sant Claus is based on Odin. When Christian misionaries first encountered Germanic peoples (Goths, Vandals, Lombards) and asked them who their principle deity was, they responded "Gautr," or "God" meaning Odin (Santa) and the name stuck.
Merry X-mas
Simon
"In God we trust did not appear on US coins until the Civil War.
When you read it remember that it also, quite literally, means "in Santa we trust."
Happy Holidays
"And if so, then why do we still have monkeys?"
Good point. And they say dogs are descended from wolves. I've stop believing in wolves myself.
All right I'm gonna step in it....can't resist.
SantaJesus quotes someone saying " And if so, then why do we still have monkeys?"
And the answer is:....Because we need somebody to write all those Liberal/Progressive articles and blogs..!!
jaime says:
"All right I'm gonna step in it....can't resist.
SantaJesus quotes someone saying " And if so, then why do we still have monkeys?"
And the answer is:....Because we need somebody to write all those Liberal/Progressive articles and blogs..!! "
Hey! wait a minute...can it be?...a conservative with a humorous wit??...I looked at it and said to myself, "hey, that was a good one...hurt a little, but I still have to give props"...then I thought, "I guess not all conservatives are dogmatic carbon-copies"...the sun just showed from behind a cloud...there seems to be light and possibilities...maybe we can culture this one to learn individualism them send it back to the borg and infect the others with individualism.
Just a slight correction Walrus...."I is a conservative with a humorous WITT".
Also as to 'Carbon-Copies'.....My understanding with this new EPA ruling and all Carbon might be one of the new PC dirty words...certainly not to be "copied".
Finally...since it "Tis the season to be Jolly" and since the Lord's mother rode on a Donkey(Ass) into Bethlahem...well I'm just waiting for The Flying Metaphors to begin!!!
jaime says:
"...well I'm just waiting for The Flying Metaphors to begin!!! "
ME TOO! I love a good circus! The Flying Metaphors come right after the Balancing Elephant Act.
....And as you know Walrus,...."Elephants" never forget....
An article published on the front page of today’s Daily Record newspaper (Morris County, NJ) basically notes that Montville NJ has been caught using taxpayer money to preferentially promote religious icons for some religions but refusing others.
College students from three different universities in NJ have united to protest that the town is violating the US Constitution, and they have asked that the nativity be removed (or that the town similarly display the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the god of Pastafarians).
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