“Opening minds and angravating liberals since 2001”
“I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.”
http://defendmichael.wordpress.com/
Genesis 3:19
My Friends and Fellow CHRISTmas Revelers:
I try to be open-minded. Not to the point where my brains fall out or my common sense flies away. But I do give a person with differing views a chance to make their case as long as they do it respectfully, with no hate and have facts.
Most of my conversations of this sort are rather brief. Typically the lib comes complete with two of the three items. Usually they are a little light on facts and then it goes downhill from there.
I do have a (very) few good friends who are Libs. In these cases we have bashed the points back and forth and they declare a tie and I say that I won. But in order to maintain their friendships, we no longer discuss politics. Not that I do not get a dig in. And with Biff screwing the pooch more and more every day and the SRM FINALLY reporting on it I no longer have to say anything more than “I told you so” and leave it at that.
But that does not mean I am going to leave the heathen unconverted. I am going to do my best to have them vote the RIGHT way. (This is going to be more tricky as time goes on as you will see and read.)
I have a friend, a pretty good friend who is not only a Liberal but an Atheist. (One of a few I know.) He is a successful businessman, has made a ton of dough, is a very intelligent man, a world traveler (mostly business) and is the type of Liberal Atheist who should be neither.
Not long ago was his birthday. I just happened to see him that day. I wished him a “Happy Tuesday.”
He was about to say thanks until he heard what I said.
“What do you mean by that?”
“By what?” I reply.
“By Happy Tuesday. Why did you say that?”
“Well, it is Tuesday and I want everyone to have a happy day” trying to set a trap. I half figured he was too smart for what I was trying to do. But…
“Fair enough. But in case you did not know, today is my birthday!” he beamed.
“That’s nice, Happy Tuesday anyway.”
“You are not going to wish me a happy birthday?” taking the bait.
“I already wished you a Happy Tuesday, is that not enough?”
“Not really, it is my birthday, it is customary to wish people a happy birthday on their birthday.” He fumed, mildly.
“Oh, but, I did not wish to offend you.”
“How could you offend me by wishing me happy birthday?”
“Let me ask you this. Your family and friends, except me so far, have prolly whished you a happy birthday, right?”
“Yes..”
“And, I’d bet that even some people you do not know wished you similarly upon hearing someone else wish you felicitations, yes?”
“Yes. But where are you going with this.”
“Before I answer that, if someone says ‘Merry CHRISTmas’ to you what do you say?”
“Either ‘and you’ or “season’s greetings.’”
“So, you don’t actually say ‘Merry CHRISTmas?” I asked.
“No, I don’t, that would be hypocritical.” He replied.
“Why is that hypocritical?” I had to ask, but knowing the answer.
“Because I don’t believe in God so it would be hypocritical to say Merry CHRISTmas.”
“Fair, enough. And THAT is why I did not wish you a happy birthday. I figgered you might say just what you did and I did not want to offend you.” I stated.
“But, here I am, I am here, you can touch me, hear me, heck we are having a conversation.” He protested.
“Sure, I agree 100%. But I was not there when you were born. I can’t swear today actually IS your birthday, or even if your parents are your parents. Do you have a DNA test result handy?”
“Are you crazy? Of course today is my birthday, you know my parents for ages and of course I do not have a DNA test result! I don’t need it!!!”
OK, I went a l-i-t-t-l-e overboard.
“So, you do not see why my wishing you a happy birthday might be seen as hypocritical?” Throwing fuel on the fire.
“NO! And I am sorry I saw you today!”
“Even after I wished you a ‘Happy Tuesday’?” And added quickly before he could react: “Bob (not his real name) I see you, hear you and I know you exist. Yet do I know today is your birthday? Well, I canNOT prove it is not so I will accept you at your word. I have faith that you do have a birthday, even if it is not actually today.”
“You have a point, make it, let’s get this over with.” He said.
“Well, December 25th is CHRISTmas. I know that is probably not Jesus’ real Birthday but it was agreed upon to call it that. Now, we know Jesus actually lived, even an Atheist can see He existed.”
“Fine, I give you that, but what is your point?”
“Well, just as I see you, hear you and so on and I believe you exist, I can also see Jesus, hear Jesus in the world, and I believe He exists. I am not asking you to get on your knees and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, though nothing would make me happier, but I want you to dwell on what I just said.”
“John, you are like a brother and I respect you and what you said, but it is not going to happen. Why do you even bother to try to convert me, why do you even believe as you do?”
“Bob, maybe I am just trying to be a good person or maybe I am just hedging my bet. But I would rather live my life believing in God and when I close my eyes for the last time find out there is no God, then to live not believing in Him and to take that long dirt nap only to find out that He does exist. Bob, we are here but a short time, and eternity… well, that is forever.”
Now, if you are an Atheist, please take that to heart. If you are a believer of another religion please understand that I am not trying to convert you but had to put that in the conversation in the context of my belief.
And while that sounds like a religious message, that is not it’s only intent.
As I have written, I blame a lot of the breakdown of society on the ending of the Blue Laws. I will not re-hash that now, but since then there has been a steady decline in morals and more attacks on things good, Holy and/or Religious.
The crass commercialization of CHRISTmas is appalling but we have let it become so. There have always been some sort of gift-giving at this time of the year but it was just in the last century or so that gift-giving has become a contest.
Let’s look back a few weeks to Thanksgiving.
Stores used to open an hour or two earlier on Black Friday. Then earlier and earlier. Then midnight. Then Thanksgiving evening. Now, they are open all Thanksgiving day in some cases.
First of all, vanity, all is vanity.
We are not going to buy MORE gifts just because the stores open earlier. Heck, they were open on Wednesday, right? That is earlier still.But did you over-shop then?
It has little to do with the hours the stores are open. Anyone with a small IQ, even some Libs, know that you do not have to get up two hours before you go to bed to get a deal; other and better deals will be had. And the insane cray-cray deals? How many per store? Where are you on line? Aww… thanks for playing! Sorry, we are out of the 55” TV for $199.69, but, hey, look at that, an electronic dog polisher for way too much money!
It does little to foster the spirit of CHRISTmas and thoughtful gift giving but breaking up family activity.
Now, I am not a big movie guy, at least not so much in the last 20-odd years. I just refuse to pay a penny to any Liberal actor, which narrows that down to almost all of them.
However, at this time of the year, there are a lot of movies coming out. It is a time when people are off from school or work and it is during the end of the time to be considered for an Academy Award.
As little interest as I have in the film arts, I have a HUGE interest in the preservation of the family.
So, here is your homework: Watch TV (commercial, if you must), pay attention to the movies premiering, note the day.
The predominant day of new movies debuting before the end of the year is… of course, you silly CHRISTmas!
Do you think the evil-powers that are saying “Ya know, after all this crass commercialism, maybe the folks want to unwind! Let’s open a few movies that day!”
Or, do you think the conversation is more like “Enough of this ‘Jesus’ stuff, we need to do something before they start believing that, let’s get movies for EVERYONE to get them out of the house, away from their families and especially away from Church.”
Thoughts?
To be fair, I will go to the movies on the day Biff takes his last breath.
thedailyfish.net 