I'm not sure if this should go under the Religion Forum; however, the

posting on there seems a bit more philosophical (for lack of a better word).

Last Sunday, Christmas Day, as I was getting ready to start running to re-celebrate with my extended family, and to make our stops to both sides of our extended families, I turned on my boob tube and completely forgot it was time for Falwell's Old Time Gospel Hour. I thought to myself that I'd listen to his Christmas Sermon. Surely this man will not bring politics into his sermon today of all days.

I suppose I'm still naive because he had not been on a minute before he made a statement that continued on the Right's supposed war against Liberals regarding having Christ in Christmas.



Then I say Bah-Bye Falwell because when have you had to shop at Wal-Mart? When have you had to do any shopping for yourself. You live better then your so-called parisioners, so you cannot fathom what some of them might be going through. It's your way and that is it. As Falwell continued with his blurbs, insults, ignorant remarks, I just walked over to the TV and cut it off. I was not going to listen to this man continue to use his bully pulpit for his own private agenda on Christmas Day.

This man is not a minister. Falwell is a . . .

(R) epublican first and foremost, but tries to preach around his Politics, who is unbelievably as
(A) rrogant as Bush and continues to use his bully pulpit for his own
(P) olitical propaganda. He continues to
(I) sult anyone who does not believe as he does with hate-filled name calling, and his
(S) ermons every Sunday are more political then Biblical as he continues to
(T) est the IRS on his Tax-Free status. He eggs them on every week. It's like a child's game.

Yeah, to me Falwell is a R.A.P.I.S.T. of the worst kind. He is a R.A.P.I.S.T. of the minds of those that follow him and his way of thinking. They follow him blindly and without question. His followers, the so-called Evangelical Christians, and/or Baptist, have lost their way so much that his group is starting to act like a cult of some kind. They act as if they worship Falwell.

(The true Evangelicals and Baptists would never follow this man's every word like those closest to him. So I'm not talking about the Christian Evangelicals, Baptists, etc. There is a difference between those that claim to be Christians and those that really are, so you that are, please take no offense as I am not speaking of or referring to you).

charlatan. Good piece.

"... we, as Christians, will do our shopping, and spend our money somewhere else."

In all of this War on Christmas crapola, I have heard not ONE WORD from any of these people about 'keeping Christ in Christmas' by donating to the poor, donating to food banks, donating time to visit a hospital and spread some cheer -- NOT ONE WORD.

There IS a 'War on Christmas' -- and people like Falwell are waging it.

head.

What has me so bumfuzzled about it all is when, who, where exactly did this BS start? Who made it a big deal whether we said Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas because they both mean the same. I have not heard ANYTHING about this but from the Right. It is petty and pretty much beneath us all to even have to discuss such silliness. What stuck a thorn up their butts about it?

IMHO, the Right Wingers, along with their current allies, the Fundies, love to create these non-issue arguments, just for the sake of having Lefties NOT get on board with their madness. Then they can turn around and say, "See, the Liberals don't care about Christ, religion, Christianity ...," blah, blah, blah.

I was brought up Catholic, but left the church in my late teens, then converted to Judiasm much later in life. People always wish me Merry Christmas and Happy Easter -- to which I always reply, "Thank you, and the same to you!" Call me crazy -- I just don't take offence at people wishing me merriment and happiness!

But I remember that when I was a kid, we were always reprimanded, in church and at Catholic school, to 'Keep Christ in Christmas' by celebrating the birth of Christ with good works, especially donations to those less fortunate at this holy time of year.

I still believe that MOST Christians see it that way - unfortunately, it's the Jerry Falwells of the world who get the air-time and the press.

You'll notice that this 'War on Christmas', Fundie-style, is based on the threat that they'll spend their money elsewhere -- not that they won't spend it at all, or that they'll donate it to some worthy charity.

As Charlie Brown said when he saw Snoopy's light-encrusted dog-house, "Oh, no, my own dog gone COMMERCIAL!" Well, guess what, Charlie? Thanks to the Fundies, the message of Christ has gone commercial, too.