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Christmas giving?
By Staff Reports
Published:
12/24/2008 2:58 AM
Last Modified: 12/24/2008 2:58 AM
Christmas used to mean much more to people than shopping, than thinking of the expensive gifts we might receive. Christmas used to be about spending time away from work and being with your family. It used to be about being thankful for your family, friends, a roof over your head and food in your belly.
It is truly a sad sight to see what Christmas has become. It has become so commercialized that I truly believe there is no escaping it now. It's about all the big sales, the fancy houses decorated for the season. No expense is spared to impress your friends.
It's about the people who can afford it. And not a second thought is given to those who cannot. It's not about the homeless down at the shelter; the bell ringers standing out in freezing weather trying to get help for those who need it. It's not about spending time with your loved ones who have stood behind you throughout the year. It's not about the real friends you've known all your life.
It's about pretending there are not people out there that need your help. It's about pretending you've done enough for others and now you don't have to lift a finger for anyone else.
Christina Eichstedt, Tulsa
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By Staff Reports
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Charles Darwin
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 4:47:32 AM)
Don't just make kindness a once a year thing. Every day, offer some kindness and a smile to everybody you see. Have Happy Holidays, but have a Happy Day everyday.
Report Comment
kerugma
, Broken Arrow (12/24/2008 6:30:38 AM)
Ms. Eichstetd,
I'm sorry to hear that You are so Bitter, depressed and distorted in Your view of American Society in regard to Christmas.
It is still about being "thankful for Family, friends and food" for most of us.
I visited the Day Center for the Homeless Yesterday and the Spirit of Christ was "alive and Well" as many brought gifts and food and smiles to those who are less fortunate.
It's True, that the ATHEISTS are bolder and more daring during the Christmas season and are out full force tothat which is try to destroy He who is Indestructible!
Your letter is void of any mention of Jesus, of Whom the "Holiday" is in remembrance.Could that be the souce of your criticism and displeasure of what others "have" and "do" ???.....that is, You have left Jesus, the Christ, out of YOUR Christmas?
Report Comment
Hijinx
, (12/24/2008 6:42:50 AM)
Christina
I can understand your sentiments but many of us do give. And while its true Christmas has become commercialized, To me its still all about the kids. The joy of seeing them waking up and running in to see what Santa has left is hard to beat. And if those who can afford all the decorations seem to go overboard I say good for them. Its their call and I enjoy seeing them and so do the kids.
The Christmas spirit is sill out there. Sometimes its a little hard to find but its out there none the less. Look a little harder
Report Comment
lil sparrow
, Midwest Flyway (12/24/2008 7:24:44 AM)
Holiday Song of the Day: "Do you hear what I hear?" Mannheim Steamroller
Report Comment
Bucky the Cmmoner
, (12/24/2008 7:26:51 AM)
Good Morning Christina;
Thinking about how our government operates within a capitalist economy was an enigma for me until I re-read some of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" c. 400BC.
Digressing;
The Chinese see the ideas of both socialism and capitalism as British colonial imports. Modern socialism started with the ideas of Karl Marx (May 5, 1818 - March 14, 1883) who died in London. Earlier Capitalist praxes are based upon the writings and ideas of that notable Englishman, the Right Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834.) The London School of Economics is founded upon on Malthus'economic writings.
So from Sun Tzu's standpoint both these economic systems are of later Western origin, Now these Ideas subsist and are practiced within Sun Tzu's much earlier written Ideas.
This is how I understand why both Socialism and Capitalism are being practiced simultaneously and in a utilitarian way by the Chinese mandarincy and minions of our government.
From the perspective of China's much older civilization, we consumers are still seen as
uncivilized savages.
This is how I account for their export of so much inferior garbage coming back to us.
Christina' You sound like a 'Latter Day Malthusian' but I hope you are not.
On this morn I do not share this kind of 'Malthusiasm'
Let 2009 be a time to revive our very own domestic economy.
Joyeux Noël
Bucky the Commoner
Report Comment
concernedpapa
, Kiefer (12/24/2008 8:05:18 AM)
Merry Christmas everyone
Report Comment
Frites and Mayo
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 8:09:04 AM)
Science books are interesting...you should pick one up sometime.
Report Comment
Bville Yellow Dog
, Bville (12/24/2008 8:20:17 AM)
Maybe I will reread "Kingdom Coming - the Rise of Christian Nationalism"
Read science every day. It's about reality...
Report Comment
RLG3RD
, Broken Arrow (12/24/2008 8:26:46 AM)
science has been proven wrong on many occasions.
And sometimes their reality is flat wrong.
Report Comment
Scritchner
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 8:36:40 AM)
I'd like to think that the reason Christina feels that way is because those that are volunteering and helping are humble enough not to brag about their generousity.
And I think that may have been a point Bville Dog was trying to make to you Kerugma.
Report Comment
Charles Darwin
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 8:53:40 AM)
kerugma, you said "the ATHEISTS are bolder and more daring during the Christmas season." Uh, kerugma, I'm sorry that you are so offended by the fact that there are a few of us non-believers still around. People with attitudes like yours have tried for centuries to get rid of us, sometimes by burning scientists at the stake for heresy. I hope you enjoy your holidays, and I hope you will use this time to think about peace on earth.
Report Comment
RLG3RD
, Broken Arrow (12/24/2008 9:02:39 AM)
CD,
I know it is your right to be an atheist as it is mine not to be.But think of it this way. If I am wrong it makes no difference, If you turn out to be wrong, boy are you gonna be in trouble.
Report Comment
Scritchner
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:13:06 AM)
RLG3RD,
You are only "in trouble" if you believe it so. As a non-believer I don't think CD is concerned with that. But I'm sure he appreciates your concern. I also don't want to put words in his mouth though. Haha.
I really am not sure what you were trying to accomplish with your statement.
Report Comment
Charles Darwin
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:19:18 AM)
RLG, if you are partly right, but you pick the wrong god among thousands to believe in, she might be upset with you for worshipping a false and jealous god. She might be more tolerant of me for not being fooled by any of the other gods. In any case, all I can go by is evidence, and an attempt to live my life by the Golden Rule. If there is a good god, I'm sure she would find that acceptable. I would be quite comfortable making my case before her. Happy Holidays to you, and peace on earth.
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Charles Darwin
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:23:01 AM)
I think if there is a god, she will be very disappointed in people who commit all kinds of sins in her name. Any mistakes that I make are entirely my own. I don't claim that some jealous god told me to hate other people. Why would anybody choose to worship a violent god with serious anger issues?
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Scritchner
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:26:41 AM)
I understand that, but it just comes off to me as "Hey, you need a safety net. Believe." My point was, if CD doesn't believe, then his paradigm of is different than RLG's. Just as RLG has faith there is God, CD has faith that there isn't. Again, I'm not trying to put words into CD's mouth...urrr or keyboard.
I believe in God, and I'm not trying to be one of those destructive commentors. I just think that goes without saying. There's always a "what if" senario. What if Islam is the true religion, you know?
Report Comment
kerugma
, Broken Arrow (12/24/2008 9:31:05 AM)
scritchner,
"And I think that may have been a point Bville Dog was trying to make to you Kerugma."
If You and "Dog" will read my post I simply said I was there,period.
Report Comment
Bville Yellow Dog
, Bville (12/24/2008 9:34:08 AM)
How many sects are in the phone book...? All but one is wrong - or maybe they ALL are...
Or what if you go to check in at heaven and find out she wears a turbin and has a girl friend.
Report Comment
kerugma
, Broken Arrow (12/24/2008 9:37:09 AM)
Charles Darwin, So Now Scientists are martyrs?
Could you seriously name ONE who was burned at the stake for being a science Freak?
Report Comment
dean
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:38:33 AM)
Kerugma, The Savior said "As you have done to the least of these my brothers, so have you done unto me." It seems Christina's reference to Christ might have been too explicit for the hopelessly devout to see. But I'm an Episcopalian, so what would I know about it?
I think I agree with Hijinx. The spirit of Christmas can be hard to find because we're blinded by the monumaentally taseless displays of lights.
And judging from his comments here, Cgharles Darwin seems to have a shrewder understanding of Christmas than many of us Christians.
Report Comment
forgiven
, broken arrow (12/24/2008 9:40:45 AM)
may we all have a BLESSED Christmas this year!
laura
Report Comment
Scritchner
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:41:04 AM)
Kerugma,
I read your posts. The only problem is most of them got deleted after you two got into it. I'm not trying to hate on either of you. I just didn't want the whole thread to be you guys going at it. I was trying to clarify more than anything.
Merry Christmas and peace be with you! by the way
We'll all just have to agree to disagree sometimes.
Report Comment
Scritchner
, Tulsa (12/24/2008 9:46:06 AM)
IM Right,
I know, I called it faith in my response to your post. You have faith either way. There is no way to disprove His existence. You believe on faith that He doesn't (although I'm sure they might call it something else). I agree with you. I just think you skimmed over it when dropped the "F" bomb (faith), haha.
Report Comment
Bville Yellow Dog
, Bville (12/24/2008 9:46:19 AM)
"Two other Italian scientists of the time, Galileo and Bruno, embraced the Copernican theory unreservedly and as a result suffered much personal injury at the hands of the powerful church inquisitors. Giordano Bruno had the audacity to even go beyond Copernicus, and, dared to suggest, that space was boundless and that the sun was and its planets were but one of any number of similar systems: Why! -- there even might be other inhabited worlds with rational beings equal or possibly superior to ourselves. For such blasphemy, Bruno was tried before the Inquisition, condemned and burned at the stake in 1600. Galileo was brought forward in 1633, and, there, in front of his "betters," he was, under the threat of torture and death, forced to his knees to renounce all belief in Copernican theories, and was thereafter sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his days."
Report Comment
Original Floyd R Turbo
, Rural (12/24/2008 9:47:46 AM)
Mr. Darwin, without God, there is no "Golden Rule." He gave it to us, after all. And like the Samaritan, you are our neighbor, as the One who gave us the Golden Rule explained. He also warned us not to be as too many of His followers today have become, like the "too busy" priest and Levite who passed by on the opposite side. So, in the name of our patient and loving God, Merry Christmas, and good will, peace to you, too.
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