This is the first time I've posted a diary. The opinions express are strictly my own and are probably way too long bottled up to have stayed inside me.
I received another in a seemingly endless series of chain e-mails, telling me to pass the information along as it is "very important" that others should see this, for the survival of the nation, I presume. There seemed to be some unspoken implication of impending doom if I failed to comply. Normally, I just read them, seethe a little bit, and then delete the annoying material. I say they're annoying, because the material isn't usually offensive, just a royal pain in the ass.
Today, I thought about answering one - actually sending an honest-to-God reply to the sender, who, by the way, is someone I've never met but through mutual cyber friends and lists of e-mail addresses on other jokes and/or chain messages. (Which right there is a reason to BCC all recipients of any e-mail broadcasts, but that would lead to another diary).
Here is the offending missive:
!
THE LAW IS THE LAW!
{I really love this one. This is one of the better e-mails I have received in a long time! I hope this makes its way around the USA several times over!}
So Be It!
THE LAW IS THE LAW!
So if the US government determines that it is against the law for the words 'under God' to be on our money, then, so be it.
And if that same government decides that the 'Ten Commandments' are not to be used in or on a government installation, then, so be it.
I say, 'so be it,' because I would like to be a law abiding US citizen.
I say, 'so be it,' because I would like to think that smarter people than I are in positions to make good decisions.
I would like to think that those people have the American public's best interests at heart. BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I'D LIKE?
Since we can't pray to God, can't Trust in God and cannot post His Commandments in Government buildings, I don't believe the Government and its employees should participate in the Easter and Christmas celebrations which honor the God that our government is eliminating from many facets of American life.
I'd like my mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter. After all, it's just another day.
I'd like the ' US Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter as well as Sundays.' After all, it's just another day.
I'd like the Senate and the House of Representatives to not have to worry about getting home for the 'Christmas Break' After all it's just another day.
I'm thinking that a lot of my taxpayer dollars could be saved, if all government offices & services would work on Christmas, Good Friday &Easter. It shouldn't cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week to a government that is trying to be 'politically correct.'
In fact....
I think that our government should work on Sundays (initially set aside for worshipping God...) because, after all, our government says that it should be just another day....
What do you all think????
If this idea gets to enough people, maybe our elected officials will stop giving in to the 'minority opinions' and begin, once again, to represent the 'majority' of ALL of the American people.
SO BE IT...........
Please Dear Lord,
Give us the help needed to keep you in our country!
'Amen' and 'Amen'
These are definitely things I never thought about but from now on, I will be sure to question those in government who support these changes.
At the top, it says 'I hope this makes its way around the USA several times over!!!!!'
Let's see that it does.
Amen and Amen!
and my response:
Dear (sender),
Please indulge me with your patience, as I have been patient with you. I respect your point of view and your opinion on putting the name of God into several public documents, oaths, and other prominent places. Sorry, but I have to say this: there's a little thing in the US Constitution called Separation of Church and State. (By the way, I was able to buy a pocket edition of the Constitution – I thought it would be a good idea before the current regime throws it all out anyway.)
According to Article 1 of the Constitution of the United States, as ratified by the Continental Congress on December 15, 1791, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
After growing up and spending 12 years in parochial schools (those are the ones governed by the laws of my church and my faith), I am now, more than ever, a believer in the separation of Church and State. You and I both have the same freedom to practice our religion to the extent we wish, however, to impose my religion on someone else is to violate that person's freedom of religion.
Notice that in no place in Article 1 is there a mention of any specific deity: God, Buddha, Mohamed, Jesus, The Holy Trinity, The Great Spirit, Zeus, Apollo, Venus, etc. Congress chose consciously to leave that to the beliefs of the individual citizen.
So why, I ask you, do you feel you have the right to impose your opinion and beliefs on me in this matter? I don't go around trying to convert you and I really resent that you feel superior to the point of having to do this to me.
Nobody, to my knowledge, but YOU, dear sender, is telling ANYONE who to pray to or how to do it. If you want your children to pray in school, send them to a parochial or private school. My parents never asked anyone to pay for my education since the school I attended was private and it was their choice that I pray in school. I don't feel that my public funds (taxes) should be used to support your child's religious education.
I feel very strongly about this.
As far as Christmas and Good Friday being holidays, they were made so by the government. The same government that made holidays out of Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Independence Day. That's the same Independence Day we all celebrate which provided the ability for you to practice the religious belief of your choice without threat of interference by the government. And just as an aside, I'd like to see Congress stay in session longer before taking a Christmas break, too, because they don't spend enough time doing the business of the people. Just for the record, I think the idea of a 40-hour work week may be a law somewhere (and please correct me if I'm wrong).
You, the sender, expressed a wish to have this message cross the US several times. Well, as my dear, departed father (a wise and kind man, who was both religious and spiritual) used to say, "How does it feel to want?"
You may think you're in the majority, yet I wonder about that. You impose your religious fervor with the idea that your ideas are the correct, moral way to live one's life; that if it works for you, it should be perfect for the rest of the country.
It's people like you, with just such religious fervor, imposing their will upon others that I suspect is why we have hate crimes in this country. Your insistence on forwarding this type of message, with the implication that to do so is unpatriotic, or ungodly, or in some other way evil NOT to do so is bullying of a high order.
Forward THIS if you dare. If you agree with it, pass it on. If you don't, then delete it. If you delete it, I hope you'll have read it first, because my opinions deserve the same consideration as your pompous pontifications.
Being a tree-hugging, bleeding heart liberal who wishes to harm no one, I say, "Have a blessed day anyway." And I quote Dr. Gregory House to you, "You idiot."