Time to pull out my annual speech. I've posted this several times before, but here it is again:
Is it War-on-Christmas-time already? I thought we still had more shopping days left!
But seriously, here it is again, for anyone who still doesn't understand:
You can put up whatever you want in front of your house. You and your fellow church members can put up whatever you want in front of your church. But you can't put up whatever you want in front of someone else's house. And other people can't put up signs or displays in front of your house.
And public land is owned by the government, not you, not your church, which means it belongs to EVERYONE. That means it's not just your land. It's my land, too. So we, all of us, represented by the elected government, have a decision to make. Either we let everyone put up whatever they want, or we let nobody put up anything.
In other words, you can have your Christmas display on public land, with everyone else's displays, including the Satanists who will make a point of putting something up just to troll you. Or you can have nothing on that land, and just stick to putting it in front of your house and your church. And frankly, that's where it belongs, anyway.
Do you know the state religion in Massachusetts is Protestantism. The Bill of Rights supercedes it but if it didn't what would be that status of those not Protestant? This annual speech by Fromper is not only dead on correct but it is actually 100% in union with The FIrst Amendment.
The same people that want to cry about war on xmas kept trump flags up all season instead of nativities, lights, santa, and the like in 2020. It was real dark in my neighborhood. They can all sit down.
He was the Roman Jewish client king of the kingdom of Judea. He built a lot including the second Jewish temple. All that exists of it now is the Wailing Wall.
I would put "supposedly" in front of "ordered." As far as I understand, while he was a tyrant, there isn't an evidence that he ordered the mass slaughter of all males under 2.
Wow. This is taking straw-manning atheists to a whole new level, isn't it? Seems to me that Herod wanted Jesus dead because he saw Jesus as a threat to his power and position, and if the angel hasn't snitched to Joseph and Mary, he might have gotten away with it. As it is, Herod was just one more asshole, killing kids because he could ... presuming that even happened at all.
I've said it many times: if someone is going to believe in the bible, fine. I probably can't stop them, and any effort TO stop them is likely wasted. They have a right to believe.
I have a right NOT TO BELIEVE, and I will insist that both rights be respected.
Herod most definitely did not do that. After all, Jesus was born during his reign which ended with his death in 4 bce and also was also born at least 10 years later while Quirinius governed Syria, which didn't begin until 6 ce.
[1] Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. [2] This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Of course, the Bible doesn't say when Herod died or when Quirinius became governor of Syria, it's just two different authors trying to tie their stories into history.
Not the Last Supper...but it was the graveyard shift special. Jesus likes to cash his paycheck, get some free grub, and drop a few Benjamin's in the slots. Oh, and he voted R all the way.
It's the most magical time of the year. The Magi are magicians (AKA wonder workers). Supernatural techs of the ancient age. If Jesus the Messiah existed he was also a magician who performed wondrous tricks to fool the peasants to respect and follow him. A fascinating, to me, Netflix series 'Messiah' portrays how a magician can fool all.
You would probably like The Camuluod Chronicles by Jack Whyte, about how Merlin could have been a clever guy and how Arthur's tale could have actually happened, it spoiled me for all other Arthurian tales.
And he is referred to as King Herod The Great.Iindependent historical evidence judges he was a great ruler. Not much independent historical evidence of Yeshua bar-Yosef existence other than Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus' account of the execution the rebel Yeshua. The gospels cannot be relied upon to convey an accurate historical account of Jesus.
Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate or if you know the real story and not the bullshit you were taught in school, Day of Mourning. All we celebrate at casa de Kay-El is having a day off from work and a chance to be together and celebrate us as a family that believes in democracy, science, the rule of law and not some wannabe dictator wants to destroy all we hold dear.
It'd be more accurate to portray a preacher sexually abusing that baby. I mean, if you wanted historical accuracy, just look through the reports from the past few years.
Not one Baby Jesus slain by atheists. On the other hand, the preachers have racked up quite a score!
"We are pleased to announce that we are representing atheists this year."
Says the liar who call others liars. You have no idea what atheism is and who atheists are. You just lie about it/them, o hypocrite. I do believe you are violating a Commandment when you lie. Tsk tsk. You are a bad servant.
There is ZERO evidence that Herod (an actual historical figure) ever issued a decree to have all male children aged 2 years and under killed in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. NONE. It is a fantasy that appears in one gospel and one gospel only: the one by that serial exaggerator Matthew.
(Except that 'Matthew' himself is a fictional creature and his gospel was by an author or authors unknown)
"...because he could put an imaginary creature, Santa, beside our Nativity."
Always laugh at people who belive in an imaginary creature like Jesus pointing fingers at other imaginary creatures. So easy to point fingers right back at them.
Oh, and Christians don't own a holiday they convemiently forget they stole from pagans (along with all the pagan symbols. rituals and festivities).
I suppose I could post some long-winded epistle on how Christmas, as we modern folk know it, isn't really Christian and was an old pagan holiday usurped by early Christians to get butts into the pews. I think I'll skip that this year, since the majority of the posters here are already familiar and I don't feel up to a rehash at the moment.
Instead, I'm going to point out that even the most fundamental of Christians still celebrate the birth of their Jesus by spending money on gifts. They might say prayers, sure, but the bottom line is they do the same thing everyone else does and pretend they're somehow 'better' than others anyway. They might not drink, they might not have parties, but they'll still spend money they may or may not have to purchase gifts to give. That isn't per se wrong, but at some point, how is it *not* the worship of money and success that so often pastors rail against? How is buying stuff for others the right way to celebrate the arrival of a savior?
I submit that we have reached the point where Christmas is no longer truly a Christian holiday at all. Christmas is now a Capitalist holiday with religious trappings leftover from bygone years. Christians can pretend if they want to, but they don't get to claim they own this holiday anymore, since they gave up control of it to their real master, Money. Sure, they can put up their nativity scenes in front of their churches and homes if they want to, but at this point, they're just flat kidding themselves; the way most churches get a 'volunteer' to build the set rather than spending the money for something nice just makes my point for me.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving, those who celebrate it. I suspect we might have a long December in front of us.
Time to pull out my annual speech. I've posted this several times before, but here it is again:
Is it War-on-Christmas-time already? I thought we still had more shopping days left!
But seriously, here it is again, for anyone who still doesn't understand:
You can put up whatever you want in front of your house. You and your fellow church members can put up whatever you want in front of your church. But you can't put up whatever you want in front of someone else's house. And other people can't put up signs or displays in front of your house.
And public land is owned by the government, not you, not your church, which means it belongs to EVERYONE. That means it's not just your land. It's my land, too. So we, all of us, represented by the elected government, have a decision to make. Either we let everyone put up whatever they want, or we let nobody put up anything.
In other words, you can have your Christmas display on public land, with everyone else's displays, including the Satanists who will make a point of putting something up just to troll you. Or you can have nothing on that land, and just stick to putting it in front of your house and your church. And frankly, that's where it belongs, anyway.
Why is this so hard to understand?
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
- Upton Sinclair
Saving that quote, Anri. Thanks.
Why? Mostly because Christian privilege. 😝
It is not hard to understand. They just don't want to understand.
Religion wants to be in control of society no matter if this control causes society to lose control and go to war with one another.
Totally agree.
Do you know the state religion in Massachusetts is Protestantism. The Bill of Rights supercedes it but if it didn't what would be that status of those not Protestant? This annual speech by Fromper is not only dead on correct but it is actually 100% in union with The FIrst Amendment.
The same people that want to cry about war on xmas kept trump flags up all season instead of nativities, lights, santa, and the like in 2020. It was real dark in my neighborhood. They can all sit down.
"I’m surprised Pastor Todd thinks atheists would be offended by this."
Why would we be offended? Mostly we are just going to point and laugh.
I’m shocked no one has stolen it yet and start moving it around town like a elf on the shelf! That’s what I would have done in my teenage years! 😂
🤣😂🤣😉kids, you have your assignment!
Iowa is a SYG state and no doubt Pasture Turd would gladly shoot a kid.
SYG state meaning?
Stand Your Ground.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law
Of course. Totally forgot that.
Herod was Jewish. He rebuilt the Second Temple, but now the Wailing Wall is the only part of it that remains.
But, hey, what's a little offensive micro-antisemitism among christians? It's not like jesus was a Jew.
I have no clue who Harod even is?
He was the Roman Jewish client king of the kingdom of Judea. He built a lot including the second Jewish temple. All that exists of it now is the Wailing Wall.
Biblical king, ordered the slaughter of Jewish babies supposedly to kill Jesus.
Never happened. Manufactured myth that only appears in one gospel.
I knew I could count on you my encyclopedic knowledged friend.
Was easy. :)
Thanks for the info!
Others covered it better, but that is the "Cliffe's notes version!
I would put "supposedly" in front of "ordered." As far as I understand, while he was a tyrant, there isn't an evidence that he ordered the mass slaughter of all males under 2.
Yes, you are correct I muffed the adjective placement.
"Ha Ha" - Nelson Muntz (The Simpsons)
Wow. This is taking straw-manning atheists to a whole new level, isn't it? Seems to me that Herod wanted Jesus dead because he saw Jesus as a threat to his power and position, and if the angel hasn't snitched to Joseph and Mary, he might have gotten away with it. As it is, Herod was just one more asshole, killing kids because he could ... presuming that even happened at all.
I've said it many times: if someone is going to believe in the bible, fine. I probably can't stop them, and any effort TO stop them is likely wasted. They have a right to believe.
I have a right NOT TO BELIEVE, and I will insist that both rights be respected.
Herod most definitely did not do that. After all, Jesus was born during his reign which ended with his death in 4 bce and also was also born at least 10 years later while Quirinius governed Syria, which didn't begin until 6 ce.
But - but - but ... the BIBLE says... 🤪
Yes it does.
Matthew 2:1 NASB2020
[1] Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.2.1.NASB2020
Luke 2:1-2 NASB2020
[1] Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. [2] This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
https://bible.com/bible/2692/luk.2.1-2.NASB2020
Of course, the Bible doesn't say when Herod died or when Quirinius became governor of Syria, it's just two different authors trying to tie their stories into history.
Jesus was spotted Thursday morning in Bethlehem...the Bethlehem Sands, near the Penny slots. He just came from the buffet.
Not the Last Supper...but it was the graveyard shift special. Jesus likes to cash his paycheck, get some free grub, and drop a few Benjamin's in the slots. Oh, and he voted R all the way.
It's the most magical time of the year. The Magi are magicians (AKA wonder workers). Supernatural techs of the ancient age. If Jesus the Messiah existed he was also a magician who performed wondrous tricks to fool the peasants to respect and follow him. A fascinating, to me, Netflix series 'Messiah' portrays how a magician can fool all.
You would probably like The Camuluod Chronicles by Jack Whyte, about how Merlin could have been a clever guy and how Arthur's tale could have actually happened, it spoiled me for all other Arthurian tales.
His kid, Herod Antipas, is the one who sent Jesus back to Pilate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas#Jesus'_ministry_and_trial
I thought that was Ben Hur's pal...
Irreconcilable differences, diametrically opposed statements, errors of fact, impossible timelines. The inerrant bible is in need of a major rewrite.
Those pesky facts. You goddam atheists always wield that weapon at us good Christians.
And historically speaking, Christians have aimed real weapons at nonbelievers and used them against nonbelievers for a very long time.
And he is referred to as King Herod The Great.Iindependent historical evidence judges he was a great ruler. Not much independent historical evidence of Yeshua bar-Yosef existence other than Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus' account of the execution the rebel Yeshua. The gospels cannot be relied upon to convey an accurate historical account of Jesus.
If Jesus's death was what saved humanity, then why aren't the people who killed him and thus triggered salvation celebrated instead of hated?
Keep me out of this please 😉
🤣🤣🤣
Yes!
Actually, the Herod cardboard cutout is by far the best part of that craptacularly tacky display.
They do reactionary lunacy like Atheist Herod, and call 𝘶𝘴 snowflakes? Religion reverses 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
We're pretty damn sexy and scary there, ain't we?
Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate or if you know the real story and not the bullshit you were taught in school, Day of Mourning. All we celebrate at casa de Kay-El is having a day off from work and a chance to be together and celebrate us as a family that believes in democracy, science, the rule of law and not some wannabe dictator wants to destroy all we hold dear.
That dumbass pastor can go fuck himself.
It'd be more accurate to portray a preacher sexually abusing that baby. I mean, if you wanted historical accuracy, just look through the reports from the past few years.
Not one Baby Jesus slain by atheists. On the other hand, the preachers have racked up quite a score!
Couldn’t agree more!
I should NOT be drinking tea when I read "Although, you know,, it's been done" I have to now clean up the mess from me coughing tea from laughing!!
"We are pleased to announce that we are representing atheists this year."
Says the liar who call others liars. You have no idea what atheism is and who atheists are. You just lie about it/them, o hypocrite. I do believe you are violating a Commandment when you lie. Tsk tsk. You are a bad servant.
To Pastor Clod...
There is ZERO evidence that Herod (an actual historical figure) ever issued a decree to have all male children aged 2 years and under killed in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. NONE. It is a fantasy that appears in one gospel and one gospel only: the one by that serial exaggerator Matthew.
(Except that 'Matthew' himself is a fictional creature and his gospel was by an author or authors unknown)
"...because he could put an imaginary creature, Santa, beside our Nativity."
Always laugh at people who belive in an imaginary creature like Jesus pointing fingers at other imaginary creatures. So easy to point fingers right back at them.
Oh, and Christians don't own a holiday they convemiently forget they stole from pagans (along with all the pagan symbols. rituals and festivities).
“I don't think it is a coincidence that the atheists go where the Christians are and seek to destroy Christ,“
No, the Christians go where the government is to push their fairy tale on people who aren’t interested and then get upset when they’re asked to leave.
As for your crèche on church property, good for you. Whatever flicks your bean.
Santa Christ knows if you've been sleeping... he know if you're awake... he knows if you believe this crap, so don't, for goodness sake!
That's MY kind of Christmas song!
How weak is Jesus, that Christians are worried about us sad little non-believing mortals defeating him?
Puny god.
https://i.makeagif.com/media/10-30-2015/tBb2Gp.gif
I loved that part of the movie🤣🤣
It's amazing just how much mileage we get out of that clip around here.
Wasn't it the Romans who crucified Christ? The irony is that the Romans would call the Christian atheists for not believing in their gods.
Atheists aren’t interested in killing Christ any more than they are actively hunting for the Loch Ness.
I don't want to kill Nessie, I want to capture her and put her on display in Springfield.
Which Springfield? There are 67 Springfields in the United States alone.
Two answers.
a) Dusty.
b) https://media.tenor.com/nljsFCjSKBIAAAAC/the-simpsons-thats-the-joke.gif
Wait - we’re not? Can I go home then?
I suppose I could post some long-winded epistle on how Christmas, as we modern folk know it, isn't really Christian and was an old pagan holiday usurped by early Christians to get butts into the pews. I think I'll skip that this year, since the majority of the posters here are already familiar and I don't feel up to a rehash at the moment.
Instead, I'm going to point out that even the most fundamental of Christians still celebrate the birth of their Jesus by spending money on gifts. They might say prayers, sure, but the bottom line is they do the same thing everyone else does and pretend they're somehow 'better' than others anyway. They might not drink, they might not have parties, but they'll still spend money they may or may not have to purchase gifts to give. That isn't per se wrong, but at some point, how is it *not* the worship of money and success that so often pastors rail against? How is buying stuff for others the right way to celebrate the arrival of a savior?
I submit that we have reached the point where Christmas is no longer truly a Christian holiday at all. Christmas is now a Capitalist holiday with religious trappings leftover from bygone years. Christians can pretend if they want to, but they don't get to claim they own this holiday anymore, since they gave up control of it to their real master, Money. Sure, they can put up their nativity scenes in front of their churches and homes if they want to, but at this point, they're just flat kidding themselves; the way most churches get a 'volunteer' to build the set rather than spending the money for something nice just makes my point for me.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving, those who celebrate it. I suspect we might have a long December in front of us.