Rabbi Sues, Christmas Trees Removed from Airport.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Dec 11 2006, 12:22 PM) [snapback]360426[/snapback]</div>

Defense? Everyone else is having a civil discussion here, and you come in trying to stir up trouble - you weren't "defending" anything. instead, you were rather offensive.

 

Hey now, guys, let's not fight. After all, the "War On Christmas" ended last year. Seriously though, Mystery Squid, at first you just seemed confused and misinformed, but after your last, really confusing and self-contradictory post I'm starting to think that you're just being intentionally obtuse.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 01:33 PM) [snapback]360435[/snapback]</div>

Rabbi being a "hardcore symbol of the Jews" - hmmm. Again I will let that stand on its own [lack] of merit.

"Pretty impressive for 2% of the population" - hmmm. No words be spoken here either.

And am I all of a sudden the Jews representative in your eyes - am I going to see MG latest movie?? Well I cant tell you the last time I have been to the movie theater - maybe once this year - so the odds are no I am not going to see it - but rest assured - as the spokesman for 2% of the population - it is not because MB is an anti-Semite - that is for him to deal with and others who share his opinions about the 2% of us - but why do you ask? And why do you not answer my question from above?? If you are too busy like you said before, although I see you have freed up some time for yourself recently, then you need not reply. Like I said, sometimes silence speaks volumes.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Dec 11 2006, 02:25 PM) [snapback]360474[/snapback]</div>

I would say you should could call a spade a spade here. Using the terminology, "intentionally obtuse", is kind of you in any event.

I am interested in what makes you think he was "confused and misinformed"? Has he acted this way previously in prior posts - I think there are hundreds if not a thousand of them to choose from? And if he has not, what conclusions can be drawn from this if any?

A recurring theme here is not being able to see evil or seeing good where there is evil. I am NOT accusing him of anything, mind you. I am letting the posts speak for themselves and the responses to them.

 

Maybe they should have just called it a holiday tree.

 

Now that I know more on the story, the less worthy this thread seems.

Happy Holidays!!!

....and stop feeding the Grinch.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Dec 11 2006, 02:14 PM) [snapback]360468[/snapback]</div>

your definition of "civil discussion" is predicated on certain notions that I do not believe exist here.

By trying to blame me you are shifting the entire nature of the authors post and reponses to it - I wonder why? I refuse to be put on the defensive for something I did not start and for something that might have intentional ramifications beyond the words themselves.

Curious, do you wholeheartedly agree with the original post? A simple yes or no will do thankyou.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Delta Flyer @ Dec 11 2006, 02:36 PM) [snapback]360480[/snapback]</div>

Actually, it makes it that much more worthy - I would say it has legs except you obviously travel by air - interjecting a little Holiday Season humor here - for your benefit.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Dec 11 2006, 02:14 PM) [snapback]360468[/snapback]</div>

Interesting. Not really. But interesting none the less.

 

In case I was misunderstood, "Grinchbait" was the 1st post on this thread, as the intentional failure to tell the entire story was distorting.

Not my idea of enlightened discussion.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 04:00 PM) [snapback]360508[/snapback]</div>

Which is why I posted the AP version.

Though I see in your latest post you use the word "anyone." Anyone what? Who are you trying to offend? What do you mean by insight? Why do you bring up Honda? And you use ellipses ... convenient for you ... no? Why are you waiting until after I post to respond to me?

Sorry. I don't know what came over me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 02:58 PM) [snapback]360503[/snapback]</div>

The same words in two different sentances can contain two totally different meanings if not more

I am not a Rabbi. There are thousands of Rabbi's - some with congregations of less than 100 people - not very large - so they do not have a huge sway - if you look at it from that perspective.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Dec 11 2006, 09:44 AM) [snapback]360399[/snapback]</div>

You beat me to it, StevO! What the bleep do christmas trees and their symbolism of commercial greed have to do with the birth of Jesus, who his worshippers think is the Christ? If I were a Christian I'd be clamoring at the top of my lungs for the removal of christmas trees and an end to commercial gift-giving. I can understand Christians wanting to have a creche, because that represents the birth of Jesus, which christmas celebrates. But cutting down a living tree, decorating it, and piling commercial crap under it as a monument to greed (sort of a modern version of the golden calf!) strikes me as akin to trampling on the cross.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas @ Dec 11 2006, 10:04 AM) [snapback]360411[/snapback]</div>

Gulp! Instead of burning all those bonds, couldn't we cash them in, and maybe have a fake fireplace instead? Or even a bonfire?

 

"I still would like to see a big bond fire"

Great idea. Lets take Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig and make a big bonfire out of them. Braised ham, anyone? Wait - they weren't that bad.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 02:58 PM) [snapback]360503[/snapback]</div>

Actually, it's more like a priest. And since it turns out a fair number of priests were pedophiles, by your logic all Christians are pedophiles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Dec 11 2006, 06:08 PM) [snapback]360604[/snapback]</div>

Well, given the logic of this thread, I think we can extend that to say all Christians are a bunch of no good tree-hugging pedophiles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 09:56 AM) [snapback]360369[/snapback]</div>

Yes, it's me again, Squid, on the same kind of topic. But I'm not going to name-call or harangue this time. I do truly believe you have a "blind spot", and I'm going to try to point out where I see it reflected. You DO still come off as anti-Semitic, and I'm half-believing you actually don't understand why. And while I hardly ever agree with Dr. Berman, and often object to his "tone", I support his points this time.

>>>...and then the Jewish community wonders why so much hate is such easily fostered and aimed towards them.

As you probably know (but may not), American Jewry, aside from nominal Jews who don't observe the religion at all, is divided into three major sub-groups: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. (There are other divisions, but for the purpose of this post, I'll just use this commonly-known one.) Just guessing from the beard shown in his pic, this particular rabbi might be Orthodox---though he might not be, it doesn't really matter.

When the Pope makes a pronouncement, or Billy Graham, or a Baptist leader, most thinking people don't think whatever is said reflects on all of "Christianity". If it's the Pope, most don't even think it automatically reflects on all Catholics (especially American Catholics, many of whom openly flout one or more official Catholic teachings). On the other hand, most assume that at least SOME in whatever "faction" we're talking about ARE represented by what's said.

Similarly, do you think all evangelicals are tarnished (again, in the minds of most thinking people) by the more ridiculous utterings of Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell?

If you follow what I'm saying, and acknowledge this is fairly accurate, then: with how many Americans do you think this rabbi's action reflects on American Jews in general---much less all or world Jewry? With YOU?

>>> Of all the religions on this planet who could have a possible "beef" with Christmas, what drove the Rabbi?

Are you saying that Jews should somehow have less of an objection to having Channukah "overlooked" than other religions which might want their icons publicly displayed on the occasion of one of their "high holidays"? If so, why?




<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 10:12 AM) [snapback]360383[/snapback]</div>

No, he didn't sue; and yes, the trees were removed as a result of his position. But the airport DID have a choice, and I can't understand why they couldn't have come up with a menorah rather than to take down the trees. But I do understand their choice, from their point of view. With Kwanzaa and possibly others, the can of worms might have spilled all over---and at other times of the year for other groups, too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 08:56 AM) [snapback]360369[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 10:33 AM) [snapback]360435[/snapback]</div>

What makes your rants and ravings anti Semitic is the collective guilt with which you saddle the entire Jewish community for the actions of one Rabbi.

That is a classic anti Semitic incitement tactic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 11:33 AM) [snapback]360435[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 12:58 PM) [snapback]360503[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 11 2006, 01:33 PM) [snapback]360538[/snapback]</div>