I know I’m not being politically correct, in fact there’s a possibility
that I could get myself into a little trouble. I guess it all stems
from the continuous arguments about the place of religion (to be specific,
Christianity) in this country of ours.
Funny how the arguments
go, isn’t it? It’s pointed out time and time again that God is not
mentioned in the Constitution. As a matter of fact, those that point
this out are right. One of the standard arguments used by those of
us (not including myself) that believe in the Christian God is the
fact that He is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. The
anti-God people point out (and rightfully so) that the Declaration
is not the governing document, the foundation for law in this great
country of ours. The Constitution is, and God got left out, although
religion is mentioned in the 1st Amendment.
But the foundation
for the secular argument is the phrase “…separation of church and
state…”, a phrase pointed to with glee by those who would eliminate
God entirely, if possible. Problem is, the phrase they quote is no
more valid than the mention of God in the Declaration. The phrase
originally came from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury
Baptist Association of Connecticut on January 1, 1802. Well, Tommy’s
letter is no more force of law than the Declaration is, so the famous
quote really has no validity.
Nonetheless, atheists and the
ACLU work together to do everything possible to get God out of everything
possible.
This time of the year, their efforts become more frantic,
as they run about the countryside, targeting a Nativity scene here,
a school play there, the odd group singing religious Christmas songs
over there….
I guess if they really like that sort of thing it
keeps them busy, away from church, and out of the malls (unless a
mall has a Christian themed display somewhere).
But maybe I’ll be one of their targets this year. You see, I delight in being politically incorrect, and I’ve managed to do it again. I work in a place that belongs to the Feds, and me and my buddies provide armed security there. Our Control area enables us to monitor, through various electronic means, just about everything going on. We can respond with force in a matter of seconds, if necessary. It’s a 24/7, 365 type of job, and it can be bleak at times. Which brings me to the tree, the Doctor, and political incorrectness.
I found the tree at a yard sale,
unused, in its box, for a dollar. It stands about eight inches tall,
and came with thirty tiny little silver balls. A couple weeks ago,
I took it out of the box, fluffed out its little artificial branches,
and, using sewing thread, tied each and every one of those little
silver balls to various branches.
I put it on top of a systems
console, where it could be seen, but it wasn’t quite enough. So I
brought some of that white snow looking stuff you put around trees
in to work from home, and put it around my little tree. Still it seemed
that something needed to be added, but I wasn’t sure what.
A
couple days later (on a rare day off) my wife and I (I call her Princess)
were shopping. We stopped at Big Lots, and there I found a string
of thirty tiny little lights, for $1.99. I bought them. They were
operated by four AA batteries, and I had some, so my tree became lighted.
Some thin silver garland completed the decoration, and my tree seemed
to stand just a little taller, a little prouder.
But something
still was missing. Looking through our decorations at home, I found
several tree ornaments. They looked like tiny little presents, wrapped
and with bows. Well, I took half a dozen of them in to work, and placed
them under the tree. Their size was perfect, and my tree seemed a
little taller, a little straighter.
But something still was
missing. And that’s where the Doctor came in.
Next to the tree is
a small piece of paper. It says “Merry Christmas”. It also refers
to something the Doctor wrote, something I’d like to pass on. I could
give you an exact quote, but I prefer to write it as it comes to mind,
so, if I mess it up a little, I’m sorry.
It’s been there a week
or so, and no one has complained yet, even though I had the temerity
to use the words “Merry Christmas” on a Federal installation. I guess
they don’t pay all that much attention, and I think that’s a lot of
what’s wrong in the world today.
People are so busy being politically
correct, they don’t have the time to pay attention. The Doctor’s name
is Luke. He wrote a book. Read the second chapter, eleventh verse
sometime, if you would.
If you haven’t the time, I won’t quote
Luke, but I’ll come close:
For unto you this day is born in the city
of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Merry Christmas
to all, from someone whose politically incorrect.
NOTE: Copyright
12/15/04 by Dave Hoffman
Beneficium accipere libertatem est
vendere.
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