War on Christmas

The "War on Christmas?" monologue from the December 23, 2011 edition of PaleoRadio. Jeremiah Bannister relentlessly criticizes popular "Christmas Warriors" like Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity who shamelessly capitalize on conservative disdain for "Happy Holidays!" in order to boost ratings while failing to focus attention on the real problems America faces, both during and after the Christmas season.

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• bill
• o'reilly
• glenn
• beck
• sean
• hannity
• war
• on
• christmas
• talk
• radio
• paleoradio
• paleocrat
• jeremiah
• bannister
• public

[slavadorlimone]

My take is that Christmas is a lesser hol(y)day then Easter. Everyone makes a big deal about Christmas. When the Easter parades died down and people started to do less for that day there was no outcry. I think that people should learn about Christ by those who believe in Jesus; not by those who are just looking to cash in on it though, and in, a commercialized culture.

[paleocrat]

@Shlomayo I have no fear or reservation in admitting that my decision-making was both intellectual and emotional. There was no cataclysmic event. There was no great bout with depression. But I'm very much a human being. There was elements of emotion, no doubt. It is the admitted consensus of those who've witnessed to my past 18 months that my decision-making was both slow and sensible, both reasonable and heart-felt. Such is the consensus of those who witnessed my life during this time.

[Shlomayo]

@paleocrat That our motivations are rarely - or never - free of any mixes is rather evident (a natural consequence of original sin: 5-fold weakness); the issue, however, is what the dominating aspect in one's decision-making is: is it the use of "brute"/"cold" reason, is it primarily due to emotions/desires, etc.? As for the invitation: thank you very much, though I cannot promise anything as I can only use the internet for such things during holidays. Have a good day, too :)

[paleocrat]

@Shlomayo You're welcome to discuss these matters with others in our Livestream chat room. There are Catholics, Protestants and secularists most every day. Sometimes there aren't very many people. It's a new feature and not adequately promoted, but everyone involved typically enjoys the conversations and debates, almost always desiring to return. The info is on the screen during this video. I'm on from 1-3. Gotta run. Have a good day.

[paleocrat]

@Shlomayo I wouldn't argue that thoughtful consideration is at all times and in all instances the hallmark of people choosing to leave religion. The same holds true, of course, for entry. There are a diversity of reasons, most all neatly corresponding to various factors that reflect each individual, their disposition, character, social status and relationships. Agreed, the most widespread phenomenon... so much so that I'm at a loss to find a single human not guilty of it, almost entirely.

[Shlomayo]

@paleocrat I would disagree with the leaving aspect: judging from most apostates I have come to know, most of them do not leave primarily due to intellectual reasons, but more due to "reasons of the heart": it is one thing to truly seek the truth and adapt oneself accordingly and another to seek to "make truth adapt" to oneself. The latter, however, is the most widespread phenomenon.

[paleocrat]

@Shlomayo Additionally, and let me be honest here, Catholics are quite glad to embrace people who were turned by experiences, who prayed a Rosary or merely heard the gospel, only later to go through a very lax confirmation rite with hardly any intellectual demands. Leaving though seems to require a kind of rationalism devoid of emotion, free from any and all connection to experience, all so terribly unrealistic. I'd say a mix of all: reason and experience, thought and emotion... very human.

[paleocrat]

@Shlomayo I don't separate the heart from the mind, thinking it much better to merely distinguish, and even then only to one degree or another. One ought to be fair here. Most everyone, for whatever reason, likes to believe they intellectual made their way to one thing or another, and this only after some long, arduous journey through mounds of books, exhaustive questioning, etc. This is hardly realistic. It's most often a mix of thought, reading, discussion, experiences and feelings. Normal.

[Shlomayo]

@paleocrat Would you not say that it is the Truth that is the main issue? The way you describe things seems to indicate that the basis for your agnosticism is at heart not an intellectual difficulty with the Truth or a search for it, but something else that affects your rational judgements? Either way, you know your reasons; I am just finding it unfortunate. I - of course - hope for your return one day :) Cu around!

[paleocrat]

@mmorrtt I don't disagree with you about Catholicism being smart, beautiful and joyful. Well... kinda... and in some ways. Liturgically, I admire and even adore the pageantry. Such is true particularly of Eastern and Tridentine liturgies. The sounds, the sights, the smells, all very compelling. It can often be festive. It also is intellectually impressive at times, unarguably the most intelligent of all Christian religions. There is, though, a dark, superstitious, ugly and depressing side also.