And So This Is Christmas

[verbal gymnastics]

As today is my last day at work (hooray!) and I am not back until the New Year, I just wanted to wish you all the compliments of the season.

I've had a fantastic Elvis year - seen him 5 times, met him a few times etc etc but my favourite occasion was the London Hammersmith Meet Up in February when not only did I get to meet the wonderful Muggy, but I met Jackson and DrJ for the first and only time and also got to see a few others.

I've really enjoyed the London Meet Ups this year and hope we keep those going in 2006.

There are some wonderful characters on this board and some of you make me laugh as well as educating me.

Thanks lastly to Dr and Mrs Spooky and Blue for everything they do for us.

All the best and a prosperous New Year.

VG

[A rope leash]

The dog just puked up on the carpet.

[mood swung]

well, clean it up, rope! are you waiting for housekeeping or what?????


Merry Christmas, everyone. You folks *complete* me...

[A rope leash]

Hey, I was only sharing. Details of the puke removal you don't want to know include my own gagging.

I've been drunk in New York.

So, this is Christmas? Without a subway?

[mood swung]

Nature's Miracle is what you need for a job like that, rope. Comes in a red and white bottle, so it's kind of christmasy.




happy howl-i-days!

[A rope leash]

Those dogs have no idea what they are participating in. Innocence becomes a dog, even the feigned innocence of a cur.
Some breeds are very well-practiced, and will go along with almost anything that doesn't hurt.

Christmas cats are cute, too. I like pudding.

[A rope leash]

It was really stupid of me to trample on this warm well-wishing. I think Santa is going to give my toys to Verbal G this year.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Got this from my uncle today...

Please accept, with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious and/or secular persuasion of your choice, with respect of the religious/secular persuasions/traditions of others, or their choice not to practice any religious or secular traditions at all...and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "america" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. The wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

[Mr. Average]

Very sad.

As you have been blessed with so many intellectual gifts, and are clearly a man of good means, it is sad to see so much misinformation spewed forth. Even a cursory, basic, and lower level understanding of world history will unequivocally demonstrate that when borders, language, and culture become compromised (whatever the impetus), the decline of a civilization, population, or unique culture follows. Never to be recaptured.

And the compromises in borders, language, and culture do not follow with a more utopian state, or a better world, or a happier time and place. They follow with human misery, environmental upheaval, and economic turmoil.

If you know your history, you might see some of these posts less than humourous, because while they may be presented as 'tongue-in-check', they impact other idealogues who buy into the philosophical tripe of Lennon as pronounced in songs like Imagine.

God made the world. He created different cultures, peoples, and customs/mores for a reason. When simple man decides to reinvent the work of the Creator, to make it better, they are playing God, and the outcome is never good.

I am enriched by other cultures. I do not, however, feel that the Grand Plan is a gigantic 'blend" of all cultures, peoples etc. Sounds like it would solve so many problems, but to anyone who has taken a moment to actually look at the implications (and I'm sure there will follow a few vignettes wherein for some transient period of time in history some grand experiment seemed to succeed), the world design is not a mistake.

[Who Shot Sam?]

It's a joke. When did you get the sense of humor bypass? Dear oh dear.

You must be a barrel of monkeys in person.

[selfmademug]

Sam, we all see through this ruse. By making fun of political correctness as you and your uncle have done, you merely reveal your thinly-veiled desires to spread political correctness, thereby cutting our society down at the knees and generally raping and pilaging everything that is good and true and pure. Why are you threatened by my unassailable logic? You only need look to history to see that by mocking something you really mean to build it up, reinforce it. I suggest you remember this when you are yourself mocked.

[selfmademug]

PS, racial purity to all, and to all a good manifest destiny.

[A rope leash]

?????

[selfmademug]

Sorry, I was just reacting to WSS's crazed advocacy of further blending cultures, now that we, the White United States, have blended the Native Americans off their land, and other cultures out of power, therefore fulfilling The Grand Plan. Such blending was all well and good while it was leading up to US, the chosen ones, but now it must stop.

I'm kidding, you know.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and Happy Holidays and a great 2006 to all.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Sam, we all see through this ruse. By making fun of political correctness as you and your uncle have done, you merely reveal your thinly-veiled desires to spread political correctness, thereby cutting our society down at the knees and generally raping and pilaging everything that is good and true and pure. Why are you threatened by my unassailable logic? You only need look to history to see that by mocking something you really mean to build it up, reinforce it. I suggest you remember this when you are yourself mocked.

I keep thinking that it's just some multi-handler pulling our leg. Surely it's not possible to be that paranoid. Is it?

Nothing turns people on to God quite like talking down to them and belittling their intellectual capacity. I think I may have to revise my Wanker of the Year award winner.

My brother in law arrives this afternoon and it looks like I'll be plenty busy until Tuesday. If I don't get the chance to pop in here again I'd like to wish everyone a very happy holiday with friends, family, good food and wine and a cool gift or two.

I've been lucky enough to meet some really wonderful people from this board in 2005. May it continue in 2006.

[noiseradio]

I'm only goign to point out a historical (or an historical, if you're one of those) fact and let it do what it will here.

Christmas all by its lonesome is a huge blended hodge-podge of other cultures, languages, and traditions. It is basically borderless. We say "Santa Claus" because it's a bastardization of "Sint Ninclaus" in the Dutch. (It think). We say "Kris Kringle" because it's a bastardization of the German "Krist Kindel" (sp?), which means "Christ Child." Santa used to be an elf, now he's big and fat. Thanks to Moore, he's got rosy cheeks and the belly, plus a few reindeer. The Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, a vestigial decoration from pagan winter solstice celebrations. The tradition of giving gifts is based on the giving of offerings to pagan gods, later co-opted by the Catholic church and related to the gifts of the three wise men from the east. There are scores of other examples that have nothing at all to do with the religious significance of God being born in human form, like mistletoe, egg nog, the yule log, the fact that we celebrate it in December, garlands, lights, and a million more. The fact is that the observance of the holiday isn't even something mentioned AT ALL in the Bible, nor is its name biblical. It's a muddled mess, a blend of hundreds of different religious, mythological, and cultural traditions, the majority of which have inexplicably been tied into the birth of Christ.

Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas. I look forward to it every year. And I think the most important thing about it is the birth of Christ. But it's misssing the mark by a mile to pretend that this holiday, as celebrated by even religious Christians, has much at all to do with the tenets of our faith. The things people are arguing about as being so sacred are extrabiblical at best. The only way to celebrate the birth without any trappings of paganism would be to hold a celebration sometime in October, with no evergreen decorations or presents, and just worship. If Christians were calling for that, I'd at least see their point. But to take the whole thing, Santa and all, and act like it's a sacred celebration is befuddling to me.

[mood swung]

I bitch, whine and moan about my job almost non-stop but today was good. I handed a single mom a Christmas bonus check that wasn't over $75 and she nearly burst in to tears. I needed to buy groceries, she said. It only takes a little sometimes, ya know?

[selfmademug]

Thanks for that, Moods-- that's the real Christmas spirit.

May I add, in that same spirit (I hope) that anyone who needs a last-minute gift for a person of social conscience might want to consider 'shopping' here:

http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/

[Goody2Shoes]

I know that web site! My parents give goats every year.

[A rope leash]

Christmas is a Christian holiday and should be observed as such. It's sweet little tradition that has been raped and exploited by capitalists, who immediately know a cash cow when one walks in. Some of these fucking fascist would make us celebrate it at gunpoint if they had to...but think about it...nobody expects anyone outside of the perspective religion to make a big deal out of Yom Kippur or Ramadan, so why is it assumed that everyone will be celebrating a Christian holiday? It isn't really...the capitalists have simply put it up front and will not let it be ignored. Sure, there are a lot of Christians in the western world, but how many of them are really devout and true believers? Does this holiday really deserve all the hoopla? Most assuredly it does not.

Of course, to believers, it is the day their Lord was born. Let them celebrate. I for one am not a believer in Lords or Gods, and one of the reasons for that is that I think it sets a bad example for our children, who need to be taught critical thinking, and who should not be made to consider anything that is impossible to be factual. Christmas is a great holiday for kids, because it's gettin' time for them. Poor athiests like me are forced to go along or be forever thought of as an asshole. To be frank, the holiday is kind of cool, but the fact that is based on a fantastic scenario that some folks think is literally true kind of sours it for me. In all reality, if you think that a virgin birth is possible, your probably gullible enough to think that a lot of other false shit is also correct, like the idea that a race or culture must remain pure in order to preserve civilization. The Jews are God's chosen, Muslims are Allah's chosen, and Christians are forgiven by God for every misstep...this is where conflict starts...we're better than you because our God says so. It's really quite stupid, and anyone with half a brain knows it, they are just to afraid to say or even admit it.

Here's George Carlin's view on God:

http://www.rense.com/general69/obj.htm

No, really, I want you to click on that and read it.

Christmas this year is being written off by the capitalists. The high price of food and energy has taken the gift money, so alot of us will only get more debt this year. It's that, or have the kids think you're a total creep. Christianity and capitalism - Lies and usury.

Hype the "War on Christmas" all you want...the fact remains that almost everybody in any position of power in the USA professes to believe in the God of the Bible...it's all run by them, so only they can be blamed for anything, really. Shoot yourself for all I care...I've been talking sense for more than forty years now, and I don't expect anyone will start listening anytime soon. So have your Christmas. I'm having mine. It's an American secular Christmas, the minimum required of folks with children in their household, and I'm doing it so they won't feel left out. But, don't ask me to have any truly warm feelings about it, or to care if anyone is worried that Christmas has been diminished by the mention of other religious holidays that coincide with it. The whole thing is based on an obvious lie, so why should I give it any credence?

Merry Christmas? Why not? Happy Hannauka? Sure. It's your business. Stop trying to make it mine.

[noiseradio]

It's really quite stupid, and anyone with half a brain knows it, they are just to afraid to say or even admit it.

So....more than 90% of the world's population doesn't have half a brain?

[invisible Pole]

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

[A rope leash]

Ninety percent may profess to believing in God or some other magic entity, but only about half of them really believe it. The rest are going along out of fear or want of security.

Yes, they all only have half a brain. Look around. There are not a whole lot of really smart people out there, and there are even fewer who have decent educations.

A virgin birth is impossible. God is impossible. It's not surprisong that so many folks believe this shit because there are institutions that have been set up for years to insure that they are mal-educated into thinking that such things can happen. I feel sorry for them, but they also scare me. What other bullshit will they fall for? WMD in Iraq? Torture?

Yep.

[selfmademug]

We wish you a Merry Hubris
We wish you a Merry Hubris
We wish you a Merry Hubris
And a Haughty New Year

[noiseradio]

Ninety percent may profess to believing in God or some other magic entity, but only about half of them really believe it. The rest are going along out of fear or want of security.

Yes, they all only have half a brain. Look around. There are not a whole lot of really smart people out there, and there are even fewer who have decent educations.

A virgin birth is impossible. God is impossible. It's not surprisong that so many folks believe this shit because there are institutions that have been set up for years to insure that they are mal-educated into thinking that such things can happen. I feel sorry for them, but they also scare me. What other bullshit will they fall for? WMD in Iraq? Torture?

Yep.

Sorry, I'm having trouble following you. Must be because I only have half a brain.