Issue 143 – The Battle Over Christmas

By Kirby Robinson

There’s a war against religion raging around the earth. The focus is to shut down the church try to eliminate Christmas.

A few days ago, I post this on my Facebook page: "JESUS IS THE ONLY REASON FOR THE SEASON. Do you hear that Sears, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and Amazon?" And that statement got one Like. Back in the 1990's, if Facebook had existed, it would have been flooded with likes and comments.

The devil has replaced Jesus with a new lord and savior – it's called the Christmas present from your local retailer. We no longer look at Christmas as the birth of Jesus but as a day to give me gifts, and they better be good.

Some say:

I'm an atheist and I have rights. Yes you do. You refuse to celebrate the season yet you still take the day or days off with pay. If you hate the season then treat it as just another day. Why try to make others see things your way?

Here are some examples of what's going on out there.

Mayor David Fried of Robbinsville, New Jersey refuses to bend to the ACLU  by calling his city's Christmas tree a "holiday tree." "We’re gonna call it a Christmas tree and we’re gonna go back to our roots and I think that’s one of the problems we’ve had in this country ya know. We keep sort of trying not to offend anyone and in doing so it really has sort of affected our culture and our history and this is the great melting pot and it made this country great and we have to embrace it,” Fried said. Here's the full story:

http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/12/04/robbinsville-nj-mayor-dave-fried-fires-back-critics-seeking-rename-christmas-tree

Check these headlines out:

Texas Passes "Merry Christmas" Law

That's right, Christmas is all for the celebration of Christmas and Hanukah. "...new legislation allows students and teachers to dress in festive garb and say "Merry Christmas" all they want without fear of punishment." Here's the full story:

http://www.charismanews.com/us/42040-texas-enacts-merry-christmas-law-to-thwart-political-correctness-attacks

Workplaces Discriminating Against Religious Workers

"Today, more than one-third of workers report observing or being subjected to religious bias at work. The survey, "What American Workers Really Think About Religion: Tanenbaum’s 2013 Survey of American Workers and Religion," examines religious bias and discrimination against American workers." Full story:

http://www.charismanews.com/us/42051-study-workplace-religious-discrimination-on-the-rise

Atheists Try to Silence Christmas Festival

http://www.charismanews.com/us/42042-atheists-lose-battle-to-silence-christmas-festival

Is There Really a War on Christmas?

One of my many mentors used to teach that the end times couldn't start until the public realized they had no freedom to practice their religion. We aren't there yet but the time is fast approaching. Read more here:

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/42036-to-those-who-say-there-is-no-war-on-christmas

This Saturday we'll have a special report on the latest PRS scam.

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama Introduces 'Secular Ethics' to Vietnamese

Dharamshala, India - 7 November 2013
By Jane Cook, The Tibet Post International

The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with 71 Vietnamese CEO's, artists and intellectuals. Mostly women, he began by emphasising his and their common humanity.

His Holiness said that neurologists will tell you that Tibetan and Vietnamese brains are the same, along with emotions and intelligence. "Therefore, we have the same potential to think more deeply about the situation we find ourselves in."

He remarked that society and our education system is oriented toward material development and values, which results in a general lack of moral principles. He discovered from his guests that the Vietnamese economy has grown immensely over the last 30-40 years, that literacy is about 95% and there are probably only 2 billionaires in the country.

He commented that corruption has become like a cancer in the world and it is mostly the poor who suffer. This and climate change are among the major challenges today. Corruption takes place because of a lack of ethics. His Holiness suggested that ways must be found to instil basic values like honesty into the younger generation - otherwise corruption will continue to fester. This is why he believes so strongly in fostering secular ethics in the education system, giving a basis to resolve the majority of today's problems.

Inviting questions from the audience one woman said she was a Buddhist and when her friends ask for help and advice she tells them to ask the monks. They insist they are more interested in what she has to say, so what should she do? His Holiness replied that in a world increasingly interdependent it is time to develop global responsibility and help each other and promote human values.

Another questioner said that she knew people who didn't find prayers and ritual helpful and His Holiness replied that if this was the answer to overcoming suffering the Bodhisattvas would already have done it. The Buddha, he said, shows us the path to truth and reality and it is up to us to follow it.

His Holiness observed that at an inter-religious conference in India, all religions tended to address three questions: What is the self? Does it have a beginning? and Does it have an end? "He explained that only Buddhism teaches that the self is not something that has a solid, independent existence, but is designated on the basis of body and mind."

Referring to the Four Noble Truths he highlighted two patterns of casualty: suffering and its cause as described by the first two truths and cessation and the path to it outlined in the third and fourth truths. Cessation of suffering, he said, is brought about by practicing the path and that the path consists of three trainings in concentration and wisdom based on ethics.

Link to original article http://www.thetibetpost.com/en/news/international/3715-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-introduces-secular-ethics-to-vietnamese

Dalai Lama Speaks at William and Mary Hall

October 10, 2012, By Rusty Carter, editor@vagazette.com

WILLIAMSBURG – Like a man dispensing advice and humor to his grandchildren, the 14th Dalai Lama took a crowd of 8,200 people on a journey Wednesday afternoon at William and Mary Hall, covering a range of topics that meandered from green eye shadow, and ugly wives, to 9/11 and the end of the world.

The spiritual leader of the Buddhist world spoke for just over 45 minutes, delivering folksy, simple wisdom.

His reaction to a standing ovation that grew louder when he donned a William & Mary visor? "So, sit down."

He greeted his audience as brothers and sisters, noting that "fundamentally, we are the same beings."

The lecture centered on compassion, cautioning that many of man's problems are self-created.

"There's too much emphasis on the secondary level of differences in religion, differences in race, in color, in nationality. If I say Buddhism is better, my attitude creates a barrier.

"Nobody wants problems. Even those able to handle problems, this person wishes for less problems. No one is thinking, 'I want more serious problems to handle.' That's foolish thinking."

The Dalai Lama suggested there is a new reality to the world, discounting the idea that history repeats itself. "We have to find a new way of thinking, new approaches to problems. We must study the reality."

To that end, he felt the United States was too quick to rely on force, noting that "unexpected consequences often happen."

He recalled meeting former President George W. Bush. "I really love him. He's a nice person ... on a human level. Some of his policies, I have reservations about."

That led into an explanation of compassion. The Dalai Lama recalled attending a conference in Delhi, India that dealt with health care. "No one asked religion or nationality. They took care of the sick as human beings.

"We're the same. We're born the same. We die the same. Our reproduction is the same."

He said that animals show compassion for their own, as mothers care for their young. Humans, however, have the ability to extend companion to enemies. "Only humans have that compassion. If we extend that compassion to our enemies, maybe one day they will become good friends."

The Dalai Lama sprinkled humor into his lecture at regular intervals. While talking about compassion, he spoke of a group of Cubans he once met. "They said they prayed to God to please bring [Fidel] Castro to heaven as soon as possible. They didn't like him as a leader, but they wanted a good ending."

Talking about young adults, the Dalai Lama noted that young ladies "spend lots of money on cosmetics. They put this green color on," waving his hand in front of his face and just above his eyes. "It looks very strange."

That served as a metaphor to talk about inner beauty and lasting relationships. With it came another story.

"In the '60s in India, one Tibetan, his wife was not ... attractive." Laughter spread throughout the hall. "I told him that his wife was not that attractive. He said 'attractive no, but inner beauty is very good.' I had no further argument."

Responding to pre-submitted questions from students, the Dalai Lama took on a few more serious topics.

Asked about how people of diverse religions can work and live together, he talked about speaking at a 9/11 commemoration a year after the terrorist attacks.

"Because of one act by one group of people, to characterize the whole Muslim religion as bad is totally wrong," he said.

He noted that Buddhists suffered greatly under Muslim rule in India. "The past is the past," he added.

To a question about the use of technology in today's world, the Dalai Lama said he went two years without "opening his television." When a young visitor asked how he passed the time, he said "Mostly, I think. I meditate about life, about the world. I analyze."

The Dalai Lama recalled a question from one person about the prediction based on a Mayan calendar that the world will end this December. The person wanted to know if he believed it was true.

"I said, 'No.' Buddha's teachings are supposed to last 5,000 years. It's only been 2,500 so there's at least another 2,500 years to go."

Dalai Lama Quotes, Quotations, Sayings, Words, Wisdom

“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”

“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

“I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness…”

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”

“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”

“I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

“If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.”

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

“If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.”

“If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.”

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

“As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery… we have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness.”

“In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.”

“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.”

“It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them.”

“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness … the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”

“It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.”

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.”

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”

“Be kind whenever possible.It is always possible.”

“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

“Sleep is the best meditation.”

“Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.”

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”

“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”

“The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.”

“There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.”

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

“Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.”

“We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.”

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”

“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.”

“Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion.”

“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”

Thank you to the Dalai Lama Renaissance documentary film for these wonderful quotes!