1 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:25,820 Speaker 1: Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of 2 00:00:25,860 --> 00:00:29,460 Speaker 1: hours of Dennis's lectures courses in classic radio programs. Had 3 00:00:29,500 --> 00:00:40,260 Speaker 1: to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. Go to Dennisprager dot com. 4 00:00:40,659 --> 00:00:45,100 Speaker 2: Two themes here, Christmas and happiness. And let me first 5 00:00:45,100 --> 00:00:49,460 Speaker 2: talk to you about the happiness one. A lot of 6 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:52,300 Speaker 2: people talk about happiness, and I think that's wonderful, actually, 7 00:00:52,340 --> 00:00:55,060 Speaker 2: but I know that I have a slightly different take. 8 00:00:55,380 --> 00:00:58,620 Speaker 2: I was speaking about it for twenty years, and on 9 00:00:58,660 --> 00:01:05,380 Speaker 2: my radio show, I devote an hour each week to happiness, 10 00:01:05,420 --> 00:01:09,900 Speaker 2: no matter what happens after nine to eleven, the breakdown 11 00:01:10,020 --> 00:01:12,620 Speaker 2: of the economy to the extent that it is broken down, 12 00:01:12,660 --> 00:01:15,940 Speaker 2: whatever it is. And I'll tell you why. I believe 13 00:01:15,980 --> 00:01:19,980 Speaker 2: that happiness is a moral obligation. I used to think 14 00:01:20,020 --> 00:01:22,819 Speaker 2: of it as a selfish pursuit. I have come to 15 00:01:22,980 --> 00:01:26,100 Speaker 2: understand it, and I feel more strongly about this every 16 00:01:26,180 --> 00:01:31,620 Speaker 2: day of my life. Happiness is a moral obligation. I 17 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:35,140 Speaker 2: owe it to all those in my life to at 18 00:01:35,220 --> 00:01:39,260 Speaker 2: least act happy and hopefully be as happy as possible. 19 00:01:39,980 --> 00:01:42,819 Speaker 2: In fact, and this is where, of course, I could 20 00:01:42,820 --> 00:01:46,140 Speaker 2: give you a talk just on this theme. Alone and 21 00:01:47,140 --> 00:01:52,580 Speaker 2: have and do. But in a nutshell, I have made 22 00:01:52,780 --> 00:01:59,980 Speaker 2: war on the unhappy. They annoy me. In fact, they 23 00:02:00,060 --> 00:02:05,860 Speaker 2: annoy everybody. But no one wants to say it because 24 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:11,340 Speaker 2: it sounds non compassionate. But I remember it's you have 25 00:02:11,419 --> 00:02:14,100 Speaker 2: a perfect group for this. My father was the president 26 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:18,700 Speaker 2: of his synagogue when I was a kid, and I 27 00:02:18,740 --> 00:02:23,540 Speaker 2: remember his saying, come back home, frustrated from board meetings 28 00:02:23,620 --> 00:02:27,100 Speaker 2: and so on. And his biggest frustration, which I didn't 29 00:02:27,180 --> 00:02:30,500 Speaker 2: understand at all I was eleven twelve years old, was 30 00:02:31,140 --> 00:02:35,260 Speaker 2: that the ones who get the free membership, because in 31 00:02:35,340 --> 00:02:38,660 Speaker 2: Jewish life, synagogues fund themselves by membership. You become a 32 00:02:38,660 --> 00:02:41,419 Speaker 2: member of the synagogue, And the ones who couldn't afford 33 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:44,340 Speaker 2: it and got free membership or at very reduced costs 34 00:02:44,700 --> 00:02:48,500 Speaker 2: were the ones, he said, who complained the most. I 35 00:02:48,540 --> 00:02:51,780 Speaker 2: suspect I heard the word squeaky wheel earlier. I don't 36 00:02:51,820 --> 00:02:54,180 Speaker 2: know if that was the reference, but I think a 37 00:02:54,220 --> 00:02:58,820 Speaker 2: lot of you can relate to that, and this notion 38 00:02:59,100 --> 00:03:04,500 Speaker 2: of people who are unhappy get the most attention. We 39 00:03:05,060 --> 00:03:10,620 Speaker 2: are often enablers of the miserable. We are if you 40 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:14,700 Speaker 2: have five kids and one is chronically miserable. He will 41 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:17,340 Speaker 2: get or she will get the most attention. That is 42 00:03:17,460 --> 00:03:20,860 Speaker 2: almost inevitability. So the ones who have I have a 43 00:03:20,980 --> 00:03:24,820 Speaker 2: cheerful disposition and are a joy to be around aren't rewarded. 44 00:03:24,860 --> 00:03:28,420 Speaker 2: They're punished because of the extra attention we give to 45 00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:32,060 Speaker 2: the one who it was chronically unhappy. So I'm not 46 00:03:32,260 --> 00:03:35,660 Speaker 2: joking about they annoy me. They annoy me because they 47 00:03:35,740 --> 00:03:40,940 Speaker 2: annoy everybody. Ask any child raised by an unhappy parent 48 00:03:41,580 --> 00:03:44,260 Speaker 2: what it was like, and then you know, it's a 49 00:03:44,340 --> 00:03:48,860 Speaker 2: moral obligation to be happy, a duty. It's a moral obligation. 50 00:03:50,340 --> 00:03:53,260 Speaker 2: It's not a selfish pursuit. It may well be a 51 00:03:53,300 --> 00:03:55,900 Speaker 2: selfish pursuit, but it doesn't matter. It may be a 52 00:03:55,940 --> 00:03:59,260 Speaker 2: selfish pursuit to develop a cure for cancer. Somebody wants 53 00:03:59,260 --> 00:04:02,460 Speaker 2: a Nobel prize in medicine, but we don't care. We 54 00:04:02,580 --> 00:04:05,300 Speaker 2: want people to devote their lives to finding a cure 55 00:04:05,300 --> 00:04:08,460 Speaker 2: for cancer. I don't care if it's your selfish pursuit 56 00:04:08,580 --> 00:04:11,820 Speaker 2: to act happy and be happy. I benefit from it. 57 00:04:12,260 --> 00:04:15,980 Speaker 2: I your spouse, I your child, I your parent, I 58 00:04:16,180 --> 00:04:19,900 Speaker 2: your business associate, I the person next to you in 59 00:04:19,980 --> 00:04:25,500 Speaker 2: the airport. I don't like sitting next to miserable passengers, 60 00:04:27,180 --> 00:04:29,740 Speaker 2: neither do you. That's the reason for the laughter. It's 61 00:04:29,860 --> 00:04:33,460 Speaker 2: the laughter of recognition. I am the guy who makes 62 00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:37,860 Speaker 2: a comment in elevators. I find it odd that people 63 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:42,779 Speaker 2: are quiet and watch digits light up. I don't understand it, 64 00:04:43,020 --> 00:04:46,420 Speaker 2: and I always think, you know, I bet you seven 65 00:04:46,540 --> 00:04:51,979 Speaker 2: comes after six. Watch It is stunning to me that 66 00:04:52,060 --> 00:04:56,300 Speaker 2: people stare at the obvious. There is nothing interesting in 67 00:04:56,380 --> 00:04:59,300 Speaker 2: watching digits light up. So I will make some comment 68 00:04:59,460 --> 00:05:02,940 Speaker 2: or something about it. Sometimes people don't respond. That's okay. 69 00:05:02,980 --> 00:05:07,820 Speaker 2: I could live with that, but I want to. I 70 00:05:08,060 --> 00:05:12,540 Speaker 2: consciously want to be a cheerful presence in the lives 71 00:05:12,580 --> 00:05:15,500 Speaker 2: of everyone I meet. Is there anything wrong with that? 72 00:05:16,020 --> 00:05:19,020 Speaker 2: Isn't that a good thing? Isn't it a good thing? 73 00:05:19,380 --> 00:05:22,380 Speaker 2: In marriages? You know, I speak a great deal. I 74 00:05:22,380 --> 00:05:24,620 Speaker 2: even have an hour each week on my radio show 75 00:05:25,420 --> 00:05:28,779 Speaker 2: which is called the Male Female Hour. It's devoted very 76 00:05:28,900 --> 00:05:33,460 Speaker 2: very openly to male female husband wife, men women differences 77 00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:39,100 Speaker 2: and so on. And I don't have a degree in that. 78 00:05:39,180 --> 00:05:41,500 Speaker 2: I have a degree in communist affairs, which is not 79 00:05:41,620 --> 00:05:49,500 Speaker 2: fully related, but I have some degree. I think of knowledge, 80 00:05:49,500 --> 00:05:52,620 Speaker 2: at least of human knowledge and experience talking about couples 81 00:05:52,660 --> 00:05:55,140 Speaker 2: and It's fascinating to me, and I saw this from 82 00:05:55,180 --> 00:05:59,339 Speaker 2: the writing of my book on Happiness, that most marriages 83 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:03,860 Speaker 2: are a Moody married to a non Moody. Now, this 84 00:06:04,020 --> 00:06:08,900 Speaker 2: is fascinating, This is absolutely fascinating. The vast majority of marriages, 85 00:06:09,660 --> 00:06:13,020 Speaker 2: on occasion, you have a non Moody and a non 86 00:06:13,060 --> 00:06:17,220 Speaker 2: Moody who were married, and they are very happily married. 87 00:06:18,620 --> 00:06:22,140 Speaker 2: You never, however, I have never ever encountered a moody 88 00:06:22,580 --> 00:06:26,980 Speaker 2: married to a Moody. And I finally realized why. The 89 00:06:27,020 --> 00:06:35,020 Speaker 2: moody may be miserable, but they are not stupid. They 90 00:06:35,100 --> 00:06:42,020 Speaker 2: never marry one of their own. It's a phenomenon. It 91 00:06:42,140 --> 00:06:45,900 Speaker 2: is a phenomenon. So the question is, and it's beyond 92 00:06:45,940 --> 00:06:48,780 Speaker 2: the purview of this talk, why do the non moody 93 00:06:49,220 --> 00:06:51,740 Speaker 2: marry the moody. I have a lot of theories on that. 94 00:06:51,780 --> 00:06:53,340 Speaker 2: You're free to ask me, because I'd like to leave 95 00:06:53,340 --> 00:06:56,260 Speaker 2: some time for Q and A. But the fact is 96 00:06:56,940 --> 00:07:00,099 Speaker 2: that if you ask the non moody spouse, does it 97 00:07:00,180 --> 00:07:03,900 Speaker 2: take a toll? The answer is yes, it does take 98 00:07:03,940 --> 00:07:09,020 Speaker 2: a toll. By and large, In homes where one spouse 99 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:14,260 Speaker 2: is unhappy, the other spouse's greatest single wish is that 100 00:07:14,260 --> 00:07:18,380 Speaker 2: that spouse be happy. Some spouses spend their lives trying 101 00:07:18,460 --> 00:07:20,340 Speaker 2: to make the other one happy. But of course you 102 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:23,860 Speaker 2: can make anybody else happy. You can make other people miserable, 103 00:07:24,340 --> 00:07:27,500 Speaker 2: but you don't have the power to make anybody happy. 104 00:07:27,940 --> 00:07:30,780 Speaker 2: You can't make your child who's miserable happy. You can't 105 00:07:30,820 --> 00:07:33,740 Speaker 2: make your parent who's miserable happy. This is dedicated particularly 106 00:07:33,860 --> 00:07:36,900 Speaker 2: the women here who still think they can change their mothers. 107 00:07:37,420 --> 00:07:41,740 Speaker 2: You can, okay, at one time in life, maybe when 108 00:07:41,740 --> 00:07:45,020 Speaker 2: you are seventy and she's one hundred, you will make 109 00:07:45,060 --> 00:07:47,900 Speaker 2: peace with that fact that she is who she is. 110 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:51,420 Speaker 2: But be that as it may. We don't often make 111 00:07:51,460 --> 00:07:56,580 Speaker 2: peace with that, and we try to make another happy. 112 00:07:57,980 --> 00:08:01,780 Speaker 2: On that's on the micro level. How significant happiness is. 113 00:08:01,940 --> 00:08:06,380 Speaker 2: On the macro level, it is even more significant. The 114 00:08:06,580 --> 00:08:12,260 Speaker 2: happy make the world better. The unhappy don't. Now that 115 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:16,460 Speaker 2: doesn't mean that every unhappy person makes the world worse. No, 116 00:08:17,220 --> 00:08:20,140 Speaker 2: it means that all those who do make the world worse, 117 00:08:20,940 --> 00:08:24,580 Speaker 2: whether they were Nazis or fascists, or communists or terrorists 118 00:08:24,620 --> 00:08:28,260 Speaker 2: or what have you, were not happy people. These were 119 00:08:28,260 --> 00:08:31,300 Speaker 2: not happy people who joined the Ku Klux Klan. They 120 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:34,179 Speaker 2: were not happy people. Who joined the Communist Party. They 121 00:08:34,220 --> 00:08:37,020 Speaker 2: were not happy people who joined the Nazi Party. And 122 00:08:37,140 --> 00:08:42,620 Speaker 2: certainly the current scourge of Islamist terrorism is not composed 123 00:08:42,660 --> 00:08:46,260 Speaker 2: of the happiest Muslims. Oh what a happy day. I 124 00:08:46,300 --> 00:08:49,540 Speaker 2: will blow somebody up, so I will blow me up. 125 00:08:49,860 --> 00:08:54,460 Speaker 2: I love life so much I will blow myself up. Somehow, 126 00:08:54,460 --> 00:08:58,420 Speaker 2: there's an incongruence there, would you say, I mean putting 127 00:08:58,460 --> 00:09:05,260 Speaker 2: aside every philosophical, theological, moral issue. They're not happy happiness. 128 00:09:05,420 --> 00:09:09,500 Speaker 2: I'm telling you happiness is the secret to a better world, 129 00:09:10,260 --> 00:09:14,580 Speaker 2: and it is indeed a moral obligation for that reason. 130 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:18,820 Speaker 2: You are religious people, as I am, so I will 131 00:09:18,820 --> 00:09:22,460 Speaker 2: tell you from a religious standpoint, there is no one 132 00:09:22,540 --> 00:09:26,939 Speaker 2: who does a more effective job for atheism than miserable 133 00:09:26,980 --> 00:09:31,459 Speaker 2: religious people. There is no atheist on earth who has 134 00:09:31,500 --> 00:09:35,100 Speaker 2: been more convincing to people not to take religion seriously 135 00:09:35,500 --> 00:09:40,500 Speaker 2: than unhappy, miserable religious people. That's why I have a 136 00:09:40,540 --> 00:09:45,500 Speaker 2: plea to the chronically unhappy religious people. Either act happy 137 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:54,340 Speaker 2: or stop acting religious. You do a disservice to your religion. Jay, 138 00:09:54,380 --> 00:09:59,579 Speaker 2: look at that miserable, unhappy person, that Catholic, that Protestant, 139 00:09:59,620 --> 00:10:01,940 Speaker 2: that Jew. Makes me want to be one doesn't it, 140 00:10:02,380 --> 00:10:08,140 Speaker 2: of course not. But happiness is the opposite. Happiness is contagious, 141 00:10:08,260 --> 00:10:14,500 Speaker 2: happiness is staggeringly effective. A happy anything will convert people 142 00:10:14,580 --> 00:10:18,260 Speaker 2: on the spot. People yearn for that. In fact, one 143 00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:21,100 Speaker 2: political scientist that he always knows who will win the 144 00:10:21,220 --> 00:10:26,100 Speaker 2: national election, the happier candidate, And there's a great deal 145 00:10:26,140 --> 00:10:28,500 Speaker 2: of truth to that. It was an eye opener for 146 00:10:28,580 --> 00:10:32,700 Speaker 2: me observing politics my whole life. The happier candidate wins. 147 00:10:33,660 --> 00:10:36,980 Speaker 2: When Jimmy Carter ran against Ronald Reagan. That was the 148 00:10:37,100 --> 00:10:40,340 Speaker 2: quintessence of the unhappy and the happy and the happy 149 00:10:40,380 --> 00:10:48,339 Speaker 2: one of Landslide, and that basically holds true. Happiness is 150 00:10:48,380 --> 00:10:52,020 Speaker 2: a religious obligation. Listen, if you're an unhappier religious person, 151 00:10:52,060 --> 00:10:57,020 Speaker 2: why does that say about God? And let's be honest, Yes, 152 00:10:57,100 --> 00:11:02,820 Speaker 2: I believe deeply in God and life stinks. That's a 153 00:11:02,860 --> 00:11:06,540 Speaker 2: persuasive statement on behalf of God, isn't it. Oh? He 154 00:11:06,580 --> 00:11:09,380 Speaker 2: made a truly miserable world, but I surely do believe 155 00:11:09,380 --> 00:11:14,660 Speaker 2: in him. Doesn't work, It doesn't work. That's why I 156 00:11:14,740 --> 00:11:16,780 Speaker 2: love the fact. I mean, I couldn't believe that. The 157 00:11:16,820 --> 00:11:20,820 Speaker 2: Reverend Pattersville up with this quote. This is let's be 158 00:11:21,260 --> 00:11:24,459 Speaker 2: we will be happy. I mean, the Hebrew is about 159 00:11:24,500 --> 00:11:29,460 Speaker 2: as blatantly obvious Nagila, Venia, Guila, and Simbra our happiness 160 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:32,900 Speaker 2: and joy, and that's what we're supposed to do on 161 00:11:32,940 --> 00:11:37,699 Speaker 2: any given day. That doesn't mean you don't have unhappy days. 162 00:11:37,740 --> 00:11:40,460 Speaker 2: There aren't tragedy. Every one of you is suffer tragedy. Oh. 163 00:11:40,500 --> 00:11:42,700 Speaker 2: By the way, I tell this to the unhappy, and 164 00:11:42,740 --> 00:11:46,340 Speaker 2: it blows their minds. Some believe me, some don't. But 165 00:11:46,420 --> 00:11:50,100 Speaker 2: it's worth saying. For the handful that do. The unhappy 166 00:11:50,340 --> 00:11:56,340 Speaker 2: walk around believing that the happier have had easier lives 167 00:11:56,380 --> 00:12:03,660 Speaker 2: than they have. That's not so. It's the great secret 168 00:12:03,900 --> 00:12:08,500 Speaker 2: that the unhappy don't know. Those who walk around happy 169 00:12:08,620 --> 00:12:14,780 Speaker 2: have suffered just as much as you have. They have decided, however, 170 00:12:15,179 --> 00:12:24,620 Speaker 2: not to walk around like you do. Okay, that's happiness. 171 00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:28,620 Speaker 2: I will return to it and tie it all together 172 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:33,819 Speaker 2: at the end, because it's a major factor in this issue. 173 00:12:34,179 --> 00:12:37,060 Speaker 2: I end the happiness chapter with what Abraham Lincoln said, 174 00:12:37,060 --> 00:12:40,699 Speaker 2: who did have a very tough life and a depressed wife, 175 00:12:41,179 --> 00:12:45,260 Speaker 2: And Abraham Lincoln said, we are as happy as we 176 00:12:45,420 --> 00:12:49,620 Speaker 2: decide to be. By the way, you just teach that 177 00:12:49,660 --> 00:12:54,460 Speaker 2: to your child, and you can. If your child understands 178 00:12:54,540 --> 00:12:58,180 Speaker 2: that the moral obligation to act happy and that they 179 00:12:58,220 --> 00:13:00,660 Speaker 2: are as happy as they decide to be, not as 180 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:05,300 Speaker 2: happy as you make them or some or life makes them, 181 00:13:05,660 --> 00:13:07,980 Speaker 2: You've given them a gift of a lifetime. It's not 182 00:13:08,060 --> 00:13:10,939 Speaker 2: easy to do, but that's the gift of a lifetime. 183 00:13:11,540 --> 00:13:18,460 Speaker 2: Now to Christmas, like to address this issue of the 184 00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:23,540 Speaker 2: non Christian at Christmas. I can because I'm non Christian. 185 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:30,380 Speaker 2: I'm a religious Jew. I'm active, deeply active in Jewish life, 186 00:13:30,540 --> 00:13:37,300 Speaker 2: and I love Christmas. Love it. It's my favorite time 187 00:13:37,340 --> 00:13:40,700 Speaker 2: of the year. And I didn't know it till I 188 00:13:40,740 --> 00:13:45,980 Speaker 2: was twenty one years old. This was fascinating. When I 189 00:13:46,020 --> 00:13:47,980 Speaker 2: was twenty one, I took my junior year. I was 190 00:13:48,020 --> 00:13:51,700 Speaker 2: twenty actually I took my junior year abroad and I 191 00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:54,700 Speaker 2: spent it mostly traveling, and one of my trips was 192 00:13:54,740 --> 00:13:58,700 Speaker 2: to Morocco, first Muslim country that I visited, and indeed 193 00:13:58,700 --> 00:14:03,220 Speaker 2: the first non Western country. Therefore, that's more significant here 194 00:14:03,900 --> 00:14:06,819 Speaker 2: for the story. And it was in fact during the 195 00:14:06,940 --> 00:14:10,700 Speaker 2: Christmas break from my university in England where I was studying, 196 00:14:12,100 --> 00:14:17,020 Speaker 2: and I realized during Christmas week that I felt a 197 00:14:17,060 --> 00:14:22,940 Speaker 2: little down, and it hit me miss Christmas. And you 198 00:14:23,020 --> 00:14:25,460 Speaker 2: have to understand because it may strike you as odd. 199 00:14:25,500 --> 00:14:27,220 Speaker 2: What do you mean it hit you didn't realize this? No, 200 00:14:27,340 --> 00:14:30,140 Speaker 2: I didn't. I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home. 201 00:14:30,180 --> 00:14:32,820 Speaker 2: I went to yeshiva till I was eighteen years of age. 202 00:14:32,860 --> 00:14:35,740 Speaker 2: So this was only two years after a lifetime of 203 00:14:35,780 --> 00:14:40,940 Speaker 2: immersion in religious Jewish life, and so I didn't know 204 00:14:40,980 --> 00:14:44,620 Speaker 2: that I loved Christmas. I didn't even know it. I mean, 205 00:14:44,620 --> 00:14:47,780 Speaker 2: this is very autobiographically open with you. Of course, by now, 206 00:14:47,820 --> 00:14:51,100 Speaker 2: of course I know it, but it struck me something 207 00:14:51,140 --> 00:14:55,220 Speaker 2: as or iy. I missed that music, I missed those lights. 208 00:14:55,780 --> 00:15:01,220 Speaker 2: I missed that sense in the society that permeates America 209 00:15:01,260 --> 00:15:04,420 Speaker 2: at Christmas. I really missed it. It was a revelation 210 00:15:04,660 --> 00:15:08,660 Speaker 2: to me, what's this Khiva boy doing missing Christmas? It 211 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:13,460 Speaker 2: didn't seem right, not right in any theological or moral sense. 212 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:17,980 Speaker 2: It just didn't comport with what should be. But I 213 00:15:18,020 --> 00:15:21,540 Speaker 2: did miss it. I love this season. I love the trees, 214 00:15:21,580 --> 00:15:24,020 Speaker 2: I love the lights, I love the music. And I 215 00:15:24,060 --> 00:15:26,180 Speaker 2: came from a home as orthodox as it was. We 216 00:15:26,220 --> 00:15:29,540 Speaker 2: wore a yamoka in our house all the time. And 217 00:15:29,660 --> 00:15:33,060 Speaker 2: I still wear it in my own house, and we 218 00:15:33,140 --> 00:15:36,180 Speaker 2: watched the Mask from the Vatican every Christmas Eve. And 219 00:15:36,220 --> 00:15:38,100 Speaker 2: I remember as a kid thinking, look, he wears a 220 00:15:38,180 --> 00:15:43,860 Speaker 2: yamoka too. I couldn't get over it, a yamolka and across. 221 00:15:43,940 --> 00:15:45,580 Speaker 2: I didn't know what to do with it. It wasn't 222 00:15:45,660 --> 00:15:49,500 Speaker 2: you know. I was a little confused. But I mean, 223 00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:53,140 Speaker 2: if you walked into the Prager household when I was 224 00:15:53,180 --> 00:15:56,580 Speaker 2: a kid in Brooklyn, New York, you'd see yamoka wearing 225 00:15:56,620 --> 00:15:59,140 Speaker 2: men and the and the and the mother of the house, 226 00:15:59,940 --> 00:16:04,660 Speaker 2: watching the Mass at midnight from the Vatican and just 227 00:16:04,740 --> 00:16:08,140 Speaker 2: loving it. I guess I grew up in a home 228 00:16:08,180 --> 00:16:12,540 Speaker 2: which never ever offered the idea that they are the 229 00:16:12,540 --> 00:16:16,340 Speaker 2: the other, the far and the different, the let alone 230 00:16:16,420 --> 00:16:20,460 Speaker 2: to be to be alienated from, but rather to embrace, 231 00:16:20,740 --> 00:16:24,220 Speaker 2: be embraced. And later I realized how true that is. 232 00:16:24,260 --> 00:16:26,940 Speaker 2: And I will explain why in a moment. So I 233 00:16:26,940 --> 00:16:30,620 Speaker 2: want to make three arguments here about why there should 234 00:16:30,660 --> 00:16:34,140 Speaker 2: be no apology whatsoever on the part of the majority 235 00:16:34,220 --> 00:16:39,780 Speaker 2: culture with regard to celebrating publicly Christmas with Christmas Tree, 236 00:16:39,980 --> 00:16:45,180 Speaker 2: Christmas carols, whatever. Number One is simple respect and courtesy, 237 00:16:45,780 --> 00:16:49,540 Speaker 2: a concept, which is almost alien to some of the 238 00:16:49,620 --> 00:16:55,020 Speaker 2: thinking that permeates the well educated today folks. Over ninety 239 00:16:55,060 --> 00:17:01,460 Speaker 2: percent of Americans celebrate Christmas. That is enough for this 240 00:17:01,740 --> 00:17:06,580 Speaker 2: non Christian to honor it, my fellow American, For my 241 00:17:06,700 --> 00:17:11,420 Speaker 2: fellow American, this is a major the major perhaps holiday 242 00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:14,460 Speaker 2: for Christians. Whether it's Easter or Christmas, that's for Christians 243 00:17:14,460 --> 00:17:18,700 Speaker 2: to decide. But for America, this is a big day. 244 00:17:19,260 --> 00:17:23,459 Speaker 2: If my fellow America can celebrate something, by gully, I 245 00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:27,580 Speaker 2: want to honor. It's a non issue. In Israel. Do 246 00:17:27,659 --> 00:17:31,939 Speaker 2: you think any Israeli, the most secular Israeli, the most liberal, 247 00:17:32,139 --> 00:17:36,939 Speaker 2: the most multicultural, doesn't say shannato vah. In Russia Shanna 248 00:17:36,979 --> 00:17:39,739 Speaker 2: on the Jewish New Year. Does not say to everybody 249 00:17:39,780 --> 00:17:42,619 Speaker 2: and have big signs, shanato vah, happy new Year. But 250 00:17:42,659 --> 00:17:45,219 Speaker 2: it's not the new year for Christian Israelis or or 251 00:17:45,340 --> 00:17:49,939 Speaker 2: Muslim Israelis. It's only the new year for Jewish Israelis. 252 00:17:50,179 --> 00:17:54,179 Speaker 2: But in Israel, the vast majority of the population is Jewish, 253 00:17:54,340 --> 00:17:57,060 Speaker 2: and the vast majority of the population here is Christian. 254 00:17:57,540 --> 00:18:03,260 Speaker 2: You honor that fact. To me, this is just basic decency. 255 00:18:03,859 --> 00:18:07,740 Speaker 2: It's a simple decency issue. I am going to get 256 00:18:07,820 --> 00:18:11,100 Speaker 2: ask you to remove your Christmas tree from my college 257 00:18:11,379 --> 00:18:14,340 Speaker 2: because I don't celebrate it. I'll talk about that later. 258 00:18:14,659 --> 00:18:19,540 Speaker 2: Why I believe that that is narcissism, not multiculturalism. Multiculturalism 259 00:18:19,580 --> 00:18:23,379 Speaker 2: is to Adam and Nora not to remove the Christmas tree. 260 00:18:25,020 --> 00:18:29,740 Speaker 2: It's narcissism to ask the larger society as a whole 261 00:18:29,979 --> 00:18:32,259 Speaker 2: you stop your public Oh, do what you want in 262 00:18:32,300 --> 00:18:35,220 Speaker 2: your house and your church, of course, but society will 263 00:18:35,260 --> 00:18:42,139 Speaker 2: be denuded of any Christian symbol. I don't I don't 264 00:18:42,219 --> 00:18:45,820 Speaker 2: understand it. It makes no sense. It comes from an 265 00:18:45,899 --> 00:18:50,180 Speaker 2: unhealthy place. And I'm saying this as a non celebrant 266 00:18:50,540 --> 00:18:56,619 Speaker 2: theologically of Christmas. It is also a national holiday. Thanksgiving 267 00:18:56,699 --> 00:18:59,659 Speaker 2: is a national holiday. July fourth is a national holiday. 268 00:18:59,979 --> 00:19:05,379 Speaker 2: Christmas is a national holiday. Get with it, Okay, that's it. 269 00:19:05,979 --> 00:19:10,100 Speaker 2: Have a nice day. It's like, I'll never forget. I mean, 270 00:19:10,139 --> 00:19:12,100 Speaker 2: I could deal with these things once, we should be 271 00:19:12,139 --> 00:19:15,100 Speaker 2: grown up. I'll never forget. My beginning in radio was 272 00:19:15,139 --> 00:19:17,699 Speaker 2: to be the moderator on a very popular show on 273 00:19:17,739 --> 00:19:20,499 Speaker 2: ABC Radio in Los Angeles of a priest and a 274 00:19:20,699 --> 00:19:23,580 Speaker 2: rabbi and a minister every Sunday evening for two hours 275 00:19:23,899 --> 00:19:28,019 Speaker 2: different ones each week, and it was it was a great, 276 00:19:28,820 --> 00:19:32,659 Speaker 2: great thing for me for those ten years. It immersed 277 00:19:32,699 --> 00:19:36,219 Speaker 2: me in the lives of Christians and it had a 278 00:19:36,260 --> 00:19:38,460 Speaker 2: deep effect on me, and it was a wonderful thing. 279 00:19:38,500 --> 00:19:41,859 Speaker 2: But in any event, one night, one caller calls in 280 00:19:41,899 --> 00:19:44,500 Speaker 2: and starts giving the rabbi a very hard time about 281 00:19:44,580 --> 00:19:48,939 Speaker 2: Jewish choseness. Yeah, chosen people. It's a chauvinist issue, it's 282 00:19:48,939 --> 00:19:53,899 Speaker 2: a nationalist issue. It's it's racist. And the rabbi himself, 283 00:19:53,939 --> 00:19:58,459 Speaker 2: it was clear, was not that happy with Jewish chosenness. 284 00:19:58,979 --> 00:20:05,459 Speaker 2: He himself was a little ambivalent about the whole thing. Finally, 285 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:09,619 Speaker 2: the Catholic priest slips me a note and says, can 286 00:20:09,659 --> 00:20:13,899 Speaker 2: I answer this question? And I say, on the air, okay, 287 00:20:13,939 --> 00:20:16,700 Speaker 2: father and Nosida, would you like to comment? He said, yes, 288 00:20:16,780 --> 00:20:21,699 Speaker 2: the caller, this is the Roman Catholic priest from Michael Nocita. 289 00:20:23,419 --> 00:20:34,220 Speaker 2: God chose the Jews get a life. It was one 290 00:20:34,219 --> 00:20:36,260 Speaker 2: of the great moments of my life. It was. It 291 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:41,459 Speaker 2: was a theological epiphany for the caller. The Rabbi wiped 292 00:20:41,500 --> 00:20:44,859 Speaker 2: his brow and we moved on. And I just want 293 00:20:44,859 --> 00:20:47,740 Speaker 2: to say to those who don't like Christmas trees, America 294 00:20:47,820 --> 00:20:52,020 Speaker 2: celebrates Christmas. Get a life, and that's it. That's it. 295 00:20:52,219 --> 00:20:57,899 Speaker 2: I mean you for that to be warred upon? What? 296 00:20:59,060 --> 00:21:03,419 Speaker 2: Why is society better for not having Christmas trees in 297 00:21:03,699 --> 00:21:07,779 Speaker 2: the public sphere? Why? What's better about it? It's something 298 00:21:07,820 --> 00:21:10,899 Speaker 2: I do not relate to it all. Now, I say, well, 299 00:21:10,979 --> 00:21:15,659 Speaker 2: it's Christian, so what Yes, but most Americans are, the 300 00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:19,299 Speaker 2: vast majority are, and it's a national holiday. Take it 301 00:21:19,379 --> 00:21:21,900 Speaker 2: up with Congress you want to. It is a national holiday. 302 00:21:22,020 --> 00:21:23,979 Speaker 2: You will have a much better argument. But it is 303 00:21:24,060 --> 00:21:27,859 Speaker 2: a national holiday. And why does it offend you this notion? 304 00:21:27,979 --> 00:21:30,019 Speaker 2: I will talk about that in a moment when I 305 00:21:30,020 --> 00:21:33,619 Speaker 2: get to the psychological so argument one of three was 306 00:21:33,739 --> 00:21:38,100 Speaker 2: the respect and courtesy argument. That's why I don't buy 307 00:21:38,139 --> 00:21:41,700 Speaker 2: this notion of you know, happy holidays. Have a wonderful holiday. 308 00:21:41,820 --> 00:21:45,500 Speaker 2: When Honakah is this year, it happens to be Christmas time, 309 00:21:45,859 --> 00:21:49,260 Speaker 2: but Hankakah is often but before Christmas. So let's say 310 00:21:49,260 --> 00:21:52,820 Speaker 2: Hanakah is over. What they when they say happy holidays? 311 00:21:52,939 --> 00:21:56,980 Speaker 2: What are they referring to Willard Fillmore's birthday? What can 312 00:21:57,020 --> 00:22:01,539 Speaker 2: they possibly be referring to? It drives me nuts? What 313 00:22:01,780 --> 00:22:04,699 Speaker 2: is wrong with saying Mary Christmas. Some people on the 314 00:22:04,739 --> 00:22:08,780 Speaker 2: airplane may not in fact be celebrating it. So that's 315 00:22:08,780 --> 00:22:12,580 Speaker 2: true for anything. That's true for anything. There are people 316 00:22:12,619 --> 00:22:16,699 Speaker 2: who don't celebrate July fourth. Jehovah's witnesses don't celebrate July fourth. 317 00:22:16,899 --> 00:22:19,780 Speaker 2: Let's stop the fourth. They may be offended. Where does 318 00:22:19,820 --> 00:22:24,659 Speaker 2: this end. The purpose of society is not to offend 319 00:22:25,300 --> 00:22:28,460 Speaker 2: those who are easily offended. That is not the raison 320 00:22:28,580 --> 00:22:31,499 Speaker 2: deetra of a mature society. It's the task of the 321 00:22:31,540 --> 00:22:38,340 Speaker 2: easily offended not to be easily offended. I love this 322 00:22:38,540 --> 00:22:41,820 Speaker 2: stuff being celebrated. I love it. It is good for 323 00:22:41,859 --> 00:22:46,419 Speaker 2: my country, whether or not I personally celebrated. How about 324 00:22:46,459 --> 00:22:50,099 Speaker 2: asking that is it good for America? So I answer 325 00:22:50,179 --> 00:22:54,019 Speaker 2: everybody with merry Christmas whenever they go happy holiday, and 326 00:22:54,060 --> 00:22:56,859 Speaker 2: I could see their anks, Well, I don't know what 327 00:22:56,859 --> 00:22:58,779 Speaker 2: what if did he step on any toes? Hey, I 328 00:22:58,780 --> 00:23:02,819 Speaker 2: don't celebrate it, and I'm wishing it because that's my 329 00:23:02,979 --> 00:23:07,259 Speaker 2: fellow American's wonderful day. That's all I need to know. 330 00:23:08,340 --> 00:23:12,100 Speaker 2: This is to me, it is a non issue. Number two. 331 00:23:12,219 --> 00:23:18,419 Speaker 2: The philosophical arguments the United States was not founded to 332 00:23:18,540 --> 00:23:23,019 Speaker 2: be a godless, secular societ. It was founded to be 333 00:23:23,139 --> 00:23:28,419 Speaker 2: a Judeo Christian religious society where everybody, including the atheist, 334 00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:33,460 Speaker 2: is fully welcome, of course, but fully welcome doesn't mean 335 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:38,139 Speaker 2: that our value system is atheist. It isn't. There are 336 00:23:38,580 --> 00:23:43,220 Speaker 2: certain inalienable rights we are endowed with, not by nature, 337 00:23:43,859 --> 00:23:48,459 Speaker 2: not by the constitution, but by the Creator. No Creator, 338 00:23:48,780 --> 00:23:52,379 Speaker 2: no rights. I mean, that's pleased. That's even if you're 339 00:23:52,379 --> 00:23:55,340 Speaker 2: an atheist. You have to acknowledge if rights don't come 340 00:23:55,379 --> 00:23:59,740 Speaker 2: from the who created humans, then rights come from humans. 341 00:24:00,379 --> 00:24:02,779 Speaker 2: It's one or the other. They don't come from molecules, 342 00:24:02,780 --> 00:24:06,259 Speaker 2: they don't come from evolution. They come from either God 343 00:24:06,500 --> 00:24:08,579 Speaker 2: or humans. But if they come from humans, they can 344 00:24:08,619 --> 00:24:13,659 Speaker 2: be abrogated by humans. So it's infinitely literally, infinitely stronger 345 00:24:13,859 --> 00:24:16,659 Speaker 2: to have rights that come from a creator than from 346 00:24:16,699 --> 00:24:20,020 Speaker 2: a society. You want them to come from both, ideally, 347 00:24:21,100 --> 00:24:25,260 Speaker 2: but it was founded on the document founding the country 348 00:24:25,340 --> 00:24:28,980 Speaker 2: said that we are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among 349 00:24:29,060 --> 00:24:31,659 Speaker 2: them life, liberty in the pursuit of happiness, and that 350 00:24:31,820 --> 00:24:36,500 Speaker 2: poor people are created equal. This comes from God, from 351 00:24:36,540 --> 00:24:42,220 Speaker 2: a creator. This is how our society was founded. If 352 00:24:42,219 --> 00:24:46,379 Speaker 2: you are uncomfortable with that argue in the open marketplace 353 00:24:46,379 --> 00:24:48,859 Speaker 2: of ideas. Why you think it would be a better 354 00:24:48,939 --> 00:24:53,100 Speaker 2: society to have rights only come from people because you 355 00:24:53,139 --> 00:24:57,539 Speaker 2: have such faith in humanity, a notion that I find 356 00:24:58,580 --> 00:25:02,459 Speaker 2: intellectually rather weak, to say the least, to have faith 357 00:25:02,500 --> 00:25:06,740 Speaker 2: in humanity. I have no faith in humanity. I understand 358 00:25:06,820 --> 00:25:09,659 Speaker 2: those who don't believe in God. I don't understand those 359 00:25:09,699 --> 00:25:13,139 Speaker 2: who do believe in humanity. I have none. A post 360 00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:17,539 Speaker 2: Holocaust Jew who believes in humanity is an idiot. I'm sorry, 361 00:25:17,659 --> 00:25:20,980 Speaker 2: I'm sorry. I do believe that is a fool. That's 362 00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:26,659 Speaker 2: a more proper term to speak more precisely, I have 363 00:25:26,859 --> 00:25:33,619 Speaker 2: zero belief in humanity, God, God. I totally understand questioning God, 364 00:25:33,659 --> 00:25:39,700 Speaker 2: but I don't understand believing in humanity. And so if 365 00:25:39,739 --> 00:25:42,740 Speaker 2: we don't get our values from a God, we are 366 00:25:43,699 --> 00:25:47,460 Speaker 2: up the creek. And that's the way this country was founded. 367 00:25:48,340 --> 00:25:52,460 Speaker 2: And when this new recoiling at any references to God, 368 00:25:52,659 --> 00:25:57,619 Speaker 2: I played on my ratio show the statements the fireside 369 00:25:58,540 --> 00:26:02,540 Speaker 2: chats of Franklin D. Roosevelt. If any president spoke about 370 00:26:02,659 --> 00:26:06,300 Speaker 2: God and the essential religious nature of the American people 371 00:26:06,340 --> 00:26:09,340 Speaker 2: the way Franklin D. Roosevelt did, the person would be 372 00:26:09,340 --> 00:26:16,379 Speaker 2: impeached today and be called a Christian fundamentalist, and that 373 00:26:16,580 --> 00:26:20,419 Speaker 2: is Franklin D. Roosevelt. Forget what I read on the 374 00:26:20,459 --> 00:26:24,580 Speaker 2: air the first Proclamation of Thanksgiving by George Washington. I mean, 375 00:26:24,619 --> 00:26:27,939 Speaker 2: it is just it. It's all permeated with God and 376 00:26:28,020 --> 00:26:32,580 Speaker 2: the Creator. Now as it happens in this gift to 377 00:26:32,939 --> 00:26:36,019 Speaker 2: all those who are not Christian in America, it was 378 00:26:36,139 --> 00:26:39,980 Speaker 2: God and not Jesus, who was constantly mentioned. Every president 379 00:26:40,179 --> 00:26:44,060 Speaker 2: in America and history has mentioned God in his inaugural address. 380 00:26:44,500 --> 00:26:47,859 Speaker 2: Not one has mentioned Jesus, and they were all Christian. 381 00:26:48,780 --> 00:26:53,340 Speaker 2: I salute the Christians of America. I want the Christians. 382 00:26:53,379 --> 00:26:57,859 Speaker 2: This Jew knows from history that the stronger the Christians 383 00:26:57,899 --> 00:27:00,459 Speaker 2: of America, the better it is for the Jews of America. 384 00:27:01,100 --> 00:27:04,459 Speaker 2: That's just the fact that Christians of America wrote a 385 00:27:04,619 --> 00:27:09,580 Speaker 2: verse from the Torah my tore on the liberty bell. 386 00:27:10,340 --> 00:27:13,699 Speaker 2: I have asked groups, including Christians, do you know what's 387 00:27:13,739 --> 00:27:17,060 Speaker 2: on the liberty bell? One out of five hundred raised 388 00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:20,459 Speaker 2: their head. But I certainly wish every Jew knew this, 389 00:27:21,580 --> 00:27:25,779 Speaker 2: that the Christians of America put a Torah verse on 390 00:27:25,820 --> 00:27:30,139 Speaker 2: the liberty bell. You shall proclaim liberty throughout the lands 391 00:27:30,500 --> 00:27:37,260 Speaker 2: from Leviticus. It's such a loss. This is a country 392 00:27:37,300 --> 00:27:40,379 Speaker 2: of Christians, as I explained to Jews, and I wrote, 393 00:27:40,419 --> 00:27:42,580 Speaker 2: as I told you, a book on anti Semitism, and 394 00:27:42,619 --> 00:27:46,379 Speaker 2: Taughturish history at the City University of New York. And 395 00:27:46,419 --> 00:27:49,779 Speaker 2: I am a member of the United States Holocaust Museum Board. 396 00:27:51,139 --> 00:27:53,379 Speaker 2: So these are things that are very dear to my heart. 397 00:27:54,300 --> 00:27:57,139 Speaker 2: But I know that Jews have never blossomed and been 398 00:27:57,179 --> 00:27:59,659 Speaker 2: treated as well as in the United States of America. 399 00:28:00,060 --> 00:28:02,859 Speaker 2: And it is overwhelmingly due to the fact that the 400 00:28:02,939 --> 00:28:08,939 Speaker 2: Christians who founded America were so Judeo centered in their Christianity. 401 00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:16,859 Speaker 2: That's why it's Benjamin Franklin not Luke Franklin. It's a 402 00:28:16,979 --> 00:28:23,820 Speaker 2: very important little point. There's always always Hebrew biblical names 403 00:28:23,820 --> 00:28:26,460 Speaker 2: that were taking. Is there a state in this country 404 00:28:26,500 --> 00:28:32,659 Speaker 2: without a city named Zion. This was a Judeo centered Christianity. 405 00:28:32,739 --> 00:28:37,459 Speaker 2: There wasn't Judeo centered the Christianity of Europe. But I 406 00:28:37,459 --> 00:28:41,420 Speaker 2: don't live in Europe. I live in America, where I 407 00:28:41,620 --> 00:28:45,820 Speaker 2: want Christianity to blossom for selfish reasons, not just because 408 00:28:45,860 --> 00:28:49,340 Speaker 2: it's better for America, which it is, but because it's 409 00:28:49,340 --> 00:28:54,060 Speaker 2: better for Jews. When Christianity blossoms that too. I think 410 00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:58,180 Speaker 2: about when I want to see the Christmas spirit strengthened, 411 00:28:58,260 --> 00:29:05,700 Speaker 2: not weakened. And finally, the moral psychological arguments here. Why 412 00:29:06,140 --> 00:29:09,940 Speaker 2: ask this question? Why would anybody be offended by a 413 00:29:10,020 --> 00:29:13,340 Speaker 2: Christmas tree at a college or at a library or 414 00:29:13,380 --> 00:29:16,459 Speaker 2: some other public place? Why would they be offended? I 415 00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:19,820 Speaker 2: love when people say I'm offended, and I asked them. 416 00:29:19,860 --> 00:29:22,539 Speaker 2: I've debated for professors on this on the air. Whoever 417 00:29:22,540 --> 00:29:25,900 Speaker 2: writes against this, I always have them on my radio show. 418 00:29:26,540 --> 00:29:30,420 Speaker 2: And my first question is I am curious that we 419 00:29:30,500 --> 00:29:35,579 Speaker 2: must have a different psyche because I'm not Christian and 420 00:29:35,620 --> 00:29:38,860 Speaker 2: I'm not only not offended. I love it. You're not 421 00:29:39,020 --> 00:29:42,979 Speaker 2: Christian and you're offended. What's the difference between us and 422 00:29:42,979 --> 00:29:45,460 Speaker 2: I mean, it's a very interesting question, isn't it? Non 423 00:29:45,580 --> 00:29:50,100 Speaker 2: Christian A loves it, non Christian B is offended? So 424 00:29:50,459 --> 00:29:55,940 Speaker 2: I have two answers to that. One is narcissism, and 425 00:29:55,979 --> 00:30:01,099 Speaker 2: it is narcissism. Hey, I don't celebrate it, so you 426 00:30:01,180 --> 00:30:09,180 Speaker 2: shouldn't either. It's unbelievable to me. It's a staggering notion 427 00:30:09,420 --> 00:30:12,499 Speaker 2: that people would feel that way, even let alone advocate it. 428 00:30:12,580 --> 00:30:16,059 Speaker 2: Have the audacity that I don't celebrate it, so you 429 00:30:16,100 --> 00:30:24,980 Speaker 2: shouldn't be. And this is critical. The rooted, those rooted 430 00:30:25,780 --> 00:30:32,140 Speaker 2: in their faiths and their cultures generally celebrate when others 431 00:30:32,219 --> 00:30:37,019 Speaker 2: are rooted in their faith and their culture. Those who 432 00:30:37,100 --> 00:30:42,820 Speaker 2: are alienated from a given a cultural or faith identity 433 00:30:43,300 --> 00:30:47,380 Speaker 2: are generally and these are all generalizations, but without generalizations, 434 00:30:47,380 --> 00:30:52,180 Speaker 2: wisdom is impossible. But generalizations don't include everybody by definition. 435 00:30:52,459 --> 00:30:57,339 Speaker 2: But in general, those who are alienated from their roots 436 00:30:57,780 --> 00:31:03,900 Speaker 2: find those who identify with their roots a problem. Specifically, 437 00:31:05,219 --> 00:31:07,740 Speaker 2: the Jew in this case, and I am speaking as 438 00:31:07,739 --> 00:31:12,380 Speaker 2: a Jew here, the Jew rooted in his Judaism is 439 00:31:12,540 --> 00:31:15,779 Speaker 2: far less likely to be offended by the Christian rooted 440 00:31:15,820 --> 00:31:21,100 Speaker 2: in his Christianity. It is the Jew alienated from Judaism. 441 00:31:21,260 --> 00:31:25,420 Speaker 2: And about fifty percent of Jews, unfortunately, are have been 442 00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:29,019 Speaker 2: radically secularized and have no religious identity. They may have 443 00:31:29,060 --> 00:31:33,259 Speaker 2: some ethnic but they have no religious identity. They are 444 00:31:33,380 --> 00:31:39,140 Speaker 2: uncomfortable with anybody having a religious identity. And it's not 445 00:31:39,180 --> 00:31:43,180 Speaker 2: just true for Jews. At the university, you have people 446 00:31:43,219 --> 00:31:45,940 Speaker 2: who feel they are citizens of the world far more 447 00:31:45,979 --> 00:31:51,740 Speaker 2: than they are Americans. Their strong sense of American I'm 448 00:31:51,739 --> 00:31:55,500 Speaker 2: not attacking them. This is all descriptive. There's no attack 449 00:31:55,739 --> 00:31:59,140 Speaker 2: in this particular situation. I've attacked the unhappy, but this 450 00:31:59,219 --> 00:32:04,140 Speaker 2: is not an attack. It's a very important principle. When 451 00:32:04,180 --> 00:32:07,620 Speaker 2: you are rooted in something, you are okay with others 452 00:32:07,700 --> 00:32:11,460 Speaker 2: being rooted in something. Certainly, at least in America, this 453 00:32:11,620 --> 00:32:17,700 Speaker 2: religious Jew loves to encounter religious Christians. I am not offended, 454 00:32:17,820 --> 00:32:22,060 Speaker 2: I am not scared. It is not troubling, it is wonderful. 455 00:32:22,860 --> 00:32:27,779 Speaker 2: But the Jew or the non Jew, the gentile, not 456 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:32,180 Speaker 2: rooted in any religion, will be scared by those who 457 00:32:32,260 --> 00:32:34,219 Speaker 2: are rooted in religion, whether it is a Jew or 458 00:32:34,260 --> 00:32:42,459 Speaker 2: a Christian. And that is almost. You will never see almost. 459 00:32:42,739 --> 00:32:45,100 Speaker 2: I have never seen it. Maybe it'll happen one day. 460 00:32:45,340 --> 00:32:51,459 Speaker 2: I have never seen religious Jews march against the Christmas tree. Never. 461 00:32:52,620 --> 00:32:55,259 Speaker 2: My brother I am not Orthodox. I am religious, but 462 00:32:55,300 --> 00:32:59,020 Speaker 2: not Orthodox. But my brother has remained Orthodox, and he's 463 00:32:59,020 --> 00:33:03,140 Speaker 2: a prominent professor of medicine and medical ethics at Columbia University. 464 00:33:03,940 --> 00:33:07,420 Speaker 2: And I remember he sang Christmas carols with the Amolghan 465 00:33:07,500 --> 00:33:11,100 Speaker 2: and the Columbia Glee Club. And I'll never forget his 466 00:33:11,180 --> 00:33:13,860 Speaker 2: favorite one, God rescue marry gentlemen, let nothing. You just 467 00:33:13,979 --> 00:33:16,540 Speaker 2: may remember Christ, our Savior, was born on Christmas Day, 468 00:33:16,900 --> 00:33:19,660 Speaker 2: sang with Yamoka on and went back home and davin 469 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:22,820 Speaker 2: minche for those who of you who know what Judaism 470 00:33:23,140 --> 00:33:24,819 Speaker 2: went back home, and you know did the prayers, the 471 00:33:24,900 --> 00:33:30,220 Speaker 2: daily prayers. So I don't he loved he loved it. 472 00:33:30,420 --> 00:33:34,980 Speaker 2: He loved it. I love it. Those of us who 473 00:33:35,020 --> 00:33:37,940 Speaker 2: are at peace with our Judaism are at peace with 474 00:33:38,100 --> 00:33:42,180 Speaker 2: your Christianity. Though those of us not at peace with 475 00:33:42,380 --> 00:33:47,499 Speaker 2: our Judaism are not at peace with your Christianity. Because 476 00:33:47,540 --> 00:33:51,299 Speaker 2: you have to answer the question, why would anybody be 477 00:33:51,380 --> 00:33:56,539 Speaker 2: offended by something so inoffensive? That's the question. They will. 478 00:33:56,739 --> 00:34:01,860 Speaker 2: They will hide it behind constitutional arguments, which are meritless. 479 00:34:03,100 --> 00:34:06,979 Speaker 2: They will hide it under high falutint philosophical statements of 480 00:34:07,100 --> 00:34:11,140 Speaker 2: separation of church and state. But that's people argue what 481 00:34:11,260 --> 00:34:15,299 Speaker 2: really matters to them. They don't argue for abstract principles 482 00:34:15,340 --> 00:34:19,060 Speaker 2: that don't affect them personally. Nobody does. I don't, you don't, 483 00:34:19,060 --> 00:34:25,500 Speaker 2: they don't. So that is what is going on here. 484 00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:29,499 Speaker 2: And these are to tie it all together and end. 485 00:34:29,980 --> 00:34:36,940 Speaker 2: These are the chronically unhappy. I celebrate the Christians of America. 486 00:34:37,420 --> 00:34:43,580 Speaker 2: I celebrate a Judeo Christian America. I'm happy here. If 487 00:34:43,580 --> 00:34:47,620 Speaker 2: you are unhappy in general, or unhappy with that, then 488 00:34:47,700 --> 00:34:51,219 Speaker 2: you will become that squeaky wheel. And so let me 489 00:34:51,299 --> 00:34:55,540 Speaker 2: tell you a little secret in life, psychological happiness and 490 00:34:55,620 --> 00:34:59,180 Speaker 2: religious and American secret all wrapped up and ties this 491 00:34:59,299 --> 00:35:05,019 Speaker 2: all together. I quoted Abraham Lincoln. We choose right, we 492 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:10,259 Speaker 2: choose to be happy. I will also tell you we 493 00:35:10,460 --> 00:35:18,339 Speaker 2: choose to be offended. Taking offense is a choice. I 494 00:35:18,460 --> 00:35:21,700 Speaker 2: have chosen not only not to be offended, but to 495 00:35:21,940 --> 00:35:27,419 Speaker 2: celebrate what has been, after all, the holiday for the 496 00:35:27,500 --> 00:35:30,739 Speaker 2: vast majority of the citizens of the country who made 497 00:35:30,739 --> 00:35:34,299 Speaker 2: it the greatest blessing for you, Christian and anybody else 498 00:35:34,299 --> 00:35:35,180 Speaker 2: who has lived here. 499 00:35:35,540 --> 00:35:48,460 Speaker 3: Thank you very much, Thank you, thank you again. 500 00:35:49,739 --> 00:35:52,940 Speaker 2: All right, time for questions, comments and brief alternate speeches. 501 00:35:52,940 --> 00:35:56,460 Speaker 2: It doesn't you don't. I am one of those rare speakers, 502 00:35:56,500 --> 00:35:58,219 Speaker 2: if the only one I know of. In fact, you 503 00:35:58,219 --> 00:36:00,340 Speaker 2: don't have to ask a question. All I ask is brevity. 504 00:36:00,380 --> 00:36:02,419 Speaker 2: But if you want to make a statement, that's fine too. 505 00:36:02,940 --> 00:36:05,979 Speaker 2: If you have disagreed with something, I promise that I 506 00:36:06,060 --> 00:36:10,939 Speaker 2: will protect your dignity and answer you very very respectfully. 507 00:36:11,339 --> 00:36:14,420 Speaker 2: But if you'd like to raise any issue or anything 508 00:36:14,900 --> 00:36:20,580 Speaker 2: on happiness, Christianity in America, or for that matter, Remanian architecture, 509 00:36:21,779 --> 00:36:23,379 Speaker 2: just you know, feel free to. 510 00:36:24,580 --> 00:36:25,899 Speaker 3: Where do you think the book came? 511 00:36:27,140 --> 00:36:30,899 Speaker 1: Where do we lose in jidego Christian value? 512 00:36:31,620 --> 00:36:38,299 Speaker 2: Or when are unhat in the sixties. I'm a member 513 00:36:38,339 --> 00:36:44,299 Speaker 2: of this baby boomer generation, which, after all, one of 514 00:36:44,339 --> 00:36:48,219 Speaker 2: its mottos was don't trust anyone over thirty. What came 515 00:36:48,299 --> 00:36:52,740 Speaker 2: with that terrible, terrible idea was don't trust anything over thirty, 516 00:36:53,259 --> 00:36:57,219 Speaker 2: and religion is certainly older than thirty years old. It 517 00:36:57,299 --> 00:37:01,860 Speaker 2: was an anti wisdom argument, not to trust anyone over thirty. 518 00:37:01,980 --> 00:37:05,779 Speaker 2: It was a war on wisdom. And in many, many, many, 519 00:37:05,819 --> 00:37:10,500 Speaker 2: many areas of life, we are less wise than my grandmother, 520 00:37:10,540 --> 00:37:13,100 Speaker 2: who never went to high school. I mean, I'll give 521 00:37:13,100 --> 00:37:15,339 Speaker 2: you one example, having nothing to do with this talk 522 00:37:15,380 --> 00:37:17,739 Speaker 2: about the lack of wisdom of a generation. I mean, 523 00:37:17,739 --> 00:37:20,420 Speaker 2: I was taught when I went to Ivy League University 524 00:37:21,140 --> 00:37:24,339 Speaker 2: that men and women were basically the same. The only 525 00:37:24,380 --> 00:37:30,460 Speaker 2: reason boys play with trucks is because they give them trucks. 526 00:37:30,500 --> 00:37:32,380 Speaker 2: You give a girl a trucks, you'll play with trucks. 527 00:37:32,380 --> 00:37:35,020 Speaker 2: You give a boy teacups, tea sets, he'll play with 528 00:37:35,060 --> 00:37:39,500 Speaker 2: tea sets and doll And this was believed, and a 529 00:37:39,500 --> 00:37:43,500 Speaker 2: lot of people gave their boys tea sets and dolls, 530 00:37:43,540 --> 00:37:51,180 Speaker 2: and a lot of folks gave their daughters trucks. Laurence Summers, 531 00:37:51,180 --> 00:37:54,500 Speaker 2: who was appointed now to the new Cabinet, or at 532 00:37:54,580 --> 00:37:58,500 Speaker 2: least the new Economic Council, and the president elect, and 533 00:37:58,580 --> 00:38:01,460 Speaker 2: it was President of Harvard, told the story Wall President 534 00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:04,620 Speaker 2: of Harvard, that he bought this notion, and he and 535 00:38:04,660 --> 00:38:09,539 Speaker 2: his wife gave their daughter trucks so as to give 536 00:38:09,580 --> 00:38:14,499 Speaker 2: her a non sexist upbringing. And they found out very 537 00:38:14,540 --> 00:38:18,020 Speaker 2: shortly thereafter that she had given them both names and 538 00:38:18,180 --> 00:38:30,339 Speaker 2: was taking care of them. And I am aware of 539 00:38:30,420 --> 00:38:33,819 Speaker 2: no boy who had a doll that remained with its 540 00:38:33,940 --> 00:38:41,459 Speaker 2: arms intact four more than a week. There was a 541 00:38:41,500 --> 00:38:44,660 Speaker 2: war on wisdom made at the time. There was nothing 542 00:38:44,700 --> 00:38:47,460 Speaker 2: to be learned from our parents, nothing to be learned 543 00:38:47,460 --> 00:38:52,540 Speaker 2: from our traditions. We are the wisest generation, the most enlightened. 544 00:38:52,620 --> 00:38:57,819 Speaker 2: We went to college. Our parents didn't. And so therefore wisdom, 545 00:38:57,980 --> 00:39:03,299 Speaker 2: which is not even a used word, youth became celebrated, 546 00:39:03,980 --> 00:39:06,140 Speaker 2: not just for its vigor and its health, which is 547 00:39:06,219 --> 00:39:10,299 Speaker 2: totally understandable, but even for its insights. When I was 548 00:39:10,299 --> 00:39:13,820 Speaker 2: at Columbia, I couldn't believe it. They let the students 549 00:39:13,859 --> 00:39:16,420 Speaker 2: start determining what the curriculum would be, and I remember 550 00:39:16,460 --> 00:39:19,020 Speaker 2: I was nineteen, No, no, I was twenty one. I 551 00:39:19,020 --> 00:39:21,540 Speaker 2: was twenty is graduate school two years old. And I 552 00:39:21,580 --> 00:39:25,420 Speaker 2: remember thinking, Hey, if these people at fifty and sixty 553 00:39:25,460 --> 00:39:27,939 Speaker 2: don't know what to teach me, why are they in 554 00:39:27,980 --> 00:39:30,620 Speaker 2: that position? How am I going to know at twenty 555 00:39:30,660 --> 00:39:36,019 Speaker 2: two what I should learn? I just and even at 556 00:39:36,060 --> 00:39:38,780 Speaker 2: that age, I recoiled at the idea that they didn't 557 00:39:38,779 --> 00:39:42,100 Speaker 2: know any better than me. Now in some arenas. Obviously 558 00:39:42,299 --> 00:39:45,300 Speaker 2: doesn't mean old people all know better on every issue, 559 00:39:45,299 --> 00:39:48,100 Speaker 2: of course not, but there is wisdom that I mean, 560 00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:50,140 Speaker 2: every one of you thinks you know more about life 561 00:39:50,219 --> 00:39:52,660 Speaker 2: today than ten years ago, let alone thirty years ago, 562 00:39:52,739 --> 00:39:56,939 Speaker 2: every single one of you. So they came up with 563 00:39:56,980 --> 00:40:01,380 Speaker 2: these ideas, well, we don't need these things. We're gonna 564 00:40:01,460 --> 00:40:04,779 Speaker 2: make everybody happy, But everybody isn't happy anyway. There's no 565 00:40:04,859 --> 00:40:08,900 Speaker 2: way of making everybody or inclusive. The new god of inclusiveness. 566 00:40:09,140 --> 00:40:11,100 Speaker 2: Why am I excluded as a Jew? If you have 567 00:40:11,140 --> 00:40:14,620 Speaker 2: a Christmas. Truth. I can self exclude, but you're not 568 00:40:14,700 --> 00:40:19,140 Speaker 2: excluding me. Yes, I don't celebrate it, So what why 569 00:40:19,140 --> 00:40:21,860 Speaker 2: would I celebrate your birthday If it's not my birthday, 570 00:40:21,940 --> 00:40:29,099 Speaker 2: I'm excluded. Nobody should go to anybody else's birthday party. Hey, 571 00:40:29,100 --> 00:40:37,459 Speaker 2: this is not my birthday. Screw you. Anybody else want 572 00:40:37,460 --> 00:40:47,620 Speaker 2: to raise any issue? All right? If not, then I 573 00:40:47,779 --> 00:40:49,739 Speaker 2: just I do invite you, by the way, to just 574 00:40:49,900 --> 00:40:53,580 Speaker 2: check my website for my writings and if there's a 575 00:40:53,580 --> 00:40:55,419 Speaker 2: good chance I'm on the radio in your cities and 576 00:40:55,420 --> 00:40:58,300 Speaker 2: you could look all that up at praegerradio dot com. 577 00:40:58,339 --> 00:41:00,859 Speaker 2: There's no ad for any money here, just so you'll 578 00:41:00,859 --> 00:41:03,499 Speaker 2: know if I have intrigued you in any way. It 579 00:41:03,540 --> 00:41:06,499 Speaker 2: has been an honor you do God's work. Thank you, 580 00:41:06,779 --> 00:41:08,700 Speaker 2: and Merry Christmas and happy Kanica. 581 00:41:13,580 --> 00:41:19,219 Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you doing much, thank you, thank you, thank. 582 00:41:19,020 --> 00:41:26,980 Speaker 2: You, thank you very much. For Dennis. I think the 583 00:41:28,219 --> 00:41:31,859 Speaker 2: highest compliment one can pay to datas after everything you 584 00:41:31,980 --> 00:41:35,299 Speaker 2: said here, is that you do bring clarity to issues. 585 00:41:35,540 --> 00:41:38,500 Speaker 2: There's no questions about that. Thank you very much, Dennis. 586 00:41:38,620 --> 00:41:38,939 Speaker 2: Thank you. 587 00:41:40,540 --> 00:41:44,860 Speaker 1: This has been timeless wisdom with Dennis Prager. Visit Dennisprager 588 00:41:44,900 --> 00:41:48,420 Speaker 1: dot com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, 589 00:41:48,460 --> 00:41:53,100 Speaker 1: and classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles,