[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
|
Religion See other Religion Articles Title: Christmas tree ban touches nerve about religious diversity, tolerance News of Newhall seniors protesting the removal of a Christmas tree from their community room this week because, they said they were told, it was a religious symbol prompted a national outcry -- a collective bah humbug from Christmas defenders. It was, many said, another example of the so-called "war on Christmas" and political correctness run amok. The issue isn't new, but the debate over appropriate public demonstrations of traditionally religious holidays has now spread beyond blatant symbols like the cross and Nativity scenes to the unassuming Christmas tree. Chalk it up to the melting pot, experts say. "The country is becoming more religiously diverse over time so that raises all kinds of questions about how we get along," said Eric Rassbach, deputy general counselor for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberties, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization. "These issues come up every year, and I think it's borne out of people trying to figure out how to deal with the religious diversity we have in our country." The recent controversy at The Willows senior apartment complex in Newhall illustrated how passionate Americans can be over their Christmas tree and their freedom to view it in communal spaces. Residents said they were told by building staff that they had to take down the Christmas tree because of the presence of Christ's name in Christmas tree. "I enjoy the beauty of this lovely tree as a symbol of harmony and kindness that is displayed at this time of year," Frances Schaeffer told the Daily News during an informal protest at the complex. The 92-year-old Jewish resident said she's lived at The Willows for 23 years and has always looked forward to seeing the Christmas tree displayed during the holiday season. Ultimately, management decided to keep the tree -- saying the whole incident was a miscommunication -- and even hosted a Christmas tree decorating party on Thursday. But that didn't erase the more than 900 comments posted on the Daily News website that expressed anger at the management company for trying to tear down one of the most popular symbols of the holiday. Residents from the East Coast to the South and beyond expressed everything from disgust to shock and bafflement. "I'm appalled that we have come down to this level in this country," said Sue Brown of Elkhart, Ind., in an email to the Daily News on Thursday. "Political correctness is out of hand. It's just another tool to abuse people." In other email, self-described atheist Robert Jaimes of Peoria, Ariz., said, "Let them have a holiday tree, x-mas tree, or -- PC Police forbid -- a Christmas tree or menorah. "It is decor and nothing else. The symbolism is held in the individual person, not the objects themselves," he said. "The holidays are a celebration in this country, regardless of religion or lack thereof." But cultural observers say the Christmas tree is now becoming a polarizing symbol. "All kinds of expressions that are rooted in the Christmas tradition are becoming targets," said Sabina Magliocco, a professor of anthropology at CSU Northridge who specializes in folklore and religion. "Even saying `Merry Christmas' is looked upon in some circles as not being politically correct because you're assuming everyone celebrates that Christian holiday. The Christmas tree is part of that." Congressman Buck McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, said rules prohibit congressional leaders from sending their constituents any religious happy holiday greeting. "We can't say Merry Christmas, we can't say Happy Hanukkah, we can't say anything that even alludes to a religious celebration or specific holiday greeting. We can't even use the colors red and green," he said. "Are these great American holiday traditions next to go?" But local attorney William J. Becker Jr. doesn't see that happening. He represents the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee, which is planning to appeal a city ban on the nearly 60-year tradition of displaying Nativity scenes at Palisades Park. "There are people who are trying to force religious neutrality, and that's never going to happen," Becker said. "There are at least as many people who respect the traditions as there are people who don't respect the traditions." Even nonbelievers, Magliocco said, often adhere to the Christian-rooted traditions of America. "If you look at American culture, officially: `Congress shall make no law that governs religion.' But historically, the United States was settled by Christians, so there's a level at which our daily life is influenced by that," Magliocco said, pointing to several of the country's customs tied to the yearly celebration such as school vacations. Yet that doesn't prevent the yearly battles over the holiday symbols -- even when those fights appear to be resolved. In the 1980s, the Southern California American Civil Liberties Union attempted to bar displays of a Jewish menorah and a Christmas tree at Los Angeles City Hall. The California Court of Appeal settled the issue, allowing the government building to continue having a Christmas tree in the City Hall rotunda and a menorah -- which Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa lit during a ceremony Friday. "There needs to be an admittance that there are plenty of religions here and then we've got to embrace it," Rassbach said. "The government shouldn't just put its hands over its ears and say, `I can't hear you."' The office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich couldn't agree more. "We don't consider this issue touchy at all. It's a clear issue with no gray area at all," said Tony Bell, spokesman for Antonovich. "There is a Christmas tree that celebrates the birth of Jesus and the menorah that celebrates the Festival of Lights and those are holidays that are celebrated by the vast majority of residents of Los Angeles County. There are some people who don't celebrate those holidays and they can do it. But we're about inclusive celebration of the holidays, not exclusivity." "Religion is that one hot potato. It is and always will be," attorney Becker said. "We're in an intolerant age right now. But the bottom line is, if you don't have a similar tradition, you should not deprive others from celebrating their traditions." Poster Comment: This lady got it right! "Political correctness is out of hand. It's just another tool to abuse people." Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 6.
#3. To: scrapper2 (#0)
A little girl noticed that her mom was getting really stressed out around Christmas. Everything was bothering her mom, and she was very irritable. Evening came and the mom bathed the little girl, got her ready for bed, put her under the covers, and had her say her prayers. She would usually pray the Lord's Prayer, but on this particular evening, she amended it a little bit. Her petition went something like this, "Father, forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us." That is what happens when we lose focus of the real meaning of Christmas, isn't it? We get so caught up in the busyness of the season that sometimes we forget the wonder of it all: that deity took on humanity, that God became a man. Scripture sums it up well in 2 Corinthians 8:9, which says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (NKJV). Jesus literally went from the throne of heaven to a simple little cave or stable. Can you imagine what must have gone through Mary's mind that day when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would be the mother of the Messiah? Her head must have been swimming. "What about Joseph? What are people going to say?" But God had it all put together, because the time was just right in every way. There was one small detail: the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, as Scripture prophesied (see Micah 5:2). But Mary and her husband-to-be Joseph lived in Nazareth. So the Lord touched a little man who was big in his own mind. His name was Caesar, and at this particular time in history, he was the most powerful man on Earth. One day, Caesar gave a decree that all of the world should be taxed. In reality, he was nothing more than a pawn in the hand of God. The Lord needed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, so He moved events. Mary and Joseph made the difficult journey to Bethlehem, which was especially perilous for a woman who was as far along in her pregnancy as Mary was. But they did make it, and there, the miraculous birth of Christ took place, just as Scripture said it would. This little baby grew up quickly, and although we would love to know more about his boyhood, the Bible offers only a few details. But we do read of one day in the synagogue in Nazareth when, as the custom was, the time had come for Jesus to read. He walked to the front of the synagogue, opened up the scroll, and began to read from Isaiah: " 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord' " (Luke 4:18-19 NLT). When He had finished, He sat down and said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (verse 21). He had declared himself the Messiah. His public ministry had begun. This One who was sent from God was always in perfect sync with the Father. While He spoke with the learned spiritual leaders, He always had time for the outcasts of societyâ€"people like the woman at the well and the tax collector, Zacchaeus. People like you. People like me. His ministry on Earth was only a few years, and then He was crucified. You can be sure that as He hung there on the cross, where all of the sin of humanity was placed upon Him, that this was God's most painful moment. But then it was finished. He rose again from the dead, and after a time, ascended back into heaven, promising to come back to this earth. And we eagerly await that day. This Jesus who was born in a manger, who walked this earth, who was crucified, and who rose again, is not some mere historical figure, although He was that. He is alive, and He is still in the business of changing lives. That is the reason He came: to put us in touch with God, to forgive us of all of our sins, and to give our lives purpose and meaning.
Beautiful post - thank you. The resurrection is key, not the virgin birth or anything else; it's Christ's victory over the grave that matters most. imo
There are no replies to Comment # 6. End Trace Mode for Comment # 6.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest |
||
|
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|
||