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I don't care if the kid wears a rosary or not, but as a Christian myself I have a problem with people wearing Christian symbols (crosses, etc) as costume jewelry.
While trinitarian Christianity may not be recognized by the Evangelicals as Christianity, the Catholics have 15 century head start. Contrary to what the Glorious Reverend Bubba claims, Catholics are indeed Christian.
I am a born again Atheist, I was however born and educated as a Catholic and cringe whenever I hear snake-handlers suggesting Catholics are not Christian.
EDIT: You posted an explanation a few seconds before my response. Catholics, even ex-ones, are a bit sensitive about that one because many protestants are continually taking some sort of moral high ground. The way you worded it could have been taken either way and the average Catholic would out of habit, take it as combative. So...... no harm, no foul.
While trinitarian Christianity may not be recognized by the Evangelicals as Christianity, the Catholics have 15 century head start. Contrary to what the Glorious Reverend Bubba claims, Catholics are indeed Christian.
I am a born again Atheist, I was however born and educated as a Catholic and cringe whenever I hear snake-handlers suggesting Catholics are not Christian.
Good God! Pun intended! You and the PP have read a lot into what I said! I never said I don't think Catholics aren't Christian. I am a Lutheran, and we all know that Martin Luther didn't want to start his own church, he just wanted to reform the Catholic church (to his liking).
Revised edition: I don't like to see people wearing Christian symbols such as crosses, ROSARIES, etc as costume jewelry! Is everybody happy now?
Good God! Pun intended! You and the PP have read a lot into what I said! I never said I don't think Catholics aren't Christian. I am a Lutheran, and we all know that Martin Luther didn't want to start his own church, he just wanted to reform the Catholic church (to his liking).
Revised edition: I don't like to see people wearing Christian symbols such as crosses, ROSARIES, etc as costume jewelry! Is everybody happy now?
Apologies. Being Lutheran then you too are Trinitarian so you too have likely had more than the occasional evangelical call you everything from Satan's minion to an idol worshiper. It happens a lot to Catholics and it gets old. I'm sure you can at least on some level empathize and understand where the frustration comes from.
I am a born again Atheist, I was however born and educated as a Catholic and cringe whenever I hear snake-handlers suggesting Catholics are not Christian.
I agree with this; I am always correcting people ("Um, of course I'm Christian; Catholics are Christians")
but to be fair I didn't read her post as "Catholics aren't Christians"
--rather as she's Christian but not the Catholic variety.
Quote:
Originally posted by Katiana:
think you misunderstood my point. I'm on your side. Oh, well.
I think I may have. Sorry about that.
Also, do you mean you don't think we should wear even simple crosses/crucifixes?
or just the garish ones (I'm going by the "costume jewelry" description.)
I would agree on the garish stuff but I don't see anything wrong with simple cross jewelry
(well, that which does not involve a rosary, as you can imagine! )
That interview with the girl was weird. She doesn't even know what a gang is but she wants to stand up for Jesus...uh huh. Like jewelry matters to Jesus. It's not even a little thing she is wearing, it's very "bling bling". I personally don't care if she wears it or if the school bans jewelry altogether because neither will matter to any god out there. I also wonder if it's so prevelant among gang members if she will be targeted for wearing it. Lot's to think about.
I'm an atheist and I know what rosary beads are: what they stand... for
those that believe...
If that girl wants to wear them around her neck, on her ankle or
anywhere else for that matter - PEACE be with her She should be
entitled to her "silent prayer ritual" ANYWHERE.
That's the problem with education today - they fail to educate, even if
it is of a religious nature
*The Rosary is a simple vocal prayer, and a school of silent contemplation. It's as "small as a palm full of beads, and as wide as the Gospels."
I'm an atheist and I know what rosary beads are: what they stand... for
those that believe...
If that girl wants to wear them around her neck, on her ankle or
anywhere else for that matter - PEACE be with her She should be
entitled to her "silent prayer ritual" ANYWHERE.
That's the problem with education today - they fail to educate, even if
it is of a religious nature
*The Rosary is a simple vocal prayer, and a school of silent contemplation. It's as "small as a palm full of beads, and as wide as the Gospels."
The reason that this is a freedom of speech issue and not a freedom of religion issue is that this has nothing to do with her beliefs. She wants to wear something decoratively, not religiously, and the school has prohibited it because of its association with gang members who are using it as a form of identification. The situation is not any different from schools prohibiting students from wearing bandannas or other apparel in certain colors when the "colors" are used for gang identification.
I don't think the school would have a problem if this were a religious issue, where she kept the rosaries in her pocket or out of sight, and was using the rosary to keep track of her prayers. The problem is that she wants to display it.
The ACLU is pursuing this case because it's important that we fight to keep things of this nature in the public discourse, that we don't allow bad people to co-opt symbols or items for their own purposes.
And I'll point out that this girl's desire to display the rosary as a decorative piece of jewelry isn't all that different from someone who wants to display the Confederate flag. Things like a string of beads or a piece of fabric only possess the meaning we give them. In and of themselves, they have no meaning. And freedom of speech means that each of us, as individuals, have the right to invest our own meanings into such things.
FREMONT, Neb. -- A Nebraska school district has banned a necklace that looks like a rosary after police told officials it's also being worn by gang members.
Omaha Catholic Archdiocese Chancellor Rev. Joseph Taphorn says Christians shouldn't have to give up a symbol of their faith because others misuse it.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the policy, saying it violates the rights of free speech and religion.
Twelve-year-old Elizabeth Carey says she was told by her principal she couldn't wear her necklace. Her parents say they are upset that their daughter is not being allowed to express her religious beliefs.
Mixed bag. I always thought banning stuff for these reasons was stupid, although I understand why it happens. I always joked when I was in high school I wanted to start a gang that wears Nike's, Levis jeans, and Polo shirts ....
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