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Well, I know everyone is criticizing this but the reality is the school is totally missing the point anyway
There is no such thing as a secular symbol of a religious holiday. Yes, the trees and eggs themselves are secular but they are inextricably tied to a holiday that is religious in nature. As a Jewish person, this is an ongoing struggle every year. My child doesn't celebrate Christmas, period. Trees, candy canes ornaments, Santa Claus, none of it is applicable.
If they are doing a unit on holidays in general and include discussions of Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Kwanzaa, Diwali or whatever, then of course Christmas can and should be included.
But when you observe ONLY Christmas but claim it's ok because you are using secular representations, then trust me, a Jewish or other non-Christian child is being discriminated against and being told they are supposed to be observing a Christian holiday.
Most "Christmas" traditions are actually Pagan in nature, as is the the basis for Easter traditions/symbolism as well (Google Ostara, the goddess of spring and rebirth, the rabbit and egg are also symbols of birth).
My Jewish family celebrates Christmas in its secular/Pagan form. Quite a shock for my uncle's wife, who was raised in a religious Jewish family and came face to face with secular Christmas during their first year of marriage. No fake tree, only live double balsam cut from their own forestland. My father even has some of the decorations that used to belong to his Jewish grandparents (FTR, my great grandfather renounced his Judaism, while my great-grandmother was a Zionist).
well, I personally find it wrong when Jewish people observe Christmas.
So nice to know that Christianity and Islam don't completely corner the market on Fundamentalism. Every one of my relatives who is of Jewish extraction celebrates Christmas.
Well, I know everyone is criticizing this but the reality is the school is totally missing the point anyway
There is no such thing as a secular symbol of a religious holiday. Yes, the trees and eggs themselves are secular but they are inextricably tied to a holiday that is religious in nature. As a Jewish person, this is an ongoing struggle every year. My child doesn't celebrate Christmas, period. Trees, candy canes ornaments, Santa Claus, none of it is applicable.
If they are doing a unit on holidays in general and include discussions of Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Kwanzaa, Diwali or whatever, then of course Christmas can and should be included.
But when you observe ONLY Christmas but claim it's ok because you are using secular representations, then trust me, a Jewish or other non-Christian child is being discriminated against and being told they are supposed to be observing a Christian holiday.
But secular Christmas is so much more fun. Its not like their are discussing God or the birth of a savior. Its all about pretty decorations and an obese creepy man that dresses funny and gives you presents if you sit in his lap.
And trees and eggs are tied to paganism.
well, I personally find it wrong when Jewish people observe Christmas.
Your personal judgements don't matter. Any person of any faith should be allowed to choose how to celebrate their faith. Furthermore, they should be allowed bring any religious or secular symbols to school so long as it isn't disruptive to the educational environment.
Remember, we live in a society with freedom of religion not freedom from it. In a free society, you have to accept that you will see others' religious symbols and learn to tolerate them. Your post shows how little tolerance you have for those of your own faith and other faiths.
well, I personally find it wrong when Jewish people observe Christmas. And my family is originally from Squirrel Hill, with not a single one of them observing Christmas, ever.
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You should drive the neighborhood sometime. There are trees in just about every window.
Well, I know everyone is criticizing this but the reality is the school is totally missing the point anyway
There is no such thing as a secular symbol of a religious holiday. Yes, the trees and eggs themselves are secular but they are inextricably tied to a holiday that is religious in nature. As a Jewish person, this is an ongoing struggle every year. My child doesn't celebrate Christmas, period. Trees, candy canes ornaments, Santa Claus, none of it is applicable.
If they are doing a unit on holidays in general and include discussions of Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Kwanzaa, Diwali or whatever, then of course Christmas can and should be included.
But when you observe ONLY Christmas but claim it's ok because you are using secular representations, then trust me, a Jewish or other non-Christian child is being discriminated against and being told they are supposed to be observing a Christian holiday.
Exactly!!!
Christmas is a christian holiday, a religious celebration of the birth of Jesus into a human world.
For non-christians, the holiday is N/A (not applicable).
I always laugh at those folks that make it a point to say 'Happy holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'...they do not realize Christmas IS THE HOLIDAY!!
On a recent shopping trip to the local mall last weekend, one of my sisters kids said it best, (upon seeing all the christmas stuff), she is 6 yrs old btw, she said " WOW, these stores must really love Jesus"
So nice to know that Christianity and Islam don't completely corner the market on Fundamentalism. Every one of my relatives who is of Jewish extraction celebrates Christmas.
I am not remotely a Fundamentalist. But Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I happily participate in Christmas celebrations when invited by friends to join them. But it's not my faith tradition and there is no reason for me to personally observe Christmas any more than I observe Eid al-Fitr, Kwanzaa, Diwali or any other holiday from other cultures, religions or traditions that I am not a part of.
And what is "Jewish extraction"? I'm talking about people who explicitly identify as Jewish and belong to a Jewish religious congregation, not someone who happens to have relatives at some point in their family tree who were Jewish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pfalz
Your personal judgements don't matter. Any person of any faith should be allowed to choose how to celebrate their faith. Furthermore, they should be allowed bring any religious or secular symbols to school so long as it isn't disruptive to the educational environment.
Remember, we live in a society with freedom of religion not freedom from it. In a free society, you have to accept that you will see others' religious symbols and learn to tolerate them. Your post shows how little tolerance you have for those of your own faith and other faiths.
As I already said, people can make choices for their own families and I'm equally free to disapprove as a Jew about Jews observing Christian holidays, but I never said I had the right to prevent someone else from doing that. And you are completely out of line suggesting that I have ever made a claim that I don't want to see other religious symbols - actually, I should report that as a personal attack because it's outrageous that you would lie about me by making that claim.
And it also has nothing to do with my point about public schools promoting a Christian holiday IF that is the ONLY holiday that they discuss, do activities about, put up symbols, etc. It doesn't matter that the symbols are supposedly secular and not religious in nature - when they celebrate a particular religious holiday, that comes across as promoting that holiday, particular if there is no discussion, activities, symbolism, etc. of any other holiday.
The word: "cane" has too much of a stigma attached to it; I think it's supposed to be called: "Candy Mobility Device" and then banned. -kidding
Now I have an excuse to get rid of those terrible "S" cookies in the box from the Italian Bakery this Christmas. As the Church Lady would say: "Could it be the one whose anagram is Santa?"
I always laugh at those folks that make it a point to say 'Happy holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'...they do not realize Christmas IS THE HOLIDAY!!
And you apparently do not realize that there is more than one holiday. In a span of about 6 weeks, there's Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years. I say Happy Holidays because I am referring to plural holidays. If you want to be stingy with your well wishes and only refer to one holiday, then you do you, Scrooge.
I always laugh at those folks that make it a point to say 'Happy holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'...they do not realize Christmas IS THE HOLIDAY!!
Sorry, but this year, Kwanzaa is from December 26 - January 1, and Hanukkah was from December 2-10. However, Chanukah dates vary, but starts sometime between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
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