It is not the Atheists or any non Christian religion who start the war every Christmas. Several religions and cultures celebrate one holiday or another around the first of each year. Businesses who count all of those people as clients usually use the generic greeting "Happy Holidays". It means which ever holiday you are celebrating, we wish you well. YOU are free to use whichever greeting is appropriate for you. Everyone else enjoys the same right. To demand that the government or any business celebrate your holiday exclusively is arrogant and offensive.
The evergreen tree symbol predates Christianity by centuries. It was used to celebrate the winter solstice (Dec21) long before the birth of Jesus. Christians didn't adopt it's use until the 16th century.
The government is required by the First Amendment to remain neutral. If a government allows a Christmas display on public property then it must also allow similar access to any other group. Some governments avoid the hassle of trying to administer that by just denying all requests from everyone.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I myself welcome the messages that people from other religious traditions are generous enough to want to share with me. You have my best wishes for these and the coming holidays.
And I agree with your understanding of religious freedom in America. The Founding Fathers were aware of religious persecution in Europe and were strongly opposed to that. To my mind objecting to the public display of religious beliefs in a mild form of that kind of persecution.
Mr. Dave, you're absolutely correct when you say the Founders wanted freedom of religion, not freedom FROM religion. Let me quote the first sentance from the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Some people seem to forget the second half.
By the way, if any of you out there have never read the Constitution of the United States, I suggest you do. Certainly it's in 18th Century English, but it's well written and easy to understand. Quite an eye-opener when you do read it.
Christmas trees are usual and beautiful and TRAINS always has a fine Holiday issue. I don't think that most non-Chistians object, because we recognize that Christians who believe in the Eternal are a majority of the USA public. I always enjoy the specific TRAINS issue. And Amtrak did have a beautiful Menorah at 30th Street Station last Hanukah. I don't think Chirstians objected. I think the Founding Fathers meant Freedom OF Religious, and not "Freedom From Religion." But I would like to hear other's (polite) opinions. This refers to rail transit facilities only, not school prayer, not oaths of public office, monumnets, etc.
The reason I thought of asking this question, is this morning, after the last morning service at my Yeshiva where I studied that specifically requires waving the Lulav and Ethrog, after sleeping over in the Yeshiva's Succah, I finally noticed (after missing it all week) a Sucah on the indbound platform of the Citypass Jerusalem Light Rail Amunition Hill Station, where I changed from one bus to another to get from the Yeshiva to my apartment. In translation, from the Hebrew, the large sign said:
Happy Holiday to all Light Rail Riders and Children of Israel from Citypass, and have a pleasant ride.
Of course we have lots of Arab riders and some Christians also. And drivers (engineers in the USA)
While riding the 52 bus connection to my apartment I thought it over. Rather than destroying my own Lulav and Ethrog on the floor of the Succah of the synagogue closest to my apartment (originally my intention), I took another 52 bus back to the station and left my lulav and Ethrog for someone else to use. After waving it (without the prayers, which should not be repaeated unnecessarily) in the presribed manner. And then the 52 back to my apartment. (I use a monthy pass for Jerusalem transit travel.)
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