Everyone seems to think that this argument is about offending non-Christians.
I don't think that's it at all. It's about the mixing of religion and government.
It's not? We're not talking about some random holiday, we're talking about censoring and "genericizing" a traditional Christian holiday into something bland and non-offensive to the minority of non-believers.
This is the issue that started this thread.
It depends on the music itself. Some has a non-religious theme, which is OK I believe.
But music with clearly religious theme is not appropriate in a public school.
Ah yes, but without the religion, there would clearly be no reason to have holiday, now would there? So there is no logical reason to ban all religious-themed music.
No nativity scenes at City Hall.
Why not? If we can have bloody Kwanzaa signs/advertisments/whatnot at a public university, funded by taxpayer dollars, we certainly should be able to have a nativity scene, if the majority wants it.
To me, celebrating a religious holiday should at least include a visit to your place of worship or some recognition of the holiday's religious significance.
In the context used by O'Reilly (and what I suppose most people would conform to) would be the observance of December 25th and it's surrounding days as traditional holy days for the Catholic faith. Regardless of their faith, they do not work (if at all possible), and take it as a day of rest, regardless as to whether they exercise traditional customs.
But I don't think they belong in government buildings.
So let's bring the issue down a notch - if a gradeschool kid makes a Star of David, or a Crucifix, alongide a Christmas wreath, out of construction paper (hypothetically), they should be banned from taping them to the windows, or hanging them on a school tree, etc.?
Macy's, I think, is a Public arena
I'd consider it more of a private firm.
But I just don't think that religious displays and the like belong in schools or government buildings.
Why not? Why should the majority of the public, who does not object, have to conform to a generic, non-offensive practice, simply because they are on government property? It's not as if the Constitution
doesn't say our unalienable rights are endowed by a divine creator. Our money says "In God We Trust." And the Pledge still says "One nation, under God."
That's the idea. And to counter the reactionary religious right
By reactionary right, I'm assuming you mean the majority of Americans who don't object to Christmas carols at school and such. You know. MOST people.
If people can be so easily influenced to "lose" their religion, maybe religion is something that has begun to outlive its usefullness a bit, at least for many people.
Says who? The idealistic left? Perhaps we should examine this "loss" of religion, and the escalation in teen pregnancies, violent crimes, and domestic abuse since 1950?
Clearly, the trend throughout recent history has been to de-emphasize religion.
Really? By whom? The liberal media...yes.
Something must be done for heroin addicts besides treating them as criminals. We should start by figuring out what it is in our society that makes people turn to drugs, and correct the problem.
Reform is fine to an extent, but I still think a crimnal should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and there are people who can't be reformed. Though I agree, laws like the Rockefeller Drug Laws are not effective, there has to be some kind of mediation on these narcotics and other illegal substances.
Again.....I don't seek to minimize the birth of Jesus.
How can you say that, when you want to eliminate any acknowledgement of Christ from schools, public buildings, and other public forums?
Keeping religion out of schools and government buildings is in no way "marginalizing" the holiday.
I don't see how you can logically say that. 50 years ago, it was Christmas Recess. Now it's "holiday break." I remember my junior year, after 9/11, I was censored for putting "God Bless America" on an electronic sign board for our Broadcast Club.
It's a religious holiday, first and foremost, and, as such, the religious display of the holiday doesn't belong in schools or government buildings.
You keep saying that, but there is still no logical reason, if the majority disagrees and it is not offensive to that same majority. This is America.
Don't see anything wrong with that.
Except that the left clearly doesn't want what is best for mankind, and it's agenda continues to degrade at the very fabric of our morals in society today.
