I don't feel that religious practices should be banned from schools, but I do feel that people in any position of power (teachers, presidents, whatever) should not be seen as promoting one religion over another. Learning about cultural traditions other than your own is educational as well. I remember learning to play with dreidels in first grade, it was fun.
Christmas is a federal holiday, for better or for worse - the banks close and the mail doesn't come. But if you think about it, most of the federal holidays seem completely arbitrary. I mean, come on, Columbus Day? Whatever. :)
Anyway, most of the things you complain about (crazed shoppers, TV specials) are symptoms of the secular Christmas going out of control. The religious Christmas often gets forgotten in the shuffle. I feel that for purposes of debate it is important to distinguish between the two, especially when what you say bothers you personally and what is being banned in the schools appear, to me, to be different things...
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Date: 2004-12-21 11:34 am (UTC)Christmas is a federal holiday, for better or for worse - the banks close and the mail doesn't come. But if you think about it, most of the federal holidays seem completely arbitrary. I mean, come on, Columbus Day? Whatever. :)
Anyway, most of the things you complain about (crazed shoppers, TV specials) are symptoms of the secular Christmas going out of control. The religious Christmas often gets forgotten in the shuffle. I feel that for purposes of debate it is important to distinguish between the two, especially when what you say bothers you personally and what is being banned in the schools appear, to me, to be different things...