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Friday, December 2, 2005
You’ve got to love the PC crowd. Always trying to be so sensitive and not hurt someone else’s feelings at the expense of someone else. This time the City of Boston has decided that they will be erecting a Holiday Tree instead of the more offending Christmas Tree. Never mind the fact that that’s what it is, but you know, there are Jews and atheists that may not like Bean Town referring to a tree downtown as that nasty word with Christ in it. Hey, they’ve already erased it from the malls and streets, so the tree was the next logical step.
You know, even when I was an atheist, I understood that this was a Christian holiday. I didn’t go around calling it the “holiday season” or whatever. I would greet and respond “merry Christmas” to people without any offense to my account. So why the need for the PC Demolition Crew to remove Christmas from our culture now? I mean are people just that angry at Christians? For a country that still professes the belief in God near 100% and the majority of them believing in Christ, what’s the beef? Is this just another thing for the minority to shove down the throat of the majority?
I’ve heard the separation of church and state garbage and that doesn’t fly. I can take you to numerous city buildings and parks in San Jose and San Francisco that have other religious figures throughout. I have yet to hear for a call for their removal or renaming. This is just plainly another case of going after Christians. It’s sad and disgusting — and contradictory of the “open mindedness” philosophy — to see happening. The sad thing is I see this only getting worse and, well, the Bible said this would happen and it is. I guess maybe it’s just more proof for the book these people say is just fiction. Ironic how they themselves are the agent of truth for it.
Oh don’t bother looking for Christmas cards in Boston either. 
December 2nd, 2005 at 23:54
Do you really need Christmas to be officially recognized by name by our government to feel some kind of recognition? Do you really think that Christmas is the only religious holiday celebrated this time of year? Do you really believe that the tradition of bringing an evergreen indoors in the Winter is specifically Christian? Does it really matter what the tree is CALLED? Of all the petty meaningless things to be up in arms about….
And just because many city buildings still have religious figures doesn’t prove anything. Your religion doesn’t need to be endorsed by government in order for you to have religious freedom.
December 3rd, 2005 at 10:56
I’m not looking for endorsement, I’m looking for history not be changed. Should we change Columbus Day to New World Day? Let’s change Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday to Equal Rights Day. How about Thanksgiving to Football Thursday?
I don’t understand your thinking John. How can you honestly not see a problem in changing a name of a tree that is used specifically for Christmas is stunning. We should just name the candle stand the Jews use for Hanukkah to Eight Days of Gifts. How about calling the menorah an eight candles stand? I’m not Jewish, but I would never do such a thing. In fact, I know you and many like you would argue against changing those names in sensitivity to their religion. What a double standard!
I think your argument shows how narrow minded you are toward Christmas and how you are willing to trash a tradition lasting thousands of years for a minority of people who don’t want to participate in it. The majority of this country (over 80%) profess of having a Christian belief system, yet you’re willing to secularize the most sacred Christian holiday for the other small minority? Wow.
As to it just being a tree, that’s pretty insensitive from a guy trying to be sensitive. Read the history of a Christmas tree and you’ll find that the German’s specifically created it for the purpose of celebrating Christ’s birth and to magnify God. To call this a “Holiday Tree” is to change history. Why don’t we just call what Hitler did a “minor mistake” so we stop offending all the German’s that had nothing to do with what he did? I mean, I wasn’t even alive when that happened and it’s offensive to me when someone tells me that my birthplace’s country had an evil man behind it. I didn’t vote for him.
John, like it or not, Christmas a Christian holiday. Always has been, always will be. Hanukkah is Jewish holiday and Israel doesn’t dumb that down in their malls or advertisements. Ramadan is an Islamic holiday and Saudi Arabia doesn’t rename Mecca to something less offensive. So why should we — again a country of 80% Christan’s — change our history? Stop being so politically correct and just enjoy this time. Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas, John!
December 3rd, 2005 at 14:17
As an agnostic, even I celebrate Christmas every year. There is no war on Christmas, as some extremists seem to believe. Not everyone may celebrate it in the same way, but I don’t think anyone has the right to judge how one person celebrates the holiday. It has different meanings to different people.
I’m not sure I understand your gripe, though, svenrox. You have some kind of grudge against Santa. I understand you want the focus on Jesus. But would you really be happier if the malls were exploiting your religion for their own profits?
December has long been a “Holiday Season”, even well before Christianity came into being. Before the 1800’s, decorating an evergreen tree was actually considered a pagan ritual in this country. It’s actually a custom that supercedes the Germans doing so for Christmas.
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/christmas/trees.html
“Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness.”
“It is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was adopted so late in America. To the New England Puritans, Christmas was sacred. The pilgrims’s second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out “pagan mockery” of the observance, penalizing any frivolity. The influential Oliver Cromwell preached against “the heathen traditions” of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated “that sacred event.” In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 (other than a church service) a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. That stern solemnity continued until the 19th century, when the influx of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan legacy.”
So is the focus on Jesus, or Christmas Trees? If you can celbrate Christmas with a tree, why not Santa?