Bye, Bye Christmas

Every year I hear the same complaint. The word Christmas. They file some complaint/law suit against some important building that has the word Christmas or a Christmas symbol.

In my hometown we have this Tower on our mountain (very tall hill). Every year around Christmas they have a light a Christmas Star (Christmas lights which form the shape of a star).

Someone complained about it, and it got taken down. It's been up for many, many years. Sometimes they don't always win, but given enough time, they will. When will it stop? How far will the complaints go.

At this rate, one day someone will complain about the holiday Christmas and the holiday itself will no longer be an official holiday. Yep, I believe someone is going to get Christmas itself to be taken away.

This will be a sad day if this ever does happen.


Sick of these complaints? Think Christmas itself will ever go?

why would it even matter if the government officially recognized Christmas as a holiday would that really stop you from celebrating it?

Originally Posted by KingOfHeart

Every year I hear the same complaint. The word Christmas. They file some complaint/law suit against some important building that has the word Christmas or a Christmas symbol.

Who is "they"?

In my hometown we have this Tower on our mountain (very tall hill). Every year around Christmas they have a light a Christmas Star (Christmas lights which form the shape of a star).

Someone complained about it, and it got taken down. It's been up for many, many years. Sometimes they don't always win, but given enough time, they will. When will it stop? How far will the complaints go.

Until all religious celebrations are recognized by governments or none are. I don't know the details of your particular story, but if it was a government building then it really cannot endorse Christianity over any other religion. If it's a private building then it's entirely up to them what they do, and no one would be able to sue them over it.

As for eliminating Christmas: It's the biggest holiday of the year in the western world. It's in no danger of going anywhere. Sol Invictus, on the other hand...

At this rate, one day someone will complain about the holiday Christmas and the holiday itself will no longer be an official holiday. Yep, I believe someone is going to get Christmas itself to be taken away.

I'd be all for that. I'm opposed to government recognition of Christmas and Easter, as they are explicitly religious holidays. I'd be fine with winter and spring holidays at the same time, even with essentially the same decorations, but the religious aspects cannot stay in anything directly endorsed by the government.


However, I'm not anti-Christmas, nor do I wish for the holiday to disappear. What I want is an unbiased government that accepts Eid, Saturnalia, Samhein, Yom Kippur, Diwali, etc. as all equally valid and that refuses to elevate any of them above the others.

Originally Posted by John

I'd be all for that. I'm opposed to government recognition of Christmas and Easter, as they are explicitly religious holidays. I'd be fine with winter and spring holidays at the same time, even with essentially the same decorations, but the religious aspects cannot stay in anything directly endorsed by the government.


However, I'm not anti-Christmas, nor do I wish for the holiday to disappear. What I want is an unbiased government that accepts Eid, Saturnalia, Samhein, Yom Kippur, Diwali, etc. as all equally valid and that refuses to elevate any of them above the others.

Why can't the government simply endorse the holiday secularly? Surely there is more secular (or at least non-Christian) tradition surrounding Christmas these days than religious.

I hardly consider it a religious holiday, both both generally and personally.

I take no issue with a federal recognition of Christmas - or Easter for that matter.

Originally Posted by Lysis

why would it even matter if the government officially recognized Christmas as a holiday would that really stop you from celebrating it?

This. My birthday isn't a national holiday (though it ****ing should be) and nothing stops me from celebrating it. Same goes for the majority of people in the US.

I think that in some cases the American government very slightly recognizes other religions' holidays. But, Christmas has become so far commercialized, that it has become the only holiday people here of besides Easter. Not only that, but Christianity is so very popular in America, so and the other religions are a minority. Maybe that is why. I was once in France, moved to the United States for a bit, and now I am back in France again. And from what I saw when I was there was just that in what I said.

Christianity thrives on what it perceives as "persecution," the reality of which, at least in modern America, is completely laughable. Martyrdom only works when you're actually a martyr, like a Christian living in an Islamic society or within the Soviet Union.

Christmas is not in danger by any stretch of the imagination.

They won't take Christmas away. They'll just take Christ out of Christmas and it'll just be a season of Black Friday. Those darn 13 year old rebel Atheists.

again, why does it matter to you, personally, what the government does with Christmas? It should have no effect on how you or other people celebrate it. You are free to recognize December 25th as whatever you want and are free to do whatever you like on that day, just as any other.

the government isn't a religious institution and it is bound by the Constitution not to promote any religious beliefs over any other. At the same time, the government does not tell the people what, how, or when to celebrate. The people do that themselves and always will.

You know what, I don't think Christmas will go away, but think about this... Now, I've said this many times, but I am Roman Catholic, and in New York, public schools (which I don't go to, I go to a Catholic school), they have off on all the Jewish holidays, and Christmas is the only Christian holiday that public school kids have off on, and if the government gets rid of the practice of Christmas as a holiday, these public school kids are going to have school on Christmas. That would be pretty freakin' ridiculous, so I can kind of relate.

Originally Posted by OneHungryHippo

You know what, I don't think Christmas will go away, but think about this... Now, I've said this many times, but I am Roman Catholic, and in New York, public schools (which I don't go to, I go to a Catholic school), they have off on all the Jewish holidays, and Christmas is the only Christian holiday that public school kids have off on, and if the government gets rid of the practice of Christmas as a holiday, these public school kids are going to have school on Christmas. That would be pretty freakin' ridiculous, so I can kind of relate.

Why is it any more ridiculous than students having to go to school on other holy days that happen to not be Christian?

While I completely agree with the "either all or none" argument regarding religious recognition, is Christmas really even a religious holiday anymore? I've certainly met a fair number of Jewish, Buddhist, what have you individuals who celebrate the holiday despite not being Christian (Or coming from a Christian family background).

And, for the record, I'm not talking about people celebrating similar holidays around the same time; I'm talking about full-on Christmas trees and Santa Claus decorations n' ****.

I don't see how this would actually affect families that celebrate Christmas, other than maybe the kind of lights they have outside, and the advertising that is going on.

Originally Posted by John

Why is it any more ridiculous than students having to go to school on other holy days that happen to not be Christian?

I never did say that it was anymore ridiculous, I'm just saying, due to the fact that Christmas, especially is very commercialized compared to other religious holy days. I just said that it was just ridiculous.

We can't possible stop celebrating christmas, it would affect the ecomony in all the world.

Originally Posted by Moosetracks

I don't see how this would actually affect families that celebrate Christmas, other than maybe the kind of lights they have outside, and the advertising that is going on.

people will always be free to put up whatever decorations they want on their own private property.

Originally Posted by Lysis

the government isn't a religious institution and it is bound by the Constitution not to promote any religious beliefs over any other. At the same time, the government does not tell the people what, how, or when to celebrate. The people do that themselves and always will.

I don't consider Christmas religious, so, to me at least, there is no issue.

Originally Posted by [eRRe]

We can't possible stop celebrating christmas, it would affect the ecomony in all the world.

The whole world? Um, no. Christianity is the faith of roughly 1/3rd of the world. That's quite a bit, but not all of it by a long shot.

Originally Posted by John

The whole world? Um, no. Christianity is the faith of roughly 1/3rd of the world. That's quite a bit, but not all of it by a long shot.

Out of curiosity, in terms of the countries that have the largest economies/make up the majority of the world economy, is Christianity not dominant for the most part?

I'm not sure, but China is an economic superpower now, and it's most certainly not Christian.