War on Christmas

[4gold]

I have documented a few of the hundreds of articles that come out each Christmas in the West's cultural battles between atheists who won't stop until all of religion is removed from the public square and Christians who feel that the displays are part of American culture and tradition.

The Young Conservatives of the Univ. of Texas displayed a gay nativity scene featuring Gary and Joseph. Stalin, Lenin, and Marx were the three wise men. Nancy Pelosi was an angel and a terrorist was a shepherd. The ACLU felt this scene was "festive".

In Warwick, N.Y., a parent was offended by the religious display of Santa Claus , but they agreed to let Santa remain so long as Frosty the Snowman was also displayed.

In West Virginia, officials have put the baby Jesus back into the nativity scene , but Mary and Joseph must still remain out.

And of course, what is a war on Christmas without the Holiday Tree ?

I could give you hundreds more examples, but you've all seen the stories and you know what I'm talking about. I think this whole feud is absurd, and I propose a peace treaty:

Atheists agree to allow Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, the Christmas federal holiday, saying Merry Christmas at Walmart, or any other non-Jesus displays even if they contain the word Christmas, so long as it doesn't harm anyone. Christians agree to stop this faux persecution thing and agree to not put Jesus, Mary, or Joseph in the public square, but can proudly display it at your home or church. Yes, I realize it is absurd to think that our Founding Fathers envisioned a country where gay nativity scenes were okay, but Jesus was taboo. Sometimes you have to give up something in a peace treaty.

Will anyone sign this peace treaty? As additional incentive, I will be shooting snowmen every hour on the hour until this war is over.

[McCulloch]

I'm in.

[Dion]

I would have been in - but I feel morally bound not to give in to the 'sign up or the snowman gets it' threat!

I'm only surprised that you are not threatening to burn them at the stake in the traditional manner. Though, come to think of it, it might be difficult to keep the fire from going out.

[ManBearPig]

Wow I'm in too. Frankly 4gold, I think you're giving us the better end of the deal .

[Confused]

Though I don't agree that atheists are trying to get rid of all public display of religion, I would agree to sign the treaty.

[micatala]

I can live with this.

However, it is not going to solve the problems of:

1. People getting offended for no good reason.

2. People not discerning the difference between being discriminated against and being offended.

3. People forgetting that 'tyranny' is something that can only be engaged in by a state. Private citizens are really not capable of 'tyranny'.

4. Public officials being too concerned about what their lawyers say and forgetting to exercise simple common sense and a few ounces of backbone.

Many of these situations arise because public officials let an individual or a few individuals intimidate them into responding to their views because they are highly emotional and threaten legal action. If more public officials would call the bluff and say 'fine, go ahead and sue', these absurd controversies would arise much less frequently.

[Bugmaster]

I think the Jews, the Muslims, the Mormons, and of course the Wiccans and Pagans might have something to say about this. Buddhists probably won't care.

[Galphanore]

Atheists agree to allow Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, the Christmas federal holiday, saying Merry Christmas at Walmart, or any other non-Jesus displays even if they contain the word Christmas, so long as it doesn't harm anyone. Christians agree to stop this faux persecution thing and agree to not put Jesus, Mary, or Joseph in the public square, but can proudly display it at your home or church. Yes, I realize it is absurd to think that our Founding Fathers envisioned a country where gay nativity scenes were okay, but Jesus was taboo. Sometimes you have to give up something in a peace treaty.

Will anyone sign this peace treaty? As additional incentive, I will be shooting snowmen every hour on the hour until this war is over.

I'm not really sure I'm understanding this completely. I, personally, have no problem with people having Jesus, Mary and Joseph in public places, as long as anyone that wants to has the same right to place their celebratory ornamentation out, such as Jewish Menorahs(In celebration of Hanukkah) or Wiccan Pentagrams(For their Winter Solstice Celebration), including allowing scenes depicting this guy, the Wiccan Horned God :
[center][/center]

Things like burning down Christmas trees is in bad taste, and forcing people to keep Joseph and Mary out of a nativity scene is puerile, but so is getting upset because someone wants to swear in on a Koran. As long as it's not government supporting religion, such as putting ten commandments in a court house, then it's really a free speech issue, you don't even need to bring in freedom of and from religion.

[Cephus]

And, of course, it's not the atheists who usually do this kind of nonsense either. Heck, look at the recent case in Seattle where a Jewish rabbi threatened to sue because SEATAC had Christmas trees up, but no menorah.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/10/airpor ... index.html

People need to get over themselves.

[Galphanore]

And, of course, it's not the atheists who usually do this kind of nonsense either. Heck, look at the recent case in Seattle where a Jewish rabbi threatened to sue because SEATAC had Christmas trees up, but no menorah.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/10/airpor ... index.html

People need to get over themselves.

Exactly, it's an argument between theists and we get blamed!