Originally posted by midnight Target
If Islam were being taught instead of be 'taught about' I would agree. I see nothing wrong with teaching children the history and significance to a particular religion of Easter, or Ramadan or Chanuka or whatever.
The problem arises when religion becomes the message instead of a subject of study.
See now I would agree totally in what you say here.
Problem is and what many are taking offense to is these other religions are often being included. While Christianity it traditions are intentionally being excluded.
Christians are in essence being told to be accepting to other faiths and traditions while their own and their own traditions are not being accepted.
Hence we now are seeing the "Holiday tree"
Which while yes did not originally start as a Christian thing has since been a Christian tradition for the last several hundred years.
The killer part that amuses me the most is no matter how many people I've talked to I have YET to come across one solitary person of whom is supposed to be being offended by a Christmas tree as being offended by it or being called a Christmas tree. In fact Many embrace it and all accept it for what its known as a "Christmas Tree"
Several I deal with regularly for several years now never fail to give me a Christmas gift near Christmas
Example. There are alot of Indians and Pakistanis here in NJ. While still very much a minority they are probably the single largest growing segment of the population. Some are Christian. Some Muslim, Most by far are Hindu
I get to deal with alot of them and I have yet to meet one who hasnt wished me a Merry Christmas. or that doesnt actually get a Christmas tree.
And you know what they call it??
Hold the phones and take a seat cause this is going to shock you.
they call it
A flipping "Christmas Tree"
No, they do not celebrate Christmas for the same reasons as us but they are absolutely in love with our tradition of HOW we celebrate it, With the tree, the lights. Santa and the Reindeer. And the Gifts on Christmas morning And they dont call it "Holiday" they call it "Christmas"
And yanno what else.
They arent offended.
I actually asked several about this and they arent.
They want to assimilate as Americans and just dont want their kids to feel left out. But they LOVE the idea of it because it to them is fun and they get an excuse to uncharacteristically spoil their kids and each other without actually doing so.
Which oddly enough is how Santa became so popular in this country to begin with.
They arent offended and they do not expect us to change just to suit them.
Contrary to popular belief these people want to be more like us
The only ones I've found that are worried about it being offensive to anyone are people who arent even of nationalities or the religions that are supposed to be offended by it.
Equally funny is this isnt just about religeon its just as much about tradition.
Most of these people dont want us to change our traditions for them.
they want to take in them with us
