christian holidays in america Options

[*reflection*]

do you think its fair that america recognizes christian holidays [christmas, easter] but not those of other religions?

[technicolour]

Hannukah is accepted.

And that's not Christian.

[Comptine]

in new york, we recognize jewish holidays, muslim, hindu, and chinese holidays (meaning school is closed on those days or you could have an excused absence for observing one). i don't think america ignores other holidays.

[*mipadi*]

I don't think most of the Christian holidays are official national holidays. Most businesses and other instituations recognize them and close for those days, but that is the choice of the proprietor. Many other holidays are recognized in America, or people at least have the right to recognize them on their own (and not go to work or school).

[*disco infiltrator*]

Hannukah is accepted.

And that's not Christian.

Ohhh no..it's not. Christmas Day is a National Holiday. Hannukah is not. And I can't get off school for Hannukah in my school, but we get 2 weeks off for Christmas Break. I asked if I could get off to go to temple on Passover and the first day of Hannukah (with my family, seeing as I don't practice Judiasm myself), but I was declined.

People can get off for Ash Wednesday though....

If as in accepted you mean people celebrate well..yes. It's a Jewish holiday; if someone's Jewish, they will celebrate it, and people can't do a thing about it because it's a religious choice and (to my belief, it isn't seeming to be apparent nowadays..) America is not a religious-specific country.

[AngryBaby]

darn dont mean to spam, but i agree with headphones. haha i was gonna reply to that part, but you said everything thats needs to be said about it.

[technicolour]

Ohhh no..it's not. Christmas Day is a National Holiday. Hannukah is not. And I can't get off school for Hannukah in my school, but we get 2 weeks off for Christmas Break. I asked if I could get off to go to temple on Passover and the first day of Hannukah (with my family, seeing as I don't practice Judiasm myself), but I was declined.

People can get off for Ash Wednesday though....

If as in accepted you mean people celebrate well..yes. It's a Jewish holiday; if someone's Jewish, they will celebrate it, and people can't do a thing about it because it's a religious choice and (to my belief, it isn't seeming to be apparent nowadays..) America is not a religious-specific country.

My school will let you go if it's religious...amazingly..

I wasn't sure if that was everywhere though...

[Shahin]

Christmas Day isn't inherently Christian, though. Most people recognize December 25th as the birthday of Jesus Christ, however, the Bible states he was born sometime in Spring. Ok, my phone just rang and I forgot my point.

[technicolour]

^ where does it say that?

[Spirited Away]

Christmas Day isn't inherently Christian, though. Most people recognize December 25th as the birthday of Jesus Christ, however, the Bible states he was born sometime in Spring. Ok, my phone just rang and I forgot my point.

actually, the Bible never said anything about the season of Christ's birth. historians and such made deductions from putting things together. i say deductions, implying more than one possible conclusion, because i've heard that Christ was born in the spring in some readings and autumn from others. but everyone agrees, of course, that He was not born on December 25th.


to the topic at hand: no it's not fair, but my attitude about it is that we can't have everything we want in life.

[Shahin]

^*Sigh* The point is is that it is not inherently Christian. I believe that's the date of the Winter Solstice and the Church made it a holiday to encourage early pagans to convert to Christianity. You know, change the meaning of the holiday, but keep the fundamentals intact, makes it less of a shock.

[Spirited Away]

that point was already made and argued in the thread named "you can't have it both ways". in that same thread, i agreed that Christmas is very Christian, but the day itself is not. so yea, i know what you're talking about. i only wanted to point out the fact that the Bible never said anything about the season of Christ's birth since you said the Bible states otherwise.

[*disco infiltrator*]

Hum, just to..expand the debate.

My school is now completely Christian oriented it seems. We now are required to both say the Pledge of Alleigance (all of it, even if we don't want to, which I don't really care about, but others do), have a moment of silence (for no apparent reason other than to pray, since this was instituted on the first day of school, not after the hurricane or anything - there is no reason for it), and we have flyers all over inviting people to come and pray some day in the next 2 weeks (I, of course, didn't pay attention to the date seeing as I am not interested in praying).

However, this is a public school, no? People of many different religions and backgrounds go here. I'm starting to feel as if I don't belong, me being atheist.

And don't say I can choose not to participate, no, no. I must say every bit of the pledge and must participate in the moment of silence (politically correct praying moment).

I don't know, just thought I'd bring that up since we're talking about how Christianity is so much more..put out to people. I mean, I would understand if this was a Christian school but..it's not. We have a lot of people who aren't Christian.

[rinchan089]

^*Sigh* The point is is that it is not inherently Christian. I believe that's the date of the Winter Solstice and the Church made it a holiday to encourage early pagans to convert to Christianity. You know, change the meaning of the holiday, but keep the fundamentals intact, makes it less of a shock.

Correct, and the idea of Christmas trees came from pagan Germanic tribes. It was brought to Rome after it converted to Christianity. The Winter Solstice, I believe, was a Roman Holiday adapted to become a Christian one. Since the Romans weren't Christian and worshiped their own gods (stolen from Greece lol) before that (the ones that were were Christian thrown in the Colesseum to be killed or eated by lions and tigers), it would be considered a pagan religion.

Rin-chan

[*RiC3xBoy*]

Hum, just to..expand the debate.

My school is now completely Christian oriented it seems. We now are required to both say the Pledge of Alleigance (all of it, even if we don't want to, which I don't really care about, but others do), have a moment of silence (for no apparent reason other than to pray, since this was instituted on the first day of school, not after the hurricane or anything - there is no reason for it), and we have flyers all over inviting people to come and pray some day in the next 2 weeks (I, of course, didn't pay attention to the date seeing as I am not interested in praying).

Weird, my school doesn't force you to do the pledge. They also called call it winter break and not Christmas break.

[technicolour]

Hum, just to..expand the debate.

My school is now completely Christian oriented it seems. We now are required to both say the Pledge of Alleigance (all of it, even if we don't want to, which I don't really care about, but others do), have a moment of silence (for no apparent reason other than to pray, since this was instituted on the first day of school, not after the hurricane or anything - there is no reason for it), and we have flyers all over inviting people to come and pray some day in the next 2 weeks (I, of course, didn't pay attention to the date seeing as I am not interested in praying).

However, this is a public school, no? People of many different religions and backgrounds go here. I'm starting to feel as if I don't belong, me being atheist.

And don't say I can choose not to participate, no, no. I must say every bit of the pledge and must participate in the moment of silence (politically correct praying moment).

I don't know, just thought I'd bring that up since we're talking about how Christianity is so much more..put out to people. I mean, I would understand if this was a Christian school but..it's not. We have a lot of people who aren't Christian.

That's all done in texas. Just during the moment of silence most people just close their eyes. Some teachers could really care less though....

We also have to say the stupid state pledge. I mumble it.

About the banners shtuff- Blah blah...i'm going to be one of those stupid people who say Freedom of Speech and Right to Choose religion..blah blah

...so join something that doesn't have to do with Christianity for you?


Most of our teachers just call it Christmas..but whenever the Principals say something to do with it it's called Winter Break, Winter Vacation yadda yadda, that shtuff.

[*disco infiltrator*]

Join something that isn't Christian?....Like what?

Cause ya know, people tooootally love atheists here and all..

Haha, this one chick told me she was going to excorcize me.. Cause I'm so evil.



I'm just going along with the topic. Christianity is much more put out than other religions. They wouldn't even let me make a menorah and not a Christmas tree out of felt in 1st grade..

[artislife90]

My school calls it winter break as well.
However, seeing as the rest of the town is mostly Jewish, we get off for just about every Jewish holiday you can bring to the surface. However, we only get one day before, and one day after Easter.

It depends on the majority in the area.

Also, Christmas, has become a lot less about religion. A ton of my friends' families are atheist and still celebrate christmas just because its a nice message or happiness and..um .......gifts.

[Mulder]

it does bother me that christmas is soooo recognized. i dont really like going shopping and seeing 90 christmas trees in the galleria. and yet, i do like seeing them... hm..


i dont know. it would be nice if they would recognize other religions for more than one day. its not much to have a news station say Happy Hannukah on the wrong night and only once. really. its just not.


eh. this coming from a lazy jew who gives "new years presents" so that she can have more time to shop and be lazy, and get the after christmas discounts.

[pandamonium]

man i made a replication of this topic a while ago. and kryo made the first one.

but i like christmas. I mean seriously how many times do you spend time with your family like that? and see their faces light up when they see their present from you . do you really spend that much time together with your family in one day. i know i dont.

but christmas to me has become a tradition. i dont think peolpe who dont believe on God shouldnt be obliged to celebrate it. sure it has religious background but still its a special time.

[sadolakced acid]

but aren't some christians campaigning to return christmas to its roots?

to make it into a very religious holiday?

[*xcaitlinx*]

Hum, just to..expand the debate.

My school is now completely Christian oriented it seems. We now are required to both say the Pledge of Alleigance (all of it, even if we don't want to, which I don't really care about, but others do), have a moment of silence (for no apparent reason other than to pray, since this was instituted on the first day of school, not after the hurricane or anything - there is no reason for it), and we have flyers all over inviting people to come and pray some day in the next 2 weeks (I, of course, didn't pay attention to the date seeing as I am not interested in praying).

However, this is a public school, no? People of many different religions and backgrounds go here. I'm starting to feel as if I don't belong, me being atheist.

And don't say I can choose not to participate, no, no. I must say every bit of the pledge and must participate in the moment of silence (politically correct praying moment).

I don't know, just thought I'd bring that up since we're talking about how Christianity is so much more..put out to people. I mean, I would understand if this was a Christian school but..it's not. We have a lot of people who aren't Christian.

bahhh...i never say "under god" when we're forced to say the pledge. im not sure if anyone notices though. and if htey have a problem with it, then that's their problem.

[technicolour]

This is going to seem a bit random, but...

Caytexo, wtf does your icon mean?

back onto the subject, surely there is a club/group that doesn't involve religion?

[*xcaitlinx*]

^....It means that next time when there's a presidential election some people shouldn't vote based soley(sp?) on their religion.

[technicolour]

...

That makes no sense at all.

Their religion is what they believe. It's what/how they think.