Bann Christmas at Schools in the United States? What's next?

Lets just choose the biggest ones shall we? If I need to read it there's a Windows Setup that allows me to increase font size , but anyway.

I forsee a religious war coming on and it might not be the teams we might expect.

Well since you put it that way.


Having a generic holiday party after work for adults who choose to participate is a bit different than shoving a child's face in a religious holiday their family may not celebrate.

Nice quote. That would be the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Junior: Pastor, activist, and namesake of the Martin Luther that wrote the 99 Theses and tacked them to the door of the Catholic church in his town.

The rebirth of old threads is indeed a strange thing especially in this case....I was sorta holding out until next Christmas.

That said I don't believe that I ever stated that christians were horrid folks or that I disliked them on the whole. I also do not believe that either of the Luther's was a champion of religion in public schools, not that they were against it explicitly, but only that it was not delineated in the 99 Thesis or any of MLK Jr.'s speeches. MLK did state that if public education is to exist that it should be open to everyone of every color, religion and ethnicity. He never stated that it should have foundations or linkings to the Christian religion. In fact, it is my opinion that he would be firmly against any such idea.

What MLK did say was that man has an obligation to speak out against the wrong doings and inequities of governmental factions. Some of us believe that intermingling Christianity or any religion with an ethnically, religiously and economically diverse public education system is wrong. It is just as wrong as forcing a private church to teach evolution or Big Bang theories. The two entities should exist seperately. If you have ever read Thoreau's works you would have a firmer grasp on exactly what MLK was saying in that specific quote.

Shush you! I enjoy my Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/Winter time off! sheesh!


Edit: Actually, on a more serious note; I attended catholic school for a few years when I was a kid, not being Catholic it really sucked. I was forced to attend church 3 times a week, confess, kneel-stand-sit ALL the freakin time.. and I hated it. Theology class was really interesting though. I can imagine that non-christian kids who get the christian version of christmas forced on the them isn't a whole lot of fun either. However, I can't remember when that happened in any of the public schools I attended *shrugs* Maybe we're just more liberal here. I remember learning about most major religion's holidays. I think it should be up to the parents to teach their children about their beliefs, not up to a public school. I do think it's important for kids to experience and learn about other religions though because it helps promote the acceptance of differences.

I think public schools should be abolished, and then it will no longer be up to debate.

http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/

John Taylor Gatto is a paranoid crackpot.

And for families who cant afford tuition?

Abolishing public schools? Dont you think that sort of sends us back? What do we do about people that cant afford an education then, do we sentence them to a life of oppression? Or, we can have every religious community form their own school and we all can grow up in our own little bubbles oblivious to the world around us.

So much for tolerence and appreciation of differences. I grew up going to Public Schools, I now attend a private university - and I am by no means Catholic. But, i think its amazing that Catholics have opened up their arms and their education institutions and embraced the people and given them a place to nurture their intellect. Sometimes its hard, it feels like you dont belong - and worse yet.. you dont belong and everyone knows you dont. But if it wasnt for public schooling , i would have never made it this far.

As an descendant of immigrants, i know people come to North America to chase dreams and liberties, and we dont have much to chase those dreams with. So its nice that we're given the opportunites in public schools. A lot of the eastern countries are regions of religious oppression, where the lines of religion and culture are so blurred, that there is very little distinction.

I think America and Canada were built from the ruins of those mistakes. And abolishing public schools would ultimately destroy the american dream.

I'm not a god guy. I'm more paganistic in my belief (though I am not actually a pagan).... I still do not think Christmas should be banned. Hell, if I decide to become an atheist I'll still celebrate Christmas -- if only for the sake of the kids I may one day have. Its commercial now -- more then religious.

Anyways, I believe their absolutely should not be a banning. Now, we all heard stories of people being forced and all that -- but thats also wrong. Special consideration should be taken for those who wish to be left out of these celebrations. I don't wanna run things for the majority.

"Its commercial now -- more then religious. "

Which is really .. really sad

Okay mike..

Dont start crying - JESUS LOVES YOU!

Fact: The majority of Americans identify themselves as Christian.
Fact: We live in a democratic repulic where the majority rules
Fact: Separation of Church and State is *not* in the Constitution-it was a concept proposed in a letter. It is, however, one that I endorse.


Given all this it seems that you in the minority need to a) breed faster or b) get over it. Complaining about this is like complaining that Bush won the election. That's how our country works. Better luck next time.

Also, I don't see anyone complaining about Christmas bonuses or picketing Christmas sales at department stores. In that case we should get rid of MLK day as well since he was a religious figure.

What about Valentine's day? At least then I wouldn't have to watch another DeBeers commercial trying to guilt me out of my paycheck to buy a diamond tennis bracelet.

Or how about St. Patrick's day? We could get rid of that, too.

Oh, and I know-let's tear down all places of worhip. Why should some poor, unsuspecting athiest have to risk walking down the street only to be offended by the sight of a church right there in PUBLIC?

-Kiamat Dusk
Harshing the Liberal high

Except none of your arguments are in any way endorsed by the government. Stores giving Christmas bonuses and sales aren't run by the government.

Martin Luther King Jr. was not a religious figure. The fact that he was a reverend has nothing to do with why he has a holiday for him.

Valentines day is not run by the government.

St. Patricks day is not run by the government.

Private places of worship are... guess what? Not run by the government.

Fact: We live in a democratic republic that was established with the principle that the tyrrany of the majority should be held in check by the Bill of Rights and other constitutional provisions
Fact: Congress [and the several states via the 14th amendment] shall make no law regarding the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...
Fact: Martin Luther King, Jr. happened to be religiously ordained but that is not what he is honored for; similarly George H. W. Bush likes oil, but that really has no bearing on anything.

Fact: You clearly have no actual idea "how our country works".
Fact: I recommend against tearing down places of worship as such would be a felony.
Fact: You have now joined my ignore list as you are a troll or fanatically delusional.

A letter written by the principal author of the establishment clause. Hello? Hello? *tap tap* Is this thing on? In case you're still confused, two plus two does indeed equal four.

I don't care who wrote the letter-it doesn't change the fact that it is *not* in the Constitution.
2+2 does *not* equal an ammendment.

-Kiamat Dusk
...can add

Ah okay, so a letter written by the guy who wrote the establisment clause explaining its intent is irrelevant? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You elevate denial to an art form. Bravo.

I haven't read through this thread, but considering the mispellings in just the original post, perhaps the schools should focus on spelling instead of religious celebrations.

Ban not bann, and ridiculous not whatever that was. Just a thought.

Plus, when I was younger, they taught religion in school and this one Catholic person told all the Baptist kids we were going to hell because we hadn't been baptised at birth. Don't you think church is where you should learn about religion?