Saints preserve us! Oh, wait a minute, too religious. This from Sojourners Magazine:
Forget about that creche on the town green or the menorah outside the public library that the nice folks from Lubavitch Chabad will light for the first time tonight. Now the Special Ops Humbug Unit of the War on Christmas has come for ... our flowers. Well, our shrubbery, technically.Earlier this month, the principal of a grade school in Stockton, Calif., notified his faculty by memo that, in light of multicultural, pluralistic makeup of the community, they were not allowed to decorate their classrooms with any items that might be too religious-specific — including poinsettias.
Forget about that creche on the town green or the menorah outside the public library that the nice folks from Lubavitch Chabad will light for the first time tonight. Now the Special Ops Humbug Unit of the War on Christmas has come for ... our flowers. Well, our shrubbery, technically.Earlier this month, the principal of a grade school in Stockton, Calif., notified his faculty by memo that, in light of multicultural, pluralistic makeup of the community, they were not allowed to decorate their classrooms with any items that might be too religious-specific — including poinsettias.
It used to be that we were concerned that our pets would get sick chewing on poinsettia leaves. Now we have to be concerned that children will be converted to Christianity just by looking at them.
The same memo banned images of Santa Claus as well, also for religious reasons. I have to laugh because some fundamentalist churches are down on Santa, convinced that the jolly old soul has hijacked the real meaning of Christmas. Can we get our story straight here!
This is getting goofy. I don't know whether you noticed that President Obama gave a shout-out to the Christian aspect of Christmas this year while carefully noting the importance of religious freedom and recognition of other traditions.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/12/01/national-christmas-tree-lighting-ceremony
So whatever you do, keep those poinsettias carefully hidden.
Is anyone else out there getting exasperated?
The same memo banned images of Santa Claus as well, also for religious reasons. I have to laugh because some fundamentalist churches are down on Santa, convinced that the jolly old soul has hijacked the real meaning of Christmas. Can we get our story straight here!
This is getting goofy. I don't know whether you noticed that President Obama gave a shout-out to the Christian aspect of Christmas this year while carefully noting the importance of religious freedom and recognition of other traditions.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/12/01/national-christmas-tree-lighting-ceremony
So whatever you do, keep those poinsettias carefully hidden.
Is anyone else out there getting exasperated?
Yes! As Charlie Brown would say, "Good Grief!!!!".
ReplyDeleteYES!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThese past few days at work I have not heard one person mention a Christmas eve or day service in their plans for the next week. All the talk is about family feuding, shopping and food. I also noticed I am not hearing a lot of good will in any of the conversations, it really is sad.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I am finding this Christmas that many people are actually wishing others "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays".
ReplyDeleteIf someone wished me to have a happy occasion for some other religion, I would be delighted and offer the same back - even if it were not my belief. I would not feel insulted or slighted.
I'm flabergasted. Can't think of anything else to say.
ReplyDeleteI see it swinging back, actually. I had a Christmas tree in my classroom this month, and the Board's "Holiday Message" had "Merry Christmas" in there (amongst other things.)
ReplyDeleteCommon sense will eventually prevail, I hope.