you yourself just made it a religous (Christian) symbol by saying Christmas tree. It’s not a holiday tree after all.
Hmmm, so Santa Clause is a Christian symbol cause he brings christmas presents and puts them under my christmas tree, of which he adorns the top of by the way?
Wow, I have not looked in many christian stores lately, but I pretty much think they would not be selling christmas trees or Santa Clause figurines. And I don’t think either are mentioned in any accepted christian Bible.
I guess the Easter bunny is also a christian symbol?
Is a dreidel a Jewish symbol them? If so I should sue my kids public school cause they were giving them out. And they have bunnies which we have established as a Christian symbol. Hmmm what about the fish, there can be no more universally excepted christian symbol than a fish.
I wonder if the kid down the street will be able to take a government job his name is Jesus.
**Would you accept money that had the words “There Is No God To Trust” on it? **
Yes. Money has nothing to do with my faith.
I have travelled in many countries, some were Islamic states, some were predominantly Buddhist, some Hindu etc. I even frequent the Lavender Room, with the high number of heathens, but that doesn’t change what I believe.
I think people who get all worked up over issues like our money, and where to vote have too much time on their hands.
I think people who get all worked up over issues like our money, and where to vote have too much time on their hands.
And I agree but at some point doesn’t there have to be a line? How about having a voting place in a nuddie bar? Even if it was a classy place would that not be inappropriate and offensive…to some.
I guess I’m nore interestd in how do we decide if we do or don’t act on something that is offense rather than if something is offense or not.
Mike, Can you please tell me which religion uses the Christmas tree as a religious symbol?
The Christmas tree in and of itself is not a religious symbol, say like the cross or images of Mary that appear. It does, although, represent the season. Christians don’t worship the tree or even provide it reverence, so nobody uses it as a religous symbol.
Me thinks that the arguement the Rabbi would have made was that it represents Christmas per se, and that is where he took offense.
Since, at least in Michigan, anyone can get an absentee ballot, if you were offended you could vote that way.
I am Catholic, and would be offended and upset if I had to vote somewhere that had pictures of aborted babies, cause I take my kids with me and would prefer not to have to explain what those pictures are to a 4 yr old.
Oh, KKK, Hall of Satan (do you know where any are could be interesting). No those things would not offend me. Porn store could be interesting but again not a really family friendly location.
Playing Devil’s Advocate here, but the Catholic Church I attend has a 30 foot high carving of a bloody tortured man nailed to a cross wearing a crown made out of thorns and he has lacerationas all over his body and a gaping hole in his side.
Around the walls of this Catholic Church there are pictures of this man being tortured.
These images might be just as disturbing and just as hard to explain to a 4 year old child who has never seen them before.
Playing Devil’s Advocate here, but the Catholic Church I attend has a 30 foot high carving of a bloody tortured man nailed to a cross wearing a crown made out of thorns and he has lacerationas all over his body and a gaping hole in his side.
8)You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
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I have always understood the graven image piece to be more about idols than symbols. It seems to me to be prohibition against making an object that is then worshipped rather than a prohibition against symbols of faith.
I have always understood the graven image piece to be more about idols than symbols. It seems to me to be prohibition against making an object that is then worshipped rather than a prohibition against symbols of faith.
You mean all that stuff in the Bible can be interpreted in different ways???
No really, the varying interpretations of significant passages has only occured with this generation. All the discussion over the past centuries and millenia were just people agreeing with each other. No really.
I don’t get what the big deal with being able to interpret the Bible in different ways is. As if it were some type of barometer on truth or validity.Knowledge of the culture of the people it was written for and the authors themselves is very useful as to predicting how they would have intended the passage to read and what it likely to meant to them at the the time it was written.
**Knowledge of the culture of the people it was written for and the authors themselves is very useful as to predicting how they would have intended the passage to read and what it likely to meant to them at the the time it was written. **
You mean you can’t dismiss the entire bible because a few passages may be misinterpreted incorrectly from a 2006 perspective?
**nothing about the Christmas tree is inherently Christian **
Are you telling me there weren’t any evergreens in Bethlehem?
A Christmas tree is a religious symbol like a manger or is a religious symbol.
Its actually a pagan symbol that was coopted by the well to do Victorian English. Pre Christian pagans brought evergreens into their homes as part of the mid winter festivities.
A christmas tree is about as Christian as egg nog or Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, the release of which is of course the real reason to celebrate at this time of the year.
I wonder how many people who complain about any visable sign of Christianity in the US would complain about signs of Muslim influence in Middle Eastern countries, or Buddhism in Far Eastern places. If we tried to remove Muslim culture from Turkey or Afgansitan and replace it with Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald, we would be seen as arrogant and culturally insensitive. Christianity plays a large role in the culture and history in the US, yet those who fight to remove all public displays of it are seen as “tolerant” and “politically correct”.
I wonder how many people who complain about any visable sign of Christianity in the US would complain about signs of Muslim influence in Middle Eastern countries, or Buddhism in Far Eastern places. If we tried to remove Muslim culture from Turkey or Afgansitan and replace it with Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald, we would be seen as arrogant and culturally insensitive. Christianity plays a large role in the culture and history in the US, yet those who fight to remove all public displays of it are seen as “tolerant” and “politically correct”.
Apples to oranges. These countries do not have provisions similar to those in our Constitution. In fact, without doing any research, I’d bet dollar to donuts that Islam is a state-sponsored religion in these countries.
