We had to take the Christmas trees down at school today

[proud2BlibKansan]

and they canceled the sing along we have had for YEARS on the last day before Christmas vacation.

I blamed bill o'reilly.

[flordehinojos]

1. talk about george bush ushering in the antichrist!

i have never heard of anything like this happening here in this country before.

as you see, i blame george bush. not bill o'reilly. bill o'reilly's stupidity wouldn't have taken off the ground if george bush and his farty ass wouldn't have happened first.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Yeah maybe but

I am blaming oversensitive administrators who must be watching bill.

[flordehinojos]

8. do you mean,

bill clinton?
the electric light bill?
the patriot act bill before congress?
the new, as published by msnbc, the list of "serious threat" people, or groups of people, to the chimperor gathered by rumsfeld's pentagon?

i am not sure i understand

i do understand we live in an age of darkness, repression (although not yet in full bloom but getting there) munition reigns, oil greed, and on, and on, and on...

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. o'reilly

[MissHoneychurch]

2. Whyever that??????

:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. No Christmas symbols

We were told that we have a growing population of Muslims and Jehovas.

[Jamastiene]

5. It was the Jehovas, I tell ya.

I'm usually super sensitive to the Christian stuff in government when it has to do with GLBT issues or a woman's right to choose, but have no problem with Christmas. Have you noticed that when the government does decide to separate church and state, they pick the stupidest times, events, places, and things? Yet, in situations when they really need to keep 'em separated, they lay it on so thick that even Christians are sometimes offended by the over the top pushy approach? Hell, even I like Christmas.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Yes they can be rather outspoken

[LostinVA]

7. I thought the Feds passed a ruling that Xmas trees are a cultural

symbol? I see nothing wrong with trees, as long as a nativity scene isn't underneath it.

That's dumb.

Seriously, it was either the Supremes or a Federal Court JUST gave that ruling.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I know but I am not arguing with my bosses

I need my job - my car isn't paid for yet.

[LostinVA]

26. You shouldn't argue with them -- they're just ignorant!

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. So is O'Lielly

[Loonman]

6. That's pretty dumb

Shrill reactionaries on both sides ruin it for everybody.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Amen

[Midlodemocrat]

9. Seriously?

I can't imagine that. Here all the schools have religious symbols....including menorahs for both Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Yes

It doesn't seem like Christmas at all.

[NNadir]

10. That's too bad.

I'm an atheist, but I very much approve of Christmas trees, etc.

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Can I ask you something?

As an atheist, do you put one up yourself? I am Catholic and we have all the Christmas symbols in my house, but I always wondered about that.

I hope this doesn't offend you, because I am really curious, not being snarky.

[mr blur]

12. I'm an atheist and we have a tree

- a tree is nothing at all to do with christianity or any notion of a deity.

[Midlodemocrat]

13. No it doesn't.

But I was curious about whether or not atheists put up trees at this time of the year because symbolically there is a reference to the holiday.

Thanks for your reply.

[LostinVA]

16. I know some Druids who might disagree with you!

[NNadir]

15. Yes. We put up a Christmas tree. We regard the holiday as cultural

not religious.

Many atheists, certainly not all, are not evangelical in the sense that we try to convince other people to be athiests. My atheism sprang rather naturally from my consideration of my religious upbringing and the things claimed there. No one told me to become an atheist. I became one myself. I have never commiserated with other atheists about how to advance atheism or any such thing. Many people who know me personally have no idea what my religion - or lack of religion - is whatsoever.

I really don't care what other people believe with one important caveat - that they do not try to create an official government sanctioned role for their religion. If, at my kid's school, there was a long discussion about the birth of Jesus during a school assembly, I would object. On the other hand, I have no problems at all with Christmas trees, saying "Merry Christmas," singing carols (with well understood traditional themes) etc.

It happens that my own favorite recording of a Christmas Carol is "Silent Night" as sung by The Temptations. It is decidedly religious in the singing - powerfully influenced by Gospel musical traditions - but it is also incredibly beautiful and moving nonetheless. One of the inserted (non-traditional) lines in this singing includes "If I had one wish, it was that all men could be free." This is a sentiment with with which I very much agree.

Thank you for asking. It doesn't offend me at all.

[bertha katzenengel]

14. What. A. Crock. Of. Shit.

That sucks! :thumbsdown:

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Yes it does suck

[Goblinmonger]

22. Good

Strike one victory for the establishment clause.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Oh I agree

But I am still blaming bill o'reilly. Feels good to pin this on him.

[Goblinmonger]

25. With that, I am also with you.

O'Reilly is the root of all evil.