Keeping the ... errr .. Christmas in Christmas
Via The Revealer, Jeff Jacoby in the Boston Globe writes:
"Sometimes the secularizing impulse goes to laughable extremes, as when the elementary school play is titled 'How the Grinch Stole the Holidays' or when red poinsettias (but not white ones) are banned from city hall. Sometimes it springs from clanging ignorance, as with the New York City policy that prohibited the display of Christian nativity scenes on public school grounds, while expressly allowing such 'secular holiday symbol decorations' as Jewish menorahs and the Muslim star and crescent. And some of it is fueled by anti-Christian bigotry or sheer misanthropic bile."
Jacoby is a practicing Jew, but doesn't feel offended by Christian symbols at Christmas. He writes, "It makes me feel grateful -- to live in a land where freedom of religion shelters the Hanukkah menorah in my window no less than the Christmas tree in my neighbor's."
His sentiment seems to sum up pluralism at its best, instead of the opposite reaction, which is relativism at its worst.
"Sometimes the secularizing impulse goes to laughable extremes, as when the elementary school play is titled 'How the Grinch Stole the Holidays' or when red poinsettias (but not white ones) are banned from city hall. Sometimes it springs from clanging ignorance, as with the New York City policy that prohibited the display of Christian nativity scenes on public school grounds, while expressly allowing such 'secular holiday symbol decorations' as Jewish menorahs and the Muslim star and crescent. And some of it is fueled by anti-Christian bigotry or sheer misanthropic bile."
Jacoby is a practicing Jew, but doesn't feel offended by Christian symbols at Christmas. He writes, "It makes me feel grateful -- to live in a land where freedom of religion shelters the Hanukkah menorah in my window no less than the Christmas tree in my neighbor's."
His sentiment seems to sum up pluralism at its best, instead of the opposite reaction, which is relativism at its worst.
posted by Ernesto at 8:29 PM
1 Comments:
It seems to have creeped over into non-religious holidays as well. I was getting some last minute pie plates and various food stuffs this Thanksgiving at the local Shaws and the young woman ringing me up said glumly, "Happy holiday". Is there another holiday that falls on Thanksgiving we are supposed to be mindful of? Or was she afraid of offending any turkeys that may have been within earshot?
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