Wisconsin Capitol Building's "Holiday Tree"

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by skylark

Wow. I cannot imagine this happening today in a public school (I don't know if that applies to your school). In law school we had a jewish professor take off every year for a week to celebrate passover about 2 weeks before finals. Students complained that she shouldn't be allowed to do this because she should have to be available to answer questions in person and that it made her office too busy for one-on-one time the week before finals. I think that experience opened my eyes to just how ridiculous people can be in expecting the non-christian world to revolve around the Christian religion without making adjustments for minorities.

And they can't fire her... pretty funny. It sucks that she doesn't care about her students though.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by skylark

Wow. I cannot imagine this happening today in a public school (I don't know if that applies to your school). In law school we had a jewish professor take off every year for a week to celebrate passover about 2 weeks before finals. Students complained that she shouldn't be allowed to do this because she should have to be available to answer questions in person and that it made her office too busy for one-on-one time the week before finals. I think that experience opened my eyes to just how ridiculous people can be in expecting the non-christian world to revolve around the Christian religion without making adjustments for minorities.

I think it just proves how ridiculous some of those law students are, and that they think the world revolves around them Of course we live in a state that is super religious, and mostly of the Mitt Romney variety, but I'm a Christian Protestant and even I couldn't believe the Christmas trees and other decorations in public buildings. In a private business or home, sure, but on government property I find it questionable. Where I work they used to close from Christmas to New Years, and now if people want to work (other than Christmas and New Years Day) they can. I was the only person scheduled to cover the office today and that's fine, heck I would've worked yesterday as long as I could attend a morning service.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by skylark

....if you lived in a middle-eastern country, paid taxes, but were part of a christian minority... and the government put up non-christian religious symbols around the holidays, refusing to honor a christian minority with a christmas tree? Would that make you feel like your beliefs were being judged.

No matter where I lived, I would go by the "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" philosophy.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by skylark

Totally entitled to your opinion of course, but I guess the authors of the constitution and bill of rights were "lost in life." I seem to remember something in there about the government not establishing any religion....

True, but lets not pretend that they were God less heathens that worshipped the sun.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by skylark

and if you can't maybe you should ask yourself if it would offend you if you lived in a middle-eastern country, paid taxes, but were part of a christian minority... and the government put up non-christian religious symbols around the holidays, refusing to honor a christian minority with a christmas tree? Would that make you feel like your beliefs were being judged.

No, I would be happy just to be alive. Besides a lot of those countries ban Christianity anyway.

[Taualumna]

Originally Posted by SECdomination

Here's my problem with religious minorities and the "feel good" liberals that are even crazier than they are:

The United States allows these religious minorities to immigrate and become citizens here AND provides the best opportunities IN THE WORLD for them to better their own lives.

I cannot think of a single reason why we, as Christians, should bend over backwards to accomodate these people when they should be grateful for the better life they're living in the first place!

There are certain sacrifices they make to start a life here.
I don't think any Chinese really mind a "Merry Christmas" when they could be paying an arm and a leg to keep their four children.
Likewise, the Israelites probably aren't bothered by "ABCs 25 days of Christmas" when they could be living in fear of being killed just for being Jewish.

And FURTHERMORE, you don't see Americans in the middle east parading around in their short shorts and tank tops. It just blows my mind when people think the US isn't sensitive enough to minorities...

Alright, I'll stop now.

Well, lots of Chinese are Christian, at least in this part of the world, so yeah, they'll celebrate Christmas.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by skylark

I guess I am just really sympathetic to religious minorities, especially around the holidays

BARF

Originally Posted by skylark

working or having to frequently visit a government building and listening to religious songs by carolers

Since when did the government start sending out carolers?

Originally Posted by skylark

watching the media honor christian religious holidays with special programming every year while ignoring minority religions.

Holy Shit you're a GRINCH!

Originally Posted by skylark

note: not all of these things I think can be solved, but I think that they are things to consider in possibly doing something symbolic that might really make someone feel more included ...

BARF!

I hope your bleeding heart liberal approach to Christmas never gets realized.

[RACooper]

Originally Posted by PhiGam

And they can't fire her... pretty funny. It sucks that she doesn't care about her students though.

What?!?

Seems your just like the students that expect the world to revolve around their faith, and can't understand or respect the observances of another - I'm sure the students were informed well in advance that she'd be taking days of for religious reasons, and if those students weren't smart enough to make arrangements to allow for this then it reflects poorly on them not the professor.

[RACooper]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

No matter where I lived, I would go by the "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" philosophy.

It's a shame that more don't follow that philosophy, and accept a pluralistic view of faith in society... of course I suspect that wasn't your point.

[RACooper]

Originally Posted by SECdomination

And FURTHERMORE, you don't see Americans in the middle east parading around in their short shorts and tank tops. It just blows my mind when people think the US isn't sensitive enough to minorities...

Apparently you missed the WWE Christmas event coverage in Iraq then...

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by RACooper

What?!?

Seems your just like the students that expect the world to revolve around their faith, and can't understand or respect the observances of another - I'm sure the students were informed well in advance that she'd be taking days of for religious reasons, and if those students weren't smart enough to make arrangements to allow for this then it reflects poorly on them not the professor.

It cracks me up everytime he gets y'alls goats with his outlandish statements.

Originally Posted by RACooper

Apparently you missed the WWE Christmas event coverage in Iraq then...

If you see a 450lb WWE Superstar in shorts, are you really going to say something to him? SRSLY. Plus, it was an American event, attended by Americans. I don't think they paraded around Baghdad in their wresting costumes.

[RACooper]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I hope your bleeding heart liberal approach to Christmas never gets realized.

... and I hope to God that more jackasses like you come around to her "liberal" approach of accommodation, respect, or empathy when it comes to accepting that not everyone is exactly like you.

It's Christmas which is a time to reflect upon the birth of Christ and what he meant for the world - "Peace on Earth" and "Respect for your fellow man"... and to me that means respecting that not even all Christians celebrate Christmas the same way or at the same time, and to respect that just as I hope they respect my religious practises.

So when the big Christmas dinner rolls around and all the family and friends gather it means as a gracious and respectful host I take steps to ensure that people with different dietary needs are accommodated and that people of different faiths/denominations aren't left-out ~ it's just expected of a good host... and you can make of that what you will when the same principle is applied at all levels of society.

[RACooper]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

If you see a 450lb WWE Superstar in shorts, are you really going to say something to him? SRSLY.

Probably - I got a mouth and I'm opinionated, and I can't stand the WWE or the values it promotes... and I have said so in the past (of course he was in a suit at the bar).

Plus, it was an American event, attended by Americans. I don't think they paraded around Baghdad in their wresting costumes.

... and graciously broadcast as well for stations and posts that couldn't personally attend - so everything was fine as long as no Iraqis bothered to watch TV

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by RACooper

Probably - I got a mouth and I'm opinionated, and I can't stand the WWE or the values it promotes... and I have said so in the past (of course he was in a suit at the bar).

If you don't like it, don't watch it.

... and graciously broadcast as well for stations and posts that couldn't personally attend - so everything was fine as long as no Iraqis bothered to watch TV

This is like that woman that tried to get Touched By An Angel taken off the air - THERE ARE OTHER CHANNELS. If the Playboy Channel is against your values, DON'T WATCH IT.

[skylark]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Since when did the government start sending out carolers?

They were in my local courthouse for a week this year.

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Holy Shit you're a GRINCH!

Not really... I like holiday programming as much as the next person and my own house is pretty decked out. I'm not advocating that we get rid of any of it, but that we consider how much it is out there when we make the decision to let the GOVERNMENT put up decorations that advocate specific beliefs ... the problem I have is when GOVERNMENT money and GOVERNMENT personnel start trying to make the GOVERNMENT support only one religious faith's holiday.

And I'm failing to see how your point that most of "those countries" ban christianity anyway addresses my hypothetical anyway. It is a hypothetical, so use your imagination. I think that many of us think we would be fine being a minority religion and wouldn't want acknowledgment of our faiths, but I think that the simple fact that so many people are so reluctant to give up ANY acknowledgment of a majority religion is a perfect demonstration of how personal religious practice is and how frustrating it is when there are obstacles. If you think that making symbolic acknowledgments of a minority religion is a problem, I'd hate to think how you'd cope with living in a country that all but ignored your beliefs, but required you to make concessions for others' religious practices more convenient.