According to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Skoros v. City of New York, which the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear on appeal yesterday, public holiday displays can include a menorah to symbolize Chanukah and the star and crescent to symbolize Ramadan, but cannot include a crèche (nativity scene) because a crèche "is solely a religious symbol," implying that the menorah and star and crescent are not.
The Appeals Court decision praises the display policy for teaching "the lesson of pluralism by showing children the rich cultural diversity of the city in which they live and by encouraging them to show tolerance and respect for traditions other than their own.” That's extremely admirable, but what about Christianity? Isn't it part of the cultural diversity of the city, too? Doesn't it deserve equal respect with these other religious traditions?
Am I the only secularist who feels that the NYC Department of Education, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court got this one wrong?
2007-02-21 11:52:57 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
http://www.nsba.org/site/doc_cosa.asp?TRACKID=&VID=50&CID=468&DID=37860
2007-02-21 11:53:42 · update #1
Mandi, I'm not sure if I understand what you're driving at. Do you think Christianity should be treated differently, penalized because other religions have not been accorded proper respect historically?
2007-02-21 14:34:52 · update #2
Angelus, I did consider that the star and crescent appear on the flags of numerous countries and that the emblem actually predates Islam, but it certainly has become an international symbol of Islam. In any case, it's used here in a display drawing attention to Ramadan, a clearly religious holiday, not a secular one, so I don't think its secular usage is really important. As for the menorah, I think it appears only on the coat of arms of Israel, not the national flag. In any case, the menorah there is a seven-candle menorah, not the nine-branched Chanukkiyah that is specifically used at Chanukah. Again, the symbol is used in the New York display to represent a religious holiday.
I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just thinking this through. I think Lost and Found asks the important question that the courts did. Is Christianity a culture or just a religion?
http://islam.about.com/library/weekly/aa060401a.htm
http://www.fotw.net/flags/islam.html
2007-02-21 15:18:31 · update #3
I agree....get rid of all of the symbols. It just makes it easier. I see this almost as a bar fight. If two people fight in a bar, what does the bartender do? Does he weight the merits of each combatant, or does he kick everyone out?
2007-02-21 12:00:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Christianity is forced upon every child around the big holidays, through overpriced celebrations of presents and candy. Sorry the holidays are so Hallmark, but they get commercialization and Judaism, Islam, etc. get respect, something they've never had, at least in a very long time.
*So maybe I wasn't as articulate and lucid as I thought I was when I first wrote it, but I agree with Lost and Found. Being Catholic myself, I can see that Christianity, unlike Judaism, Islam, etc., is not a culture, but just a religion.
2007-02-21 19:59:55 · answer #2 · answered by Mandi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is kind of a double standard. This nation is notorious for reinforcing double standards. The truth is that in most major metropolitan areas, Christianity is represented by a minority of the population. It is historically dominant, but that's certainly not the case anymore, especially in metropolitan areas. And as it's represented by a minority population, it should be allowed the same privileges as any other public display of religion or religious symbols.
2007-02-21 20:01:59 · answer #3 · answered by sickblade 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont know but one must ask, is Christianity a culture?
Judaism and Islam both have their distinct cultures ingrained in years and years of devotion.
This shows in their food, their historical structures and their clothing.
So you cant really ban their symbols it would be an act of banning the culture and not really just the religion.
2007-02-21 20:04:05 · answer #4 · answered by Antares 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think its because the muslims and jewish people take their religion VERY seriously, and if you haven't noticed those symbols are in their flags, so it represents a part of who they are not just their religion so they allowed them to do that, plus they don't want to look like they are discriminating, they save themselves A LOT of trouble by allowing them to do that...and the christians, well they can put up with the nativity scene not being shown
2007-02-21 20:01:08 · answer #5 · answered by angelus 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋