I'm sooo upset; but I know I should just not be surprised anymore?

Question

I go to our local Christmas tree lighting ceremony. There is a cute little concert put on by a local elementary school. We have cocoa, cider, all is good. Then they sing...

Jingle Bells
Rudolph
Up on the housetop
Frosty
Light the Menorah was the second song. I thought it was great and was very happy they were including another religion to be represented. However, there wasnt ONE Christmas song that spoke of Christ at all! However, we get to have a song about Lighting the Menorah which is highly religious to the Jews. It cannot be a serparation of Church/State issue otherwise they would not have included the Menorah song. What do you all think of this...as Christians and nonChristians?

Why are we systematically having any representation of Christ in Christmas stripped from everywhere public?
Even our secular establishments (the great god called American Consumerism) has shunned the word Christmas;

Nicolette: Your post is offensive and disgusting; why bother post?

Xtheurga: Exactly! Why not represent most major American religions or none at all. If they didnt sing light the menorah, I would have been a bit disappointed; but not too bothered as its par for the course in the USA. However, to add a specifically religious song and not any others is wrong.

Answer 1

Political correctness has gone too far. If anything is going to bring America down it will be P/C. We have to be fair too all, but we've got to stop this incessant desire to please and accommodate everyone.

Answer 2

I understand where youre coming from but I think you need to step back and look at it objectivley. Is there a high Jewish population in your town? Is the music director Jewish? Was it the entire choir that sang the Jewish song or just the children of that religion? Was it a public or a private school? Did the children/parents/school board/teachers vote on the songs they would be sung for the ceremony?

I think that Christmas has become so commercialized that many people no longer see it as a secular holiday and instead, like thanksgiving, a holiday to come togather as a family and exchange gifts. And with other religions celebrating the same time of the year, many people are taking religion out of the picture all together because they are afraid of offending people. This is why most public places no longer say or display anyting that says Merry Christmas and have changed it to Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings. In my opinion, religion should be celebrated in your home or in your church/within your religious community and not in public.

Answer 3

Who sponsored the tree lighting ceremony? I'll bet it was your local chamber of commerce. They weren't thinking of Christ. That Christmas tree is a symbol of the shopping season. C'mon out and spend your money now! Tis the season for balancing the economy and creating debt to carry into the next year!
Understand that the laws separating church and state are inflexible when it comes to the school board. No music teacher would be willing to risk his/her certification to teach Silent Night or Hark the Harold Angels sing anymore. No administrator would let them! All it would take was one call from an offended atheist or agnostic to send all hell blowing in the direction of the school.
As for the Menorah song, it was showing "cultural diversity," a nod to the Jewish; not to their religion. I'll bet the children didn't even know what the song was really about.
This is the society we live in today. Our "freedom of speech" is greatly restricted. It is quite dependent on what you want to say, who will hear it, how big a tax base or political clout the listeners have, and always has been.
I suggest that you not get bent out of shape, but understand these civic presentations are to attract shoppers; period. As someone else suggested, look to your church to worship the Lord in the true spirit of commemorating Christmas.

Answer 4

in actuality java Joe is correct SORRY TO CAUSE disillusionment's here BUT CHRISTMAS WAS A PAGAN FESTIVAL EVEN IN JESUS day ,, Tammuz the son of semarrious the wife of nimrod got pregnant after he nimrod had died,, well being a smart cookie she had to devise a tale the pagans would accept.. . she then cliams her husband is reincarnated as the sun and she is carrying his child ,, heehehhe . like i said a smart cookie knows where her bread is buttered .. she says he is now looking after u as the sun god ,, since he was worshipped already as a god anyway why not give them what they believe??
tamuzz is born which is about december 25 he is wild he aftyer he be grown though gets killed by a boar semaramias then makes up the tail he is now reincaranted as the moon some of this can be seen in the book of ezekial . and ,, nicolette dont be so direct ok ?? word your comments so as notto be ofending .. // ok christmas celebration itself is not wrong , its not a sin either,, the concept though is of pagan origin just like easter and halloween is ,, . innocent seemingly but rooted in paganisim and in actuality in these last days,, i dont think should christians be identifying with on a large scale!! bro murray

Answer 5

you have every right to be upset. separation of church and state should apply equally to all. i would contact the organizers and ask them how they thought 'light up the menorah' was a secular song.

Answer 6

I don't think there should have been any religion represented at a public school or any other public/tax payer supported event, but I see it everywhere.
It must just be where you live, because there is plenty of Christ where I'm at.
If you want Christmas songs then listen to the radio and/or go to church.

Answer 7

IMO they shouldn't have included "Light the Menorah" in a public school celebration.

And if they did, then I agree it would have been acceptable to include one specifically Christian song as well. And heck, why not include a nice Pagan song or atheistic Solstice song, too? Any Islamic songs appropriate for a winter holiday? Include one of those, too.

Answer 8

i'm a bit confused by some of the responses you got...jewish songs are okay because jewish songs reflect 'diversity'...and jewish songs are okay because there might be a large proportion of jewish people in the area? so, diversity means include SOME group, but exclude the rest...and 'a large' proportion of people of one faith or another makes it okay to favor them over the rest...excuse me, but isn't that what atheists accuse 'ignorant fundies' of attempting EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK? what's next, 'we had to destroy the village in order to save it?' 'arbeit macht frei?' beam me up, scotty, there's no intelligent life on this planet...

Answer 9

End times They can't get shed of God fast enough and the faster they throw him out the faster the country goes down hill. We are on the verge of complete collapse of the economy in the US and headed for war with Iran next, what more good news do we need.
Worship anything or anyone except the One True God.

Answer 10

I agree with you.

I AM not a Christian. I know Jesus was not divine.

However, I am not offended by Christmas celebrations, decorations, or hymns.

I want a secular country with all my heart but that means I want the fundies out of our government.

Answer 11

Are you complaining about the USA Supreme Court which has tossed out the 10 Commandments, the USA Supreme Court which is made up mostly of European Catholics?