Thread: Lawsuits over religious icons?

Anyone who threatens to sue over not having their religious holiday represented is clearly missing the point. Faith is an intensly spiritual experience, between an individual and whatever god he/she worships; religion is just a means to publicly acknowledge one's faith. What the rest of the world does, and what religious or paganistic icons it chooses to embrace shouldn't be of much consequence to the truly faithful.

Having said that, Christmas is not really a Christian holiday anymore; it's a consumer holiday. Stores don't post pictures of baby Jesus on the front page of their ads, or any other serious Christian icons, so I can't see what the big deal is with just letting the holiday be about coming together with people you care about and giving of your time and money to make someone else happy. What religion could find fault with that?

Yup, instead of doing what was right and put up the jewish thing. They go and do the ACLU thing and take down the tree. I think there would be far less complaints seeing a jewish symbol next to the tree, then when they actually removed it.

I understand the reason they took it down was because it was their bussiest time of the year and they didn't have time to play legal footsies with them. The Rabbi should have just offered to provide one for them.

Originally Posted by Exoparadapsyphobia

However my question to you is do you think that during christian holidays, when other religious celebrations might be going on, other religious celebrations should also be compensated and honored publicly as christmas is?

If they wish to be public about it more power to them. All religions should be recognized publicly if they wish to be by those of similar beliefs or feelings. However until 70-80% of the populace also follows the other celebrations they are not going to recieve the same public support. Simple as that.

Originally Posted by Exoparadapsyphobia

Also it has been argued that the christmas tree is not a religious simble, since it originates from a pagan festivity which celebrated magic, which christianity condenmes as evil. So my second question is, is the christmas tree a religious simble? Or simply a simble of joy and festivity.

Yes, of course it's a religious symbol. It's full of symbolism. Those symbols are used by many religions however. Just because someone else has similar beliefs or symbols doesn't somehow invalidate the other.

is it just me or is the whole world is entering an ungodly age?

i think that the government needs to please the masses. technichally we are called an aetheist country, but really the majority is christian. the other religions should just deal with it. a rabbi who is offended by a tree is probably goin to hell.

And the christmas tree had it's ROOTS in pagan worship, but it is indeed taken for it's symbolism now (i don't see many Druids anymore). the evergreen is used because it never loses it's leaves and thus symbolizes eternal life, teh lights show that jesus is the light of the world. and on top of that is the fact that many pplz put angels on the top of their trees.

I grew up with the notion that religion was a personal choice and was not to be pushed onto others,

So with regards to all religions who sue people for "offending" them, or whatever is the case, I feel like it's them trying to push their religion onto others. In the case of the rabbi him wanted to put a jewish (?) symbol up.

Not everyone is Jewish,everyone believes in different religion almost.
So if they are scared of getting sued, just put the basic symbols of x-mas up, tree's presents and santa.

Now if some one wants to sue them over those few symbols of x-mas, then they really have some issues.

It's hard to please every religion at this time.

if ya can't take it leave it, rabbi. but just don't mess with it because you'll be messed up...eventually.