dominicansoul Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 I work for a public university. We're having a discussion over the Christmas tree in the office. I jokingly said we should put up one of those horrible plastic nativity scenes that light up. Then everybody was like, 'YOU CAN'T DO THAT OMIGOSH THAT WOULD BE SO OFFENSIVE TO NON BELIEVERS BLAH BLAH BLAH." i don't really understand that. When did celebrating Christianity become so forbidden in the public square? To me its a sad reality on how our nation has become extremely secular. The fact is CHRISTmas is JESUS' BIRTHDAY, its not just some random secular holiday. Christianity is no longer welcome in the public square. What my boss told us was that we needed to have a very sterile decor, something that was neutral in regards to religion. I guess I can be happy we are allowed to decorate at all. To me, it still points to Jesus, regardless. Do you all feel like our religious beliefs are becoming more supressed in our society? Do you feel that we have to keep our beliefs private and keep it all at home and in our churches? It seems that is the future.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Does Christmas even exist anymore, even as a secular holiday? It seems like it's all just one big shopping season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little2add Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 'YOU CAN'T DO THAT OMIGOSH THAT WOULD BE SO OFFENSIVE TO NON BELIEVERS BLAH BLAH BLAH." what is offensive. if i or a certain segment of society choose to believe in Santa, the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny, show me or explain what harm it could possibly cause name one bad thing about celebrating xmas be you jew or gentile or atheist. i can not think of one thing, does it really matter if your next $5.00 cup of starbucks coffee has christian decorations on it or not. if your offended get your coffee from the competition. Starbucks is not my cup of coffee, anyway (too expensive) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I thought this was a well-known, established fact already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makarioi Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I'm offended that they're offended and they need to get over it. I was raised and still stand behind that it is the CHRISTMAS season. Other days happened to be during that time. on another note, at one of my facilities, they changed calling computers on wheels 'cows' to 'wows' because cows offended someone. Oh please.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_nine Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 universities are awful places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 I thought this was a well-known, established fact already. I know, this is just the first time this sensitivity has been on display in my office. I guess we're finally catching up with the times....it just caught me by surprise...we used to be an office of older Christians but we hired a whole lot of millennials...they were the ones crying foul... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I know, this is just the first time this sensitivity has been on display in my office. I guess we're finally catching up with the times....it just caught me by surprise...we used to be an office of older Christians but we hired a whole lot of millennials...they were the ones crying foul... That makes me sad, because they claim to be so much more tolerant. I presume they're arguing they are being "tolerant" by "protecting" other people from our beliefs. I guess they've really internalized all the public rhetoric that's been going on their whole lives. Maybe it's too late to turn back now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 My parents who are atheist, socialist, for secularism, etc... find this ridiculous because "it's not religious, it's a tradition". Dominican Soul, I'm sorry for your frustration. You can find in religious stores "pocket nativity" that you can keep... in your pocket. It's very cute and you have the baby Jesus with you always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little2add Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 BTW: The forbidding of celebrating Christmas is nothing new! The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 were strict Puritans, with firm views on religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Scripture did not name any holiday except the Sabbath, they argued, and the very concept of "holy days" implied that some days were not holy. "They for whom all days are holy can have no holiday," was a common Puritan maxim. Puritans were particularly contemptuous of Christmas, nicknaming it "Foolstide" and banning their flock from any celebration of it throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little2add Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) additionally the Pilgrims/Puritans believed in the blue law, in the United States and Canada, a law designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. this is the real rub , in my mind, today's mad-a-gogo lifestyle, anti-Christmas, anti-religion world is really sad because the blue law is a thing of the past. take Thanksgiving Day for example, the big box stores are opening on 6:00 PM Thursday for the "Black-Friday" bonanza. the Pilgrims/Puritans had the right idea. life is too short and breaking bread with your family opportunities too few... for what its worth, Merry Christmas all and to all a good night. Edited November 21, 2015 by little2add Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papist Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 It is amazing they don't see the irony in this. or perhaps they just don't care how many people they have to offend in order to not offend the few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I worked at a public university over 10 years ago and they were very politically correct about stuff like this back then, so this isn't anything new to me. But then again I come from a very liberal state. Any religious decorations on state/public/government property has always been a no-no because of separation of church and state. I guess I would view it more as active suppression if they started forcing private business owners to follow suit, or if they started whining about a state employee wearing something religious or having something religious at their desk (and I'm sure there are people that will try their hardest to complain about something like that, unfortunately.) I don't think all beliefs will be forced into privacy -- I could see some quiet, liberal version of Jimmy Carter Christianity being begrudgingly tolerated. The one where people stand around and pat themselves on the backs for being such tolerant, open minded, spiritual but not religious people and they don't hold any beliefs that are particularly offensive or challenging. I don't think traditional Christianity would be flat out censored, but rather something ostracized and deemed socially unacceptable -- interpreted as archaic, bigoted or sexist. And that's been the trend for some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChildForever Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 My experience-December in the work place is all "holiday" this and "holiday" that. It has a very sterile feel to it. Secular decorations would probably focus on snowflakes, snowmen, wreaths, possibly a Christmas tree, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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