Hastert Plays Politics With Holidays

[elwoodblues]

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Who cares.

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Dennis Hastert obviously cares. And the reason her cares is because he wants to bring Christian symbols/names into government. There is no other reason to change the name from a univeral name to a Christian one.

[etgryphon]

Agreed. I meant the general population like us. It only has political clout because people like the OP make a deal about it. Its the old bully analogy, if you act like you care then they will keep doing it. Ignore them and they will loose interest.

As for you Christian symbols\name in government comment. Take a good look around Christian symbols have been present in our government for the better part of 200 years and it has only been in the last 30 yrs that we have somehow discovered how "harmful" it has been.

-Gryph

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I know it's just symbolism, but it it's symbolism that says F*-you to anybody in this country who isn't Christian.

No it's not. It is what it is, and what it is, is a Christmas tree. People who aren't Christian (like me) can still look at it, enjoy the lights, enjoy the holiday festivities, and not feel like we're threatened.

For a rational discussion of the issue, see Jeff Jacoby in the Boston Globe

The above article is free today and tomorrow. After that it will require a subscription to view.

[canis582]

From Ann Coulter:

"Oh, it was so much fun this year, because saying ‘Merry Christmas’ is like saying ‘[censored] you!’ I’ve said it to everyone. You know, cab drivers, passing people on the street, whatever. And they come up with the ‘Happy holidays.’

[Jedi Flopper]

He is a bad man and I've got a lump of coal for his Christmas stocking this year.

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Don't you mean polyester holiday fireplace adonrment? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[elwoodblues]

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Take a good look around Christian symbols have been present in our government for the better part of 200 years...

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Yep, and there is NO non-religious reason to be adding new ones now.

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I told you, the winter solstice.

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I wasn't aware that winter solstice was a holiday celebrated year round by 90% of Americans on December 25th. Now you sound like a dumb ass.

Why can't you give me a straight answer? When you see a big green tree with lights and ornaments and presents underneath it, what particular holiday comes to mind? Why are you so afraid to say it?

[elwoodblues]

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Because like, Im sure most Christians thought it was like, the tree that spawned the seed of Jesus or something.


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No, they took a lot of pagan symbols and rituals to make Christianity more familiar/palatable to the pagans when trying to convert them.

Honestly a Christmas Tree at my home reminds me of Christmas because it conjures memories of gifts underneath it. Lighted trees in public remind me of winter. I really don't equate them with Christmas.

[canis582]

Christians stole the solstice holiday from the Germans and Norwegians and made it religious, so we are celebrating the solstice, you people choose to call it xmas. Do you really think jesus was born on the 25th of Dec? Where does it say that in the bible?

Why do you want to impose your religion on us? I am not christian, I do not wish to see signs of it in public places that I help fund. 90 percent of americans are not practicing christians by the way.

[elwoodblues]

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90 percent of americans are not practicing christians by the way.


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I would suspect that would depend 100% on how you define "practicing." If you define "practicing" in such a way to try to make your point (they have to go to church every week, blah, blah) you might be right.