Christians protest actions that play down Christmas' religious nature

Wed Dec 22, 6:21 AM ET

By Richard Willing, USA TODAY

Julie West is tired of being wished "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." She's annoyed with department stores that use "Season's Greetings" banners, and with public schools that teach about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa but won't touch the Nativity story.


So last week, she sent a baked protest to a holiday party at her first-grade son's school: a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and red icing that spelled out "Happy Birthday Jesus."


"Christmas keeps getting downgraded, to the point that you're almost made to feel weird if you even mention it," says West, a resident of Edmonds, Wash., who describes herself as a non-denominational Christian. "What's the matter with recognizing the reason behind the whole holiday?"


This Christmas season, West has plenty of company. Christians and traditionalists across the nation, fed up with what they view as the de-emphasizing of Christmas as a religious holiday, are filing lawsuits, promoting boycotts and launching campaigns aimed at restoring references to Christ in seasonal celebrations.


From New Jersey to California, Christians are moving to counter years of lawsuits that have made governments wary about putting Nativity scenes on public property, and that occasionally have led schools to drop Christmas carols from holiday programs:


• In Bay Harbor Islands, Fla., a Christian sued in federal court after town officials refused to let her erect a Nativity scene next to a menorah, or Hanukkah candelabra, on a causeway. Last week, a judge ordered the town to comply.


• In Maplewood, N.J., parents and students recently petitioned the local school board after school officials dropped even instrumental versions of Christmas music from class programs.


• In Denver, a Protestant church responded to the city's decision to drop "Merry Christmas" from public signs by trying to enter a Christmas-themed float in the holiday parade. Supporters picketed the parade and sang Christmas carols after the float was rejected.


• In California, a group called the Committee to Save Merry Christmas is boycotting Federated Department Stores. The group claims that Federated's affiliates, including Macy's, prohibit clerks from saying "Merry Christmas" and ban the word "Christmas" from ads and store displays. The retail giant says it has no such policy.


Even Kwanzaa, the African-American harvest celebration, has taken a hit. In Los Angeles, the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a conservative black activist, has urged black Christians to spurn Kwanzaa, which he calls a "pagan holiday."


Split over 'Happy Holidays'


The new battles over religion's role in holiday celebrations come more than two decades after the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) and other groups began going to court to try to require municipalities to remove Nativity scenes and other religious displays from public property. The ACLU argued that such religious symbols violated the First Amendment's ban on government-endorsed religion.


In two rulings in the 1980s, the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) said that Nativity scenes are acceptable when they are combined with other symbols - such as a Santa Claus house - that indicate Christmas is a secular holiday in American culture as well as a religious one.


Nevertheless, the threat of lawsuits and a desire to be more sensitive to the nation's growing number of non-Christians - who made up about 18% of the U.S. population in a 2002 survey by Pew Charitable Trusts - has led many governments, schools and businesses to de-emphasize Christ in Christmastime celebrations. Phrases such as "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" have replaced "Merry Christmas" at many public venues.


In a new CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, 44% of Americans surveyed said the trend toward "Happy Holidays" is a change for the better, and 43% said it wasn't. Only 11%, however, said they avoid saying "Merry Christmas" out of fear of offending someone.


Carol Sanger, spokeswoman for Federated Department Stores, says Federated employees use phrases such as "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" interchangeably with "Merry Christmas" in order to be "more reflective of the multicultural society in which we live."


She says the chain aims to "embrace all" the religious and secular holidays that occur in November and December.


"If you were Druid, I'd be wishing you a 'Scintillating Solstice,' " Sanger says.

John Whitehead, director of the Rutherford Institute, a group in Charlottesville, Va., that defends against challenges to speech and religion rights, says the recent trend has been for schools and municipalities to excise "all mention of Christmas, out of some misshapen idea that this respects diversity."

He is particularly critical of decisions such as that made by the school board in Maplewood, N.J., which decided to drop traditional carols and other Christmas music from public school programs during the mid-1990s after receiving several complaints.

This year, the ban was extended even to instrumental versions of Christmas songs.

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Julie West is tired of being wished "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

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Julie needs to get over herself.

I find this very interesting. I'm a Christian and I've noticed lately, that more and more of my Christian peers are becoming less and less tolerant of other religions. I had a discussion the other day with a guy about how a Pastor I know was behaving less like a Christian person than some people he was complaining about. The pastor treated them badly and then bad mouthed them to anyone who would listen. The man's response to me was, "They(the "non Christians") are not behaving like Christians because they don't accept Christ." To a point, I agreed, but right is right and wrong is wrong. The Bible is very clear about how we're to treat one another. It's wrong to treat people like crap. The man I was conversing with had the perspective that I should take the side of and support a Christian because he is a Christian. Even if he's wrong... Sheesh! Forget that! Seems to me that that is probably what got the Catholic church in trouble.

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• In California, a group called the Committee to Save Merry Christmas is boycotting Federated Department Stores. The group claims that Federated's affiliates, including Macy's, prohibit clerks from saying "Merry Christmas" and ban the word "Christmas" from ads and store displays. The retail giant says it has no such policy.

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I am blown away. Saw one of the most poigent and sweet 'holiday' commercials made by Macy's on tv the other night. No, it didn't make any reference to Christ or Christmas, but it had beautiful signs for all the departments of its store, like 'Hope', 'Peace', 'Joy', 'Naughty', 'Nice', 'Faith', etc...so well done. Wouldn't think that even Jesus could object to getting to the heart of the holiday season.

Excuse me. There has to be more than 18% of us here in the US who aren't Christian.

All in the name of God.

" The new battles over religion's role in holiday celebrations come more than two decades after the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) and other groups began going to court to try to require municipalities to remove Nativity scenes and other religious displays from public property. The ACLU argued that such religious symbols violated the First Amendment's ban on government-endorsed religion. "
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As usual; both extremes are wrong on this!
There is nothing wrong with saying " Merry Christmas " or haveing someone place a Naivity scene in the public square.

What does violate the First Admendment ( the 'Establishment clause' ) is to have the city, or municipality erect such a display.
" Congress shall not establish any state religion - nor prohibit the free exercise thereof ( redacted )"

But the evangelical/fundamentalists are intent on establishing a " Christian Nation " ; citeing references to G-d, and " Creator" in the Declaration of Independance -and the Constitution.
I hear this everyday on talk radio. ( my motto: keep your friends close - keep your enemies closer!lol )

So there is a hidden agenda on both sides.
We need to keep separation of church and state; or else religion will creep into law.
And religion flourishes when it is not regulated also.
The evangelicals are constantly trying to blur that line.
The doctrine has served this country well for over 200 years.

" Can't we all try to get along " [Rodney King]

All you can do is decide how YOU will wish to celebrate what is important to YOU and your belief system.
If you work for an employer who has banned certain language which you find unconscionable, get another job and/or picket.
Its sad that most of the people FIGHTING about this have little or no understanding of the facts of the matter and all that is involved.

If you act for yourself and family under your own belief system, sometimes the "system" will change, or become less relevant.

I saw an interesting bumper sticker today: "mass media made you ignorant".

And I heard something interesting: in the '60s, they rebelled against authority...parents who had a firm grip on their kids influences, "the man". In this century, parents don't know how to parent, and KIDS are rebelling against all kinds of things like parents who are absent, or self centered in their pursuits. So what do people rebel against for their problems? The establishment. Let's made a scapegoat of "Christmas" and get rid of it!

Sad.

So many issues in the world. So much that needs to be done. And here we are...

" And I heard something interesting: in the '60s, they rebelled against authority...parents who had a firm grip on their kids influences, "the man". In this century, parents don't know how to parent."
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^ Appreciate what your saying here as how individual families can make their own values.
And I know zip about parenting!
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But the true revolutionaries of the 60's wern't rebelling against their parents.
They were struggling to get away from the straight jacket social norms of the 50's.
To create a relevant value system ( or lack of ) that mirrored their values. ( Yes we had values too.)

And "the man" ( police ) were always more than happy to crack a hippies skull, given the excuse!

Thanks. I guess what I was driving at is that the pendulum swings both ways. We have to know this, while at the same time being careful that history doesn't repeat itself. We need as a nation to steer the course positively. I'm not sure that abolishing the word "Christmas", or getting uptight over use of the expression "Happy Holidays" is worth while.

In the '50s, codes of behavior were strict.
In 2004, codes of behavior are lax.
Are they too lax? Are we too PC?
If so, I can see and understand why things will tighten up a bit...hopefully where needed.
But personally, I don't think we should beat up on "gays", or "Kwanza", or revere red over blue states. In review, it seems that many are losing their minds. But I assert that many have not much brain matter to lose. ("Why?" should be another thread.)

Yes, separation of church and state is of concern. But recall that America was founded on the exercise of religious freedom. (That was right after we wiped out most all the native Indians. Seems no matter what you do, you are damned if you do, damned if you don't.) The worship of God was a foundation for Thanksgiving, Easter, Hanuhhak, many other Catholic Holy days if you live in certain communities. If you get rid of any public recognition of the meaning of these days, and their accompanying sacriments, you are then coddling the Agnostics and Atheists. Why should their beleifs be respected more than the Hindus, Buddists, Moslems, Wiccans, Christians, etc.s who live here? What is lost by throwing out tradition? Aside from identity, meaning, etc. ...I guess nothing of value.

There are no easy answers. Only a quest for knowledge, tolerance, and slowly steering society in a direction that is for the good of the whole, but respects the rights of the minorities. I'm not so sure we are all on board with the "quest" and "tolerance" part. In fact, I'm sure were are NOT. Everyone seems to be out for himself at ALL costs. Sad.

I think I'll go strum folk songs of love and understanding in the corner now...

^Let's not forget rebelling against the draft too. It was okay to send you off to a foreign war that wasn't formally declared a war against your will to die but you were declared not even old to vote.

I know I'll sound very conservative when I say what I'm about to say, but first let me say that I really do agree to a point. I completely agree with what Bonnie is saying: I try to treat all people with more than just tolerance, but with respect and even love and acceptance. And I agree with Bluegill... we all have to decide what we believe.

I can say though, that while you've all heard me say some very critical things about the Religious Right (which I'm happy to back up both logically and theologically), there is also a growing intolerance of Christians, and no, not because of the Religious Right (I remember it starting before there even was such a thing), but before their inception.

I know I've said this before, but I was a social worker who was paid through the United Way, the county Children Services and taxpayers. I was sent to an Afrocentricity program... many good things to say and teach... but they also very openly ridiculed Christianity, to the extent of displaying Scripture on overheads and explaining why it was just plain stupid. At the same time, they would often refer to the Ntu religion and ask people to open their hearts and minds to the goddess of Moat. Mind you... this is a government and tax supported program, in which social workers from all agencies were required to attend.... mention Christianity? And it's suddenly a conflict of "church and state". Mention the goddess of Moat? And now it's "spirituality".

I don't think church has any place in government either, but if the KKK can put their symbols on state house lawns? C'mon! Then how can you ban a nativity scene? It's beyond stupidity at that point.

Re: Christmas becoming too secularized. I can say that the thing that really concerns Christians is that Halloween is now treated as a fun holiday. But it is based in Druid roots, where they burned children in fires (the word "bonfire" is derived from "bone fire"... burned until there is nothing left but bones). (Btw, my children also trick or treat, I'm not a fanatic). Anyway, now the evil is now something "fun". And a holiday where Diety becomes human to reconcile humanity to the Diety has been reduced to commercialism... I can see the problem there.... evil becomes "Ok" and fun, good becomes "bad".

Anyway. I end every transaction at the bank with, "you have a Merry Christmas". Of course, everyone here in small town Ohio is a Christian (even those who aren't Christians, haha) but still... I'm just not ashamed. I am what I am. And if in turn, someone wants to say that they wish me a Happy Hannukah, or Kwanzaa, or even Solstice, I wouldn't take offense and would embrace them just the same. But I'm not going to change who I am. Christianity in its truest form, loves people and desires to introduce them to the One who loves them so much that He would send his own son to death to reconcile relationship.... I'm not ashamed of that and I'm not going to hide that.

FIRST ADMENDMENT - Establishment Clause

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
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CAn't establish - can't prohibit.
Why this is not self evident is beyond my ( and the Founding Father's ) comprehension.
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^ " don't think church has any place in government either, but if the KKK can put their symbols on state house lawns? C'mon! Then how can you ban a nativity scene? It's beyond stupidity at that point. "
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Agree. Individuals / groups that get the permits shold be able to post as they choose - it is not the Gov'ts role to decide.

But the Gov't can't put up religious scenes either.
Only the ppl have that freedom.

Jesus is the reason for the season.........

I'm just sick of people being so easily offended! If I say "Merry Christmas", I'm not forcing Christianity on you. Shit, I'm just wishing you a MERRY day!
People stress out about the silliest things...

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! lol

Here's the part that gets me...People are upset over someone saying something nice? Its not like these people are saying "screw you buddy!" How can you be pissed about someone giving you a happy salutation? So maybe they didn't mention christmas or solstice or kwanzaa or whatever you believe...how are they supposed to know what you celebrate? Geez, they're just trying to be NICE!

I still say Julie West needs to get over herself. Discover Mr. Rabbit and relax.....

BUNNIES!

Cute little fellas aren't they!

okay... seriously now.

Here is my view on life. I think we all need to learn to "appreciate" the cultural and religious differences in all of us. Especially since we are indeed a secular society.

It is true that the majority of our "founding fathers" were of Christian faith. BUT... it is also true that this great land of ours was populated by multiple nations of native people who had complete societies and cultural structures as well.

Look... In my opinion, what is truly great about this country is that we are a nation of immigrants. Many diverse groups of people of differing cultures and faiths have chosen to come to this country to live and prosper. We are NOT a "Christian" nation, although the majority of people might be Christian. The true spirit of our democracy (actually a representative republic) is that this country is founded on the principal that the majority does NOT have the heavy hand over all things. This country is founded on the principal that the minority segment of our society must be as strong as the majority. And in all honesty... we as a country have a long way to go to get there.

I myself am fascinated and very interested in all cultures and various faiths and the roots from where these beliefs spring. What I have discovered in my life is that if I follow my curiosity about these things... I eventually find the commonality that exists in all of us as humans. The desire for our children and families to be safe and prosper. It does not matter what race, sex, culture or religion. It all boils down to the same desires in life. I think if we can somehow get to where we do appreciate the differences instead of being afraid of the differences... then we become stronger as a country.

And Julie West still needs to get over her damn self.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: normandi,

Okay folks things are out of control....

And to the principal at this school! Dude... let 'em dangle and clank a little bit... you wuss!
I mean come on!
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Boy in a Santa suit asked to quit dance

HAMPTON - A parent of a Hampton Academy Junior High School student says the principal of the school told his son to leave the school’s holiday dance on Friday night because the boy was dressed in a Santa Claus costume, which was politically incorrect.
Michael Lafond said his son, Bryan, went to the dance dressed as Santa because it was a holiday party.

"He asked if he could dress like Santa and we said yes," said Lafond. "We went to Brooks and purchased the outfit and everything."

Lafond said his wife dropped off Bryan at the school.

"I went to the dance with my friend," said Bryan Lafond, who is in seventh grade. "He had an elf hat on and we thought it was pretty cool. Everyone loved the suit, but when I went by the principal, he asked why I was dressed like that."

Principal Fred Muscara said he told the boy he couldn’t get into the dance because he was wearing the costume.

"It was a holiday party," said Muscara. "It was not a Christmas party. There is a separation of church and state. We have a lot of students that go to Hampton Academy Junior High that have different religions. We have to be sensitive to that."

Bryan said while Muscara didn’t say he had to leave, he told Bryan if he wanted to go the dance he would have to change out of the suit and put on proper attire for the dance.

Having nothing to change into, Bryan left the dance to try and find his mother.

"My wife was leaving the parking lot when she saw Bryan running out of the building," said Lafond. "He told her that the principal said it was politically incorrect to wear the Santa outfit."

"I saw him running out of the building crying," said Leslie Lafond, Bryan’s mother.

Lafond said while he disagrees with their reasoning he could almost understand it.

What he couldn’t understand was why his son was able to leave the dance.

"One of reasons why we are so angry is that the school has a policy that says once you go to the dance you can’t leave until it’s over," said Lafond. "You can’t leave school grounds unless they call a parent. If my wife wasn’t there, my son would have been out roaming the streets."

Bryan’s mother picked up her son and drove him home to change.

Lafond said his wife had to persuade Bryan to go back to the dance.

"He was so embarrassed," said Lafond. "It wasn’t like he was trying to pull a prank. He is just a good-natured kid getting into the holiday spirit who just happened to walk right by Scrooge."

Muscara said he was unaware that Bryan left the dance.

"I asked if he had something he could change into and he said he did," said Muscara.

Lafond said when his wife drove Bryan back to the dance, she complained to school officials.

She said she also complained to several School Board members and Muscara.

On Monday, Bryan’s parents went before the School Board to voice their concerns.

"I don’t want this to happen again," said Leslie. "It is unacceptable. When Bryan returned to the school, the principal said, ‘What are you doing, trying to get me fired.’ That is not a proper comment to make to a student."

Superintendent James Gaylord told the School Board it would discuss the matter in non-public session because it involved a student and personnel.

When contacted at her house Monday afternoon, Hampton School Board Chairman Nancy Serpis said she was concerned with what she heard.

"We need to look at the whole situation," said Serpis.

Lafond said political correctness is getting out of control.

"I don’t get it," said Lafond, citing a PTA breakfast with Santa at the school a couple of weeks ago.

"What’s next? Are they going to get rid of Halloween because of paganism?" he asked.

"The last time I checked, Christmas was the celebration of the birth of Christ and not Santa Claus," Leslie said. "I want them to make an apology to my son. My son was humiliated."