On Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:29:07 -0500, Wayne.B wrote:

On Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:51:04 -0500, JustWait
wrote:

You think a Christmas tree is "State Sponsored Religion"?

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Christmas trees are symbols, interesting symbols at that, and yes, we
have one.

Christmas trees of course have nothing to do with Christianity, at
least not originally. Christmas trees were originally part of a
northern european tradition of celebrating the winter solstice
(shortest day of the year). Those celebrations were widely associated
with various pagan religions, so in a way, the trees were religious
symbols of sorts even then. As Christianity spread northward from
Rome, missionaries of the faith recognized that people would not
readily give up all of their old traditions, so the celebration of
Christmas was melded in with trees, yule logs and other winter
solstice celebrations. At present Christmas trees are very much
associated with the celebration of Christmas however, and Christmas
(surprise, surprise) is very much a religious holiday, a religion that
not everyone participates in. Their argument (the non Christians),
is that the government should not be participating in religious
symbolism, and perhaps they have a good case. Are non Christians bad
people who should be ignored? Not necessarily. There are plenty of
people who are good citizens, and of high moral standards, who
believe in some other religion or no religion at all. Religion is a
very personal thing that depends in no small part on how you were
brought up. Government should not be involved in that kind of
personal choice.

I like it when you sound like Chuck Gould.

Regardless of all the paganism associated (by some) with the holiday, the tree is still called a
CHRISTmas tree.

Yesterday evening we went to a Christmas concert put on by the US Navy's 'Country Currents' and 'Sea
Chanters' ensembles. Got to see Daryl Duff in one of his last performances, as he is retiring soon.
(Daryl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHjlndif1p0 )
(Country Current - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mwi...66A1&index= 1 )

They put on a great show. Daryl Duff's 'Oh Holy Night' received a well-deserved standing ovation.

But, I digress....on the way home folks in the car marveled at some of the houses beautifully
decorated with Christmas lights. I had the thought that the birth of Jesus (whether you believe the
religious aspects thereof or not) has sure provided jobs to a lot of Chinese making Christmas lights
guaranteed to last only one season - or less.