RE: Secularization of Christmas

A different Wall Street Journal op ed made a similar point a few years ago.  He proposed that we call the religious holiday Christmas, and the secular holiday Excessmas.   This is one answer to the question what is the meaning of the December holidays, but the putative two holidays are not s

Re: Secularization of Christmas

I think Daniel Henninger had the right idea in his December 16 column in the Wall Street Journal (that bastion of religious sentiment). Christmas is really two separate holidays and should be so understood and publicly acknowledged. The celebration of the birth of Christ is a religious holiday obse

Re: Secularization of Christmas

In a message dated 12/23/2005 3:29:53 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Christianist Christianist?   Is that as in, of or inclined toward Christanism?  Who are the Christanists?  What makes them Christianist?   Jim Henderson Senior Counsel ACLJ __

Re: Calmness, politeness, and political balance

I think you've done a very good job of cautioning against rhetorical excess. Thank you. >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 12/23/2005 3:00:01 PM >>> At times, people have admonished me for not being ideologically evenhanded in my attempts to keep things polite and calm. Those who have done so may wel

Calmness, politeness, and political balance

At times, people have admonished me for not being ideologically evenhanded in my attempts to keep things polite and calm. Those who have done so may well have been correct, at least in some instances -- I try to be fair on such matters, but of course it's much easier to see rhetorical exce

RE: Secularization of Christmas

Eugene's point about keeping things civil is well-taken, and I think this observation qualifies. Having now read Belz's column, I have to suggest, respectfully, that the statements you quote below could just as easily be taken as evidence of the real-world effects of confirmation bias and/or g

From the list custodian RE: Secularization of Christmas

Folks: I think list discussions will likely be more enlightening if we set aside "right-wing cant," "left-wing propaganda," and either side's "ludicrous" "fantas[ies]." Among other things, it seems to me that calmer terminology -- including terminology that expresses the same substantive

Re: Secularization of Christmas

I don't see how any of this right-wing cant about the "war on Christmas" relates to religion and the law, as the "war" by most accounts appears largely nongovernmental. Apparently, however, that issue has been settled, so I'll add my two cents. How sad that the religious right can apparently f

Free Exercise and Est Cl decision

A major free exercise and establishment clause decision was handed down yesterday in a San Diego federal court.  The court ruled that California's "window" (lifted the statute of limitations for all civil claims re: childhood sexual abuse during the year 2003) is constitutional.  The Catholi

RE: Ban on library employees wearing religious or politicalornaments(including cross necklaces)

Got it, thanks! > -Original Message- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Eric Treene > Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 6:48 AM > To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics > Subject: RE: Ban on library employees wearing religious or > politicalorna

Secularization of Christmas

In the current worldonline, Joel Belz has one of the best takes I have read on the secularization of Christmas. Here is a money excerpt:  There are two radically different ways to see the secularization of this Christmas season. One is to grouse and complain and moan about how bad things have