Merry Christmas is NOT Offensive—Jews Should Protect Religious Freedom for Everyone

Toward Tradition (email) ^ | Nov. 22, 2005 | Daniel Lapin

[joylyn]

Any Brooklynites on this thread? Can anyone explain why we have a huge menorah at the entrance to Prospect Park but no nativity scene or the equivalent anywhere -- at least not the I'm aware of. Please understand, I have no problem with the menorah and nightly candle-lighting ceremonies. I wouldn't want to see equality by subtraction.

[excalibur1701]

I posted this once before, but it's worth repeating.

On my way into work yesterday, I saw a Billboard that said "Put Christ back in Christmas", and it was sponsored by Mikes Carwash. They just made a life time customer out of me.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I think there is room in America to celebrate both Christmas and Channukah in public. What really bugs me is the way they treat Christmas and Christianity in the public schools. If they really wanted to celebrate "diversity", they'd include honest discussion about all religions, not just Islam.

Btw, I went with my bf to his nephew's bar mitzvah, this weekend. It was a beautiful service, but a little intimidating to meet his entire family all at once. They're great people, and the reception was wonderful. We're going to his sister's home for Thanksgiving.

[sheik yerbouty]

What's the matter? No Ramalamadingdong?

[cubreporter]

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

[Clock King]

Rabbi Daniel Lapin, an Orthodox Rabbi in Seattle, Washington

Boy. Talk about working in the Lion's Den.

[Convert from ECUSA]

"I don't want to hear "Merry Christmas" in the first half of November, thanks very much. Nor in the first half of December ... I think there would be much less conflict about "Christmas" if it hadn't taken over two whole months of the year."

[Convert from ECUSA]

"In my opinion, the best thing to do to give Christmas its original, religious, meaning, would be to give it back to the church and de-emphasize it in the American cultural calendar, where it means nothing more than sales, football games and time off from work for most Americans."



Nailed it! Quite honestly, the only thing about this whole season that I like or has any meaning for me is Christmas Eve Mass or Christmas Day Mass; the original religious meaning and intent of the holiday. I honestly could do without everything else. What with all they hype, hoopla, crowds, etc, once Halloween comes, I keep hoping January 2 will hurry up!

[Convert from ECUSA]

Thanks for posting this, Alouette. Everytime I read an article by Rabbi Lapin, the more I like him and the more I respect him! I'll use what very little Yiddish I know and say that he is a geunine, for-real mensch of the first order. May the Lord bless him real good.

[Alexander Rubin]

Soon we can wish you a Merry Christmas! ;)

[VOA]

Can anyone explain why we have a huge menorah at the entrance to Prospect Park
but no nativity scene or the equivalent anywhere -- at least not the I'm aware of.

IIRC, radio-show host Michael Medved encountered a similar situation
during a winter trip to Boston.
He was in a large (public?) office building and there was a large Menorah in
the lobby, but the place had been sanitized as far as Christmas-associated
items were concerned.

(I'm not knocking the Menorah display...just the decisions of
major poobahs to scrub any Christmas display from the commons.)

[Sam Cree]

*

[Convert from ECUSA]

:) And we can wish you a Happy Hannukah! Just promise not to tell Foxman! Shhhhhhhhh!

[goldcrest]

MERRY CHRISTMAS . MERRY CHRISTMAS . MERRY CHRISTMAS .

[red irish]

Absolutely. I have read stories of the Moslems over in Europe hurting the Jews. There is a strong connection between Christians and the Jews, and we must stick together.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

What ever happened to the good old days when the Jewish merchants would dance around their cash registers on Christmas and sing "What A Friend We Have In Jesus?"

(That is just supposed to be mildly amusing and not to cast any sort of aspersions on any sort of perceptions people may have as to anyones spending or saving habits)

[Alouette]

Can anyone explain why we have a huge menorah at the entrance to Prospect Park but no nativity scene or the equivalent anywhere

The menorahs are put up by Chabad, a Jewish religious organization.

If a Christian group wants to put up a nativity display, they should go ahead and do it.

The ACLU is just as aggressive in going after Chabad menorahs as they are in attacking the nativity displays.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

I didn't have Jewish friends until I was about 9-10, but then the addition of Hannukah just made the holiday milieu more rich and complex and fun. How come when multi-culti is forced, things just become more bitter and mean and antagonistic?

[Great Caesars Ghost]

I think that if American business is determined to deny the significance of Christmas in the holidays, then it is very much appropriate for the "Christmas People" to deny the businesses the commercial benefits of the holidays.

There is far too much retail in this country, and most of it survives on the holiday season. I'd like to see a serious effort among christians to de-emphasize the commercial gift giving at this time of year. Also to de-emphasize the ritual gluttony and drunkenness. Sure, nobody wants to give up their fun, but what an opportunity to defund the groups that keep screwing us every chance they get.

It's unhealthy for mind, body, and soul anyway.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

I'm not out of the woods until they finish making me feel like a freak on Feb. 14.

(That's why I'm and RCIA Candidate, I want to be a member of a church where it's not a badge of honor to be divorced as opposed to single.)