Posted on 12/07/2005 12:19:46 PM PST by dukeman
RELIGIOUS groups have launched an attack on Christmas – calling for it to be renamed and toned down.
A leading Islamic body says the use of the term "Christmas" is politically incorrect because it excludes too many people in multicultural Australia. The Forum on Australia's Islamic Relations wants a community debate to find an alternative – suggesting the word "festive" as a possible replacement.
And a Queensland Jewish leader has called for an end to the "automatic imposition" of Christmas on the community, saying the season has been reduced to a "shopping festival".
The attacks have outraged Christian churches, family groups and civic leaders. Even other Muslim groups have slammed the call.
Islamic Council of Queensland president Abdul Jalal said Muslims have "no right" to question what Christians called their religious festival.
Premier Peter Beattie said Christmas was an important celebration that should "stay put". He said: "Christians should be able to celebrate the festivities as Christmas."
Brisbane Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall said Christmas should continue to be celebrated as a "very important" date on the Christian calendar.
Queensland Churches Together – representing 11 denominations including Catholic, Anglican and Uniting churches – described the name-change proposal as "absurd".
And Family Council of Queensland president Alan Baker described the plans as "impertinent and intolerant".
He said: "No one is suggesting that other religions change the name of their celebrations, such as Ramadan for Muslims or Hanukkah for Jews."
Queensland local councils scoffed at suggestions they shun Christmas.
Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney said: "Christmas is not politically incorrect and there is only a small group in the population that believe it is – and they're nuts."
Caboolture Shire Council Mayor Joy Leishman said the call to rename Christmas was ridiculous.
But the Islamic-relations forum director, Kuranda Seyit, told The Sunday Mail it was time for Australia to fall in line with places such as the UK, where councils have renamed Christmas "Winterval" and replaced references to Christmas on signage with the words "Festive" and "Winter".
"Australia is now so diverse and there are so many cultures and festivities, we need to acknowledge the need to be inclusive of our identity."
He expected his plan would insult some people, but urged a "step-by-step" approach.
"A word like Festive is a good word but the community should make an effort to come up with an alternative to Christmas. Schools will take a leading role in terms of political correctness. The younger generation will grow up and say 'it's not fair'."
Queensland's Jewish Board of Deputies president David Paratz said the extent of Christmas celebrations and partying had got out of hand – as had the commercialism surrounding the festival. Christmas was considered just a "shopping festival" by many people, he said.
"It can't be assumed everyone is a Christian. People should not be faced with the automatic imposition of Christmas."
You don't see Christians trying to tone down Rhamadan
You don't see Christians trying to tone down Chanuka
You don't see Christians trying to tone down Kwanzaa (What ever the he** tht is)
I may not agree that Jesus was born on Dec. 25, but it is the time we do celebrate His birth.
Hey there mr. muslim..Merry "#$%^ Christmas!
So what? The government can also say Happy Hannukah or Ied Mubarak for their holidays. But, during Christmas, call it Christmas.
Christmas will always be a celebration of what it is.. Jesus Christ's birthday. If we want to rename something, let us rename David Paratz & Kuranda Seyit for what they truly are: "Revolting, Insensitive Idiots".
Personally, I think that Christians should embrace Hanukkah. It celebrates the victory of the Macabees over the pagan Greeks who defiled the Temple. The Macabees were the religious conservatives, if not Fundamentalists, of their day. I find it quite curious that even secular Jews celebrate a holiday designed to celebrate the victory of people too religious and orthodox to compromise their beliefs in the face of Helenization and the globalism of the day.
They also want the term "Terrorist" to be replaced with "Freedom Fighter".
I really dont believe there are a majority of ordinary Jews or Muslims or Hindus or whoever who get offended by Christmas....this "controversy" is solely the work of religious demagogues and malicious, petty secularists. The US, UK, and Australia are, or perhaps were in the case of the UK, largely Christian, so the culture is largely informed by Christanity....this culture subsequently contains Christmas. I am not religious at all and was brought up in a quite ragingly secular environment...and I don't get offended by Christmas. Likewise, if I emigrated to Israel or India or Pakistan or wherever, it would be very out of line for me to be somehow "offended" because they chose to celebrate their religious festivals. I'm all for recognising Hannukah or Ramadan or whatever as well in some way but there's no need and no right for anyone to suppress Christian traditions.
Christmas is mostly a secular festival with Christian overtones now anyway, particularly in the UK and Australia. Let it go dudes.
Absolutely! If no Hanukkah had occurred, then no Christmas. As a Christian, I honor the Macabees for what they did for the survival of Judaism and Temple worship.
I like this mayor. He needs to get U.S. citizenship so he can hold elected office here!
Um, Mr. Kuranda Seyet? Just off the top of my infidel head why dont you STFU?
Just a thought.
That's why they'll win, even here. There is no bigger threat to this country than the public schools, but few dare say it.
I think Festive or Festival would be ok..
Right after they change the name of Ramadan to "Moon God month"
I don't know what a Shanda is, all though I think I get the gist or is that Brist!
,,, let's talk about inclusion for all those slaughtered Christians in Somalia before redesigning Australia. Immigration from incompatible countries really is becoming social cancer. When Italians landed in Aussie after WWII they settled in and got working to help build a vibrant cosmopolitan cities and now there's a new wave trying to gnaw at the foundations like rats.
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