I must admit I would feel uncomfortable to have all this Christmas decoration around me if I were working. When I work I want to concentrate on work and not on which religion is the most popular. I would take offense. I know we as Jews don't make such a big fuss about our festivals in public. It is a private thing and should be kept private. I expect everybody to do the same. I personally prefer to work in a Jewish work-placement. I hope to get a work-placement in a Jewish kindergarten.
I have absolutely no problem with tinsel, nor even with Christmas trees (which are, after all, scarcely Christian in their connotations). Most people do not tend to be in your face with Christianity in the Christmas season.
What I can't understand, though, is which planet Jack Straw was living on to allege that "non-Christians appreciated the significance of the birth of Jesus" in a wider context than just Muslims; or that "[Jesus] was a prophet for all of us," likewise; or to say "I've never met a Christian who isn't delighted to recognise Yom Kippur, nor Eid, nor Diwali" (of all the Jewish festivals, Yom Kippur!?), or that he had never met "an atheist, agnostic or anyone who says that people should not be allowed to celebrate mainstream religions."
I also thought it is very weird and thought where does he live. I just said how I feel in general about it. It is getting on my nerves when people assume that everybody cares about Christmas. I don't. My family saw it more as cultural thing. We often had fights on that day and rather turned into a nightmare than a peaceful festival. I know the background and when somebody is poking on that it just makes me feel more uncomfortable. I know lots of people see it more as cultural thing as well. It is OK for them to celebrate but not bothering everybody with it.
Which makes some good points, and provides background, but still does not address the point I was making which is that Jack Straw appears to be living on another planet (see upthread (http://lethargic-man.livejournal.com/115694.html?thread=431854#t431854)).
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zvi and
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 09:01 am (UTC)What I can't understand, though, is which planet Jack Straw was living on to allege that "non-Christians appreciated the significance of the birth of Jesus" in a wider context than just Muslims; or that "[Jesus] was a prophet for all of us," likewise; or to say "I've never met a Christian who isn't delighted to recognise Yom Kippur, nor Eid, nor Diwali" (of all the Jewish festivals, Yom Kippur!?), or that he had never met "an atheist, agnostic or anyone who says that people should not be allowed to celebrate mainstream religions."
no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 09:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 01:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 01:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 10:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 10:40 am (UTC)