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BS: Santa Banned
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Subject: Santa Banned From: GUEST Date: 30 Nov 01 - 01:06 PM The local TV news has been following this story the last couple days. I'm curious to see what you 'Catters think about it. In Kensington, Maryland, Santa Claus has traditionally flicked the switch at the tree-lighting ceremony for years. But this year, the town council had voted to drop Santa from the the event after some families complained Saint Nick's involvement made them feel excluded. However, after announcing this decision, they were absolutely swamped by public reaction. So the council has changed their tune about the ban. Santa Claus is coming to town, after all, but there's one stipulation. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas will now be welcome, as long as he stays away from the light switch. Kensington's fire chief says the Christmas tree lighting usually draws 50 or 60 people. But with all the national attention to the story, he's expecting thousands this year, including a crowd of biker Santas. They ought to have a Million Santa March through town. I suspect that the persons objecting to Santa's participation are not of the Christian faith. Not that Santa, Christmas trees, yule logs, and such are religious symbols. But they are nonetheless symbols of Christmas, which IS religious (or is supposed to be.) Next thing you know, we're going to get people demanding that we stop calling it a Christmas tree. To them I say, who do you think you are, expecting Americans to stop doing something they have done all their lives, just so you won't feel excluded? The intention is not to exclude. Anyone is welcome at tree-lighting ceremonies. Christmas is the most significant holiday in these United States (and quite likely on the entire planet). Santa Claus is inextricably part of the holiday. Here, people are free to follow their own beliefs and faith without fear of restriction or recrimination. ALL people. So, if some people don't like Father Christmas lighting the tree, they should stay home. Why would they want to observe the event in the first place? After all, it isn't a Muhammadmas tree, a Buddhamas tree, or Krishnamas tree that's being illuminated. It's a CHRISTmas tree. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Clinton Hammond Date: 30 Nov 01 - 01:17 PM Oh please... when ya only play to the minority, you end up playing to no one! "if some people don't like Father Christmas lighting the tree, they should stay home." 100% feckin' correct! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: MMario Date: 30 Nov 01 - 01:18 PM However the tree, the yule log, wreaths, etc ARE religious symbols (or at least have definate religious symbolism)- of multiple faiths. But the majority of the public percieves them as non-religous. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Clinton Hammond Date: 30 Nov 01 - 01:21 PM "majority of the public perceives them as non-religious." As George Carlin put it... think about how dumb the average person is... now you have to realise that HALF the people are dumber than THAT! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Noreen Date: 30 Nov 01 - 02:59 PM Next thing you know, we're going to get people demanding that we stop calling it a Christmas tree.. We had a joke at the multicultural, multidenominational primary school where I taught that we were decorating the ...but all the children called it a Christmas tree and enjoyed it. *grin* |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: katlaughing Date: 30 Nov 01 - 03:06 PM Noreen, I LOVE it! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: gnu Date: 30 Nov 01 - 03:22 PM I'm exhausted. I've been looking for humbugs all over town and can't find any. Don't get me wrong. I get stuff for my relatives' and friends' kids and I lay on the big scoff and booze for all visitors but I refuse to get any presents or cards for adults. Except Mum, cause she can still kick my ass. Come on now, how many of you don't know what the hell to get for so-and-so and really wish they wouldn't get you anything ? Seriously, I don't want anything except world peace and good health for all. I've been waiting quite a while. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: catspaw49 Date: 30 Nov 01 - 03:58 PM .....and sadly Gnu, you'll wait a lot longer. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Mr Red Date: 30 Nov 01 - 04:18 PM P'raps Santa don't believe in light switches no more. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: CarolC Date: 30 Nov 01 - 05:03 PM It's frigging Kensington for pete's sake!!!
That's just a short walk from Wheaton! (And Wheaton Plaza.) I mean, really. Let's get a grip on some perspective here. ...so it doesn't really surprise me that they're banning the Santa and not the tree itself. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Gareth Date: 30 Nov 01 - 05:53 PM Aaaargggghhh Xmas !!! Or "Humbug !" as the more traditional might say. I hate it, AMATURE DRINKERS Crowding out the Pubs, giggling and taking up good bar space. Forced jolity at the office. Drunken Drivers on the Road. Turkey, bloody Turkey ad nauseam. Am I unique ??? Gareth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: gnu Date: 30 Nov 01 - 05:57 PM Garethahahahaha. Glad I tuned into the 'Cat. Haven 't had this many good laughs in a while. Ameteur drinkers !!!! LOFL !!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Liz the Squeak Date: 30 Nov 01 - 07:56 PM Gareth - with you on that one - chap at my orifice has gone into 3 major wobblers because we didn't like his choices of restaurants (too expensive, too obscure or just too damn far away), didn't want to spend any of our flexi time on a trip to the pub afterwards (he's trying to tell us all what to eat, where to eat it and what to do afterwards....), and didn't ask him to find another but went and did it ourselves.... keeps going on about 'he tries to arrange things and we contradict and refuse just to annoy him'. He wouldn't move a flexible training day, but insisted that a colleague move a hospital appointment she's been waiting for for 3 months.... ho hum. Sod the lot, I shall stick me Black Sabbath CD on and just eat the pie. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Bill D Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:30 PM hey...mebbe I'll wander over and take pictures of this festive occasion..It's just a few blocks from me....maybe I'll wear a red suit and a white beard....maybe I'll whistle "Jingle Bells"..........maybe I'll end up in jail! *grin* |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Bill D Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:34 PM here's the article |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: CarolC Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:34 PM Go dressed like you were for your calendar picture, Bill, and I'm sure you will. Just wear the Santa hat and a reindeer harness. Hell, I'd go to Kensington to see that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Bill D Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:36 PM LOLOL...*grin*...if you'll join me, sweetie!!...accordian and autoharp...we'll make news!..(and it's durn near warm enuf!!) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: CarolC Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:38 PM (Mebbe you could pretend you're the Christmas tree, complete with 'ornaments') |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Bill D Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:40 PM (Kensington is this old town that got grown up around, so you can barely tell it used to be all there was in the area.....but they still have a mayor, their own trash collection,....they block off streets and put in speed bumps and have all sorts of restrictions about how deep you can stick your finger when you pick your nose. Some pretty old homes, etc...but some REAL anal-retentive jerks, too) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Bill D Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:41 PM paint me green, baby!..except for what dangles....that's where the lights go... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Blackcatter Date: 30 Nov 01 - 09:03 PM Would someone explain to me why governmental oganizations insist on observing and celebrating religious holidays? People say "what's the harm?" - Well, maybe there's not much harm but 1 in 10 people in the U.S. are non-Christian and have no interest in Christmas. And all the things listed above are symbols of the Christian holiday (and frankly borrowed from Pagan Solstice observances). Imagine, just imagine, that you are Jewish. Yes, you have a Winter holiday that is celebratory in nature, but it is quite different from Christmas and there aren't any Santa connections. Yet you have to listen to Christian songs non-stop when shopping for groceries, hardware, clothing and everything else for a whole month each year. No, it isn't horrible, by why should you be subjected to it? The rest of the country isn't ever expected to hear Jewish songs and decorations for Hannukah - all beautiful in blue and white. Please, understand, I don'treally care - I'm a Unitarian Universalist which means I celebrate the beauty in all religions, but come on - I don't want my taxes spent on decorations that are Christian even if they are wrapped in a cloak of "secularism" Like on the other thread, secular Christmas is an oxymoron. pax yall |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: CarolC Date: 30 Nov 01 - 09:11 PM you have to listen to Christian songs non-stop when shopping for groceries, hardware, clothing and everything else for a whole month each year. No, it isn't horrible... Yes it is. It's grotesque. (Bah-Humbug) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Bill D Date: 30 Nov 01 - 09:21 PM it's not whether they do or they dont....(I agree that govts should leave the issue alone)...it's the gratuitous, random reasoning they use to change their minds! It is foolish to HAVE religious holidays celebrated by any government, but they could at least try to be consistant! The US of A says VERY clearly we have separation of church & state...then the (p)resident light Xmas trees, and the money says "In God We Trust"... and Jews & Muslims and Buddhists and others are inundated with Christian symbols for about 1/12th of the year...*sigh*...I fully support the right of anyone to worship anything they wish, but do we HAVE to make it look like there is only one choice? This country is one with sort of more Christians than most other religions...but who said 'majority rules'?...and what happens when they are no longer the majority? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: GUEST,Lyle Date: 30 Nov 01 - 10:49 PM GUEST: You said, "I suspect that the persons objecting to Santa's participation are not of the Christian faith." Don't bet on it. I can verify at least nine times in my life that anything public to do with Santa has been objected to by persons calling themselves Christians. Most were too far to the right to my thinking to be called anything but radical, but still travelled under the guise of Christians. Lyle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Jon Freeman Date: 30 Nov 01 - 11:41 PM If all the non Christian (and Christian) objecters stopped taking part in the festivities they don't believe in, stopped buying Christmas presents, etc, most the complaints would stop. It is 99% commercialism... shops don't play the music for reasons of faith, santa does not arrive in town to promote Christianity, etc. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Joe Offer Date: 01 Dec 01 - 12:10 AM It seems to me that Christmas is the most multicultural celebration we have - especialy in a multi-ethnic nation like the U.S., but to a great degree in all nations that celebrate Christmas. It has both pagan and Christian roots, and it is a season when most ethnic and religious groups celebrate for one reason or another. Why do we have to cleanse anything from this wonderful, diverse tradition? Why can't we just have fun with all of it, instead of being so obsessed with our own agendas? And why is it that it's only the Christian aspect of our winter celebration that has to be cleansed from our culture? If we may no longer mention the word "Christmas" in public gatherings, shouldn't we also banish "solstice," "Kwanzaa," and "Hanukkah" from our vocabulary? -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Terry K Date: 01 Dec 01 - 06:06 AM It's called Christmas because it celebrates the birth of Christ, simple as that. And that's probably a good thing to do, being as how he was so influential as a social philosopher. The problems only arise when secularism starts to creep in, as it tends to do in creating most of the world's ills. And secularism in relation to Christ - "Christianity" - only started to be a problem when in those simple times way back when, the rulers made up the tale that Christ was actually someone called God, with all the attached stuff that that concept entailed. So here we are in the 21st century and it's still the fact that people insist on hanging on to what was always a pretty stupid notion that causes problems between the different so-called "faiths". It's just a guy's birthday celebration for Christ's sake! Merry Christmas, Terry |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: gnu Date: 01 Dec 01 - 07:10 AM That's the spirit CC !! If you find any humbugs, let me know. Still can't find any around here. Bill D... "In God we trust"... how does that offend Jews, Muslims... ? Ya know, if we didn't spend, spend, spend on Xmas, the economy might suffer just a wee bit, dontcha think ? Everyone counting the Xmas bottom line sings the old hymn, "Oh What a Friend We Have in Jesus." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Greyeyes Date: 01 Dec 01 - 07:52 AM And in New Zealand they've banned Santas from saying "Ho Ho Ho" in case it frightens the children. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: John P Date: 01 Dec 01 - 08:13 AM I am not a Christian. But I am smart enough to know that Christianity is the religion of a vast majority of Americans. If I am in a country where the vast majority are of one religion I expect to see them celebrating their religious holidays. If I were in a country that was mostly Muslim, I would not be offended if there were public observations of Islamic traditions. Do Christians in Israel get angry over celebrations of Jewish holidays? I am a strong believer in the separation of church and state, but I prefer to save that fight for important matters, like school sponsored prayer, censorship, and laws about our behavior that are based on the Bible. John Peekstok |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Blackcatter Date: 01 Dec 01 - 01:41 PM Greetings, Joe said: "Why do we have to cleanse anything from this wonderful, diverse tradition? Why can't we just have fun with all of it, instead of being so obsessed with our own agendas? And why is it that it's only the Christian aspect of our winter celebration that has to be cleansed from our culture? If we may no longer mention the word "Christmas" in public gatherings, shouldn't we also banish "solstice," "Kwanzaa," and "Hanukkah" from our vocabulary?" We don't need to cleanse anything, as far as I'm concerned, but the government should not be sponsoring religious events. And Joe - when you say that "it's only the Christian aspect...that has to be cleansed" - This may be because it's the only one that's always there - When was the last time you had to listen to a Kwanzaa song in a store? When was the last time your city spent 8 days lighting another candle on the giant menorah in the town square? When was the last time you saw commercial after commercial about supplies for theat perfect Solstice Bonfire ritual? I am not saying that Christmas should be expunged from public view. That's not realistic or appropriate - I live in a Christian majority culture and stores will focus on the 90% of customers - theat's fine, I just would rather not have my local city spend money on anything that speaks to one religion. - and sure, multiple religious displays may look like a good way to go, but think about this: The town does something for Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. How many of them are going to honor the Pagan ritual - hell, in this part of the country, one of the quickest ways for a father to get custody of his kids is to tell a judge that his ex-wife is a witch. And then, what about the faiths that do not have a holiday during the "holiday season"? Does that mean that the town will have to choose one of their holidays to honor with a public display? And then there is the non-religious - what about them? I grew up as an Athiest and was forced to write essays in public school on what Christmas meant to me (and I certainly wouldn't have been allowed to say what I really felt). That's about it, I guess, pax yall |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Joe Offer Date: 01 Dec 01 - 03:52 PM Good point, Blackcatter. I guess what I'm looking for is balance, and balance is something that is hard to achieve in our polarized, self-righteous, legalistic society. I certainly don't want my Christianity stuffed down anybody else's throat, and I most certainly don't want the fundamentalist brand of Christianity stuffed down my throat. Ideally, we should all be able to celebrate all of our traditions freely and publicly, without others feeling that a conflicting ideology is being forced upon them. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 01 Dec 01 - 04:29 PM Christmas in North America has become a huge, excessive exercise in financial and personal folly. The pity of it is, that if enough people stopped participating in it, the economy would collapse! Thus it is your patriotic duty to go out there to the mall and behave like a robotic idiot, and spend yourself blue in the face buying stuff that mostly isn't needed by the receiver in the first place anyway. Bah! Humbug! Indeed. For comic relief rent the Scharzenneger video "Jingle All The Way", a nice expose of the madness. What I celebrate is the Solstice, the return of the sun. Actually, if one avoids TV, radio, and the mall, and just slows down and relaxes, Christmas can be quite beautiful. Observe the changes in Nature, gather with those you love and enjoy the changing of the Seasons. Jesus was not born around this time of year anyway, but later in the Spring. The Christian Church changed the date to coincide with the old Pagan festivals of the Solstice. Made it easier to convert them "heathens", don'tcha know? - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: gnu Date: 01 Dec 01 - 04:37 PM Gee, Hawk. We agree. Fancy that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 01 Dec 01 - 04:43 PM LOL! It happens... - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: GUEST,Fortunato with tinsel on his head Date: 01 Dec 01 - 06:20 PM I just came from Kensington and had a chat with a member of the town council. An American Jewish woman, a resident of the town, whose husband is a civil rights lawyer around DC complained at the recent board meeting that having Sthe annual tree lighting ceremony where Santa lit th tree was in some way a negative experience for her children. The council, unprepared for such a challenge had a knee jerk reaction. They decided to not have Santa light the lights and change the Christmas tree to a Liberty Tree that celebrated the first reponders, the firemen and policeman of NYC, as is being done elsewhere. It was picked up by the media. Well, as you may know Santa will not be lighting the tree, and it may not be called a Christmas tree, but there will be lots of Santas there. Santaa are coming from all over. We're nice people here in Maryland, we don't want to traumatize any children with jolly old elfs. We do make mistakes when we bend over backwards to accomodate a point of view, as in this case. Tune in next year. Regards, Fortunato. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: lady penelope Date: 01 Dec 01 - 07:10 PM Whatever religion you follow, this festival has always represented a light in the midst of darkness. I always thought that that was central to the idea of redemption. Go forth, make a joyful noise and LIGHTEN UP! TTFN M'Lady P. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Gareth Date: 01 Dec 01 - 07:17 PM AaaahhhH ! Yes - The Midwinter celebrations - to call back the Sun - Somehow I think it would be unaceptable for White men in White Robes to burn prisoner of a different tribe these days. We are not talking KKK, its an ancient Druidic celebration. Gareth
"Oh the Welsh Gods, you announce 'em Give me that Old Time religion etc. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Blackcatter Date: 02 Dec 01 - 03:05 AM So it seems the whole thing might stem from parents worrying about their kids dealing with Santa? I wonder if it's because they were afraid that their kids wouldn't think it was the "real" Santa and would stop believing in him. Just a guess - I could be completely wrong, but it brings up an issue I've nver understood. Why do people insist on teaching their kids that things exist which don't really - namely Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. Why do this? My parents considered Santa to be part of the holidays but never expected me to believe in him. It was taught to me the same as mythological stories - just one that was current. (yes, I grew up in an Athiest household that celebrated Christmas. - We were Christ-free and when an adult I asked my dad why and he said mainly so that I wouldn't feel different from all my friends. There was a lot of love in my family too - we focused on that.) How do people deal with the eventuality of a kid not believing? Doesn't it partially hurt their ability to trust? And if not, why do it anyhow - why lie to your kids? Wouldn't they appreciate $5000 worth of gift from you even more than some guy they don't know? Just asking... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Terry K Date: 02 Dec 01 - 01:25 PM Blackcatter, you missed one out. For eons now children have been brought into the world innocent, only to be brainwashed into the concept of "god" in its various different forms. At least the concepts of Santa, the tooth fairy and the easter (?) bunny are harmless and bring innocent pleasure instead of social and world upheaval that can be directly attributable to people's so called "faith". Cheers, Terry |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Gareth Date: 02 Dec 01 - 01:44 PM |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 02 Dec 01 - 02:45 PM Terry K. - If I may add to your analogy... For eons now children have been brought into the world innocent, only to be brainwashed into the concepts of nationalism, bigotry, party politics, warfare, materialism, drug addiction, consumerism, and slavish devotion to money and profit-based systems in their various different forms. At least the concepts of Santa, the tooth fairy and the easter (?) bunny are harmless and bring innocent pleasure instead of social and world upheaval that can be directly attributable to people's so called "faith" in artificial social systems and ideas. Blackcatter - Like you, I was brought up in an atheistic family and told about Santa mainly so I wouldn't feel different from all my friends. I thought Santa was real for a brief time, when very young, but soon realized he was like a fairy story, and took it on that basis, with considerable enjoyment. Curiously enough, I developed spiritual ideas and beliefs later, in adulthood, through reading and various personal experiences, never having been brainwashed into any form of religious belief by my parents or by anybody else. They just did their best to brainwash me into many of the usual conventional notions that I have mentioned in my paragraph above to Terry K, and I have spent much of my life deprogramming myself from it. - LH
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Blackcatter Date: 03 Dec 01 - 12:27 AM Terry K, I didn't leave that out because I have no proof that any of the worlds major religions and their beliefs are false. I tend to beleive that most of them are, but I could be wrong. And at least the parents mostly believe them to be true. pax yall |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Terry K Date: 03 Dec 01 - 02:23 AM And the proof that any of that stuff is true? It's only held to be true because the brainwashing process has gone on for so long that it has become established in people's minds and is perpetuated from brainwashed parent to innocent child. Imagine, if you would, that none of the really far-fetched stuff had been heard of and you were the very first person that someone was trying to tell it to. "yup, he just walked right across that water - must be a supernatural being. Now what I want you to do is this thing called worship" "sure as hell he was dead, but a few days later, there he was, large as life. Now if that doesn't fit the bill for this "god" thing I've been telling you about" I always think of Bob Newhart and the Walter Raleigh sketch. Why is it that people are quite happy to accept ridiculous notions if they came from long enough ago, whereas if they were put to them as new they would laugh them out of court? Terry p.s. Little Hawk, welcome to our planet. Now when you've settled in........... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 03 Dec 01 - 10:02 AM And why is it that people are quite happy to accept equally ridiculous notions if they emanate from the Democratic and Republican parties and Madison Avenue advertising? This whole planet is in a wretchedly backward state of evolution that will be seen centuries from now the way we presently view the Dark Ages. You missed my point. Spirituality involves developing greater understanding of life and actual inner development of oneself...not worship of old time religious figures. You're talking about conventional church religion. I am not. - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Kim C Date: 03 Dec 01 - 10:08 AM I like Christmas. I have celebrated it all my life. Last year, my boss, who is Jewish, invited Mister and me to her house for Hannukah supper. And we went. And we had a great time. (She even likes Christmas music, just because she likes music!) I think there's room for all of us if we would just agree to play nice with one another. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: JennieG Date: 03 Dec 01 - 11:42 PM There has been a fuss here in the last few days - a schoolteacher apparently told her class the truth about Santa and now the kids' parents are up in arms. They maintain that it should be their decision when, how and how much to tell their kids about Santa (and presumably the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy and stuff like that too) and they didn't want the teacher doing it for them. Besides I was always told that if I didn't believe in Santa he wouldn't leave me any presents - I believe, I believe!! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: beadie Date: 04 Dec 01 - 04:53 PM "What a friend we have in Jesus," . . . Christ almighty what a pal. Here in the unseasonably warm midwest, we have our own little annual controversy. The Wisconsin state tree (a 35 ft. fir standing (temporarily) in the rotunda of the state capitol, is officially referred to as the "Holiday Tree." Much to the dismay of the hardcore "its-my-holiday-and-don't-you-mess-with-it" crowd, the Freedom From Religion Foundation was successful in their fight to avoid the religious connotation of the original name. They petitoned under the state Constitution's free exercise clause for the right to display a banner with their secular message along side the tree. As a compromise, the name was changed and the banner hund elsewhere in the capitol. Now, however, we have an anual battle over whether or not the ornaments (sent in by school kids from all over the state) that may have religious messages ("God bless America" and the like) can adorn the branches. This year, the FFRF lost their complaint, and all the little kids' stuff, religious-themed or not, is on display. Next year, . . who knows. Me, I just hearken back to the real reason for the season, Solstice. The Christians were Johnny-come-latelys, anyway. If the Pagan celebration had been on July 4th, that's when we'd be exchanging enormously expensive and unnecessary gifts. And, as for Santa, wasn't Clement Moore ("The Night Before Christmas") working for Montgomery Ward's catalog marketing department when he wrote that thing? And they say its not commerical . . . . |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: mousethief Date: 04 Dec 01 - 05:16 PM Boy you people must just be an absolute joy to drink with. What a bunch of puritans! "Look! Someone over there is enjoying herself! Make her stop!" Yeesh. Lighten up people. Some podunk village's christmas tree is hardly the same thing as established religion or forced conversion. Alex |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 04 Dec 01 - 09:23 PM Freedom from religion is a great idea! (Other people's religion, that is.) :-) That's why I refuse to believe in the Democrats or the Republicans... - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: LR Mole Date: 05 Dec 01 - 10:03 AM Awhile back someone around here, having decided that Xmas was demonic in some fashion, started writing SANTA=SATAN on all the walls. Myself, I'd celebrate the Wafflemaking of Bungo the Otter if it would make lots of peope slow down, breathe out, be a little nicer, and sing. But Scrooging is fun, too. Wish I had a good top hat to do it in. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 05 Dec 01 - 12:36 PM Hey, c'mon, Mole..."Santa" is the Spanish word for "saint"! As in: Santa Clara, Santa Rosita, Santa Ana, and so on. On the other hand, the whole Christmas thing does have a decidedly demonic side in that it is the biggest promoter of consumerism, a movement which is squandering the natural wealth of the planet, and burying it in garbage...so maybe you've got a point there... - LH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Donuel Date: 06 Dec 01 - 09:28 AM I am from this town that allegedly banned Santa. Santa was not to light the tree this year , deferring to a police and fireman ceremony to light the tree instead. Santa was there on the back of the firetruck with lights and sirens going. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: GUEST Date: 06 Dec 01 - 09:37 AM Donuel (where have you been lately?) claims something of 'personal involvement' yet again.....what a remarkable fellow he is! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Steve Parkes Date: 06 Dec 01 - 10:31 AM Years ago i read a novel by a man whose name completely eludes me right now (he also wrote "The outlaw Josie Wales"). It was about a Native American kid in the 50s or 60s, I think, who was put in a white orphanage. When Christmas came, he was amazed that these idiots cut down a tree and brought it indoors to watch it die! Steve |
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Subject: RE: BS: Santa Banned From: Little Hawk Date: 06 Dec 01 - 01:40 PM Yep. It's amazing all right. The smart thing would be to decorate a living tree outside, and use that same tree every year, but tell that to people who live in anthills. - LH |