I read with some amazement the letter from Mr. Perry Foster, complaining about discrimination against Christians and conservatives in our local schools. As a non-Christian who had already suffered through two dozen overheard renditions of ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ before December had even started I can only say that such restraints are long overdue.
I clearly recall being forced to endure Bible readings and mandatory prayers as a child, as the teachers attempted to force the dominant religion into our young and innocent minds. This, coming as it did from those who were there to teach us the true nature of the world, seemed despicable to me even at seven years of age. Today, with the true believers of evangelical Capitalism and Islamic jihad threatening to destroy us all over whose God is the best, those of us who remain must speak out when the religionists demand the right to preach.
I support the school district in such a secular policy. The Christians and Muslims enjoy freedom of religion; let the remainder of us demand freedom FROM religion.
In particular Mr. Foster complains of the district “forbidding mention of the Christian roots of celebrations and instituting policies that replace Christmas with generic winter holiday celebrations.” If he had been paying attention during history classes he would be aware that Christmas was, in fact, moved to the winter solstice to co-opt Saturnalia, the traditional winter holiday celebration of the ancient Romans. Further study would reveal that similar solstice festivals existed in most societies when Yeshua ben Joseph’s ancestors were still wandering the Sinai. Mr. Foster insists that this “smacks if discriminatory anti-Christian policies that fly in the face of our traditions and cultural history and violate our human rights.”
No, sir, they do not. They simply allow the rest of us some recognition of our own traditions and cultural history. They protect our human rights from the dominant majority. Did I mention how many times I have been forced to listen to Christmas carols? How many Chanukah songs has he heard? We live in a society that prizes toleration above all else. During every holiday season it behooves us all to remember that toleration is required of believer and nonbeliever alike; we have a right to celebrate our beliefs, but not to insist that others do so as well.
That being said, best wishes to all regardless of their reason for this season.
David Lowther
Mesachie Lake