I Wish For Christmas Trees To Be Everywhere

Atheists - God bless their sensitive and allegedly secular souls -  are making the news as they usually do around Christmas time. Always out there trying to make a point about the separation of Church and State and all that.

Hey, they got some point. For example, prayers before council meetings at City Hall may not be the best of ideas given the Church and State argument.

On other points, they go overboard. Like, for instance, taking issue with festive displays of Christmas on public property. It's all so, les mots justes, get a life.

Is there irony in the fact that while they argue religious symbols have no place on public property that the very same public lands are part of the democratic process? What do I mean by that? I presume atheists accept the 50% +1 notion as democratic (for the record I don't). If so, if we were to take having, say, a Christmas tree put up in front of City Hall to a vote, I'm pretty the majority of people would be cool with it.

You know, we really need to get over ourselves. Rather than make this a technical discussion on 'Chirch and State' I'd rather appeal to common sense and decency. Christmas time is one of the few times we have where people generally and genuinely are happy.

Let it be.

One of my employees is Muslim-Iranian. I was kidding her that she wasn't coming to our Christmas party but she matter of factly stipulated they do celebrate Christmas...for the kids. Presents and all that. They have Ramadan and Christmas. Double shot of religious holidays and observances.

She isn't bothered or insulted by all the Christmas decorations. Why should she be? Why should we change traditions for the few?

Same for the Jewish parents. Both are married into Catholicism and celebrate Hannukah and Christmas.

Like I said.

Let it be.

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The State has pretty much taken over all places once the domain of the Church. As we sterilize our existence into the grips of the bureaucracy, we have lost the sense of family and community that once came with the Church.

Do not misconstrue my position for being against the separation, just wondering if the line is more flexible than we think.

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Won't be long now. The iconic Mount Royal Cross that overlooks this great city will one day be a target.

More pics here.