Sunday, July 20, 2008

Stoning Santa.

It may seem strange to be thinking about Christmas on this fiercely hot Florida Sunday, my neck red from spending yesterday on the water, my eyes stinging a bit from spending the morning in the pool, hiding in the air conditioned refuge of my office and reading blogs.

My usual reaction to the alleged Secular Liberal [ read Jewish] War on Christmas is Humbug, but my friend and colleague Abigail Esman writes at World Defense Review that things in Holland have gone a bit further than Wal-Mart greeters being asked to say Happy Holidays. The annual Christmas party held by the agency that runs Amsterdam's public transportation has been canceled because "a Christmas party is too one-sided" in a multi cultural society. It was never controversial in this famously tolerant city before the huge influx of Muslims who now seem to be agitating to legislate every thing from mandatory long sleeves and long pants for construction workers to preventing women from having to sit next to men on airplanes. Santa Claus, in his local manifestation has been literally stoned and chased out of Muslim neighborhoods in Holland.

Holland has often been a haven for those fleeing religious persecutions: Protestants, Puritans and Jews took refuge in the Netherlands. It seems more than sad that those taking refuge there today are willing to use violence and murder to end that tradition when it comes to others.

Of course the lesson I'm preaching this Sunday isn't about how awful Muslims are, but about how awful is the tyranny of religious power. Whether it's using tax money from Atheists to glorify plastic idols in the public square or building monuments to received instructions from Jewish Gods, standing up against legislating from the pulpit is standing up for freedom and indeed safety, for all.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sigh, will it ever, ever end. I don't mean to continually spout off about Singapore, but this is a very multi cultural country that has solved this issue so easily. I just can't understand why others don't follow it's lead. Here, the holidays of all the major religious groups are celebrated. Christmas is celebrated in the traditional way with lots of shopping and decorations and presents etc. Deepavali and Hari Raya are also celebrated as is Vesak Day. No one complains about having the additional public holidays.

As far as acceptable dress or enforced rules of attire, each culture maintains it's own and that is respected by the others. But no one demands that everyone adhere to one way or another.

Seems to work.

By the way Fogg, there is a commenter who is using your handle to spread his right wing, sewer mouth propoganda. I have deleted his comments from my blog but if you want the detailed info, email me. Libby has my addy.

RR said...

I've been bogging (and debating II) on religion for the last couple days. Religious dogma - dogma in general - is simply bad: bad for the individual and for society.

Capt. Fogg said...

Please demand the original Capt. Fogg. Accept no substitutes.

Bad for everyone indeed.