Jesus out in the cold for Christmas
Removing the Christ out of Christmas, are other faiths really offended?
bq.. Britian’s Culture Ministry has sparked a yuletide furore by producing season’s greeting cards that deliberately avoid any mention of Christmas.
Terrified of offending followers of other religions, officials have banished the word Christmas and all Christian imagery from its cards sent out this winter.
Each of the 12-card series carries the inscription “Season’s Greetings” because it was thought “Happy Christmas” could insult non-Christian religious minorities.
The only religious images are a drawing of Muslim mosques and a photograph of two Hindu dancers.
p. Does this move toward political correctness resolve or encourage conflict?
bq.. But the move has unleashed the sort of religious ire it was supposed to avoid.
Christian leaders have condemned the decision as devaluing the spiritual meaning of Christmas.
“When we forget that Christ is central to Christmas, we risk turning the celebration into a winter festival of spectacular indulgence. I am not sure that is good for the soul,” said Bishop of Norwich Graham James.
p. What about the other faiths to which the Ministry is being sensitive? In general are they offended by Christmas?
bq.. Even Muslims said the decision was puzzling.
“We would not be insulted by a card that mentions Christmas,” said a spokesman for the Association of British Muslims.
“It is, after all, a Christian festival in a majority Christian nation, so one would expect some recognition of this fact. I would not expect Christians living in Muslim countries to be insulted by Ramadan celebrations.”
p. [ Full Story @ The Advertiser ]
p(small). Source: South Australia Advertiser, Australia © 2003 Advertiser Newspapers Ltd
Listen to this podcast
Filed under: Church and State
The last quote interested me. “I would not expect Christians living in Muslim countries to be insulted by Ramadan celebrations” I don’t ever remember seeing a news story about how non-Christian holidays, like Ramadan, are muted to avoid offending Christians. Interesting thought. Thanks for the article.