Comments on: The holy wars of xmas http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/ The easiest way to avoid wrong notes is to never open your mouth and sing. What a mistake that would be. - Pete Seeger Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:04:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: michael http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-359 Sat, 22 Jan 2005 22:50:13 +0000 http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-359 Anonymous, What I said was that, "public schools aren’t able to adequately teach the theory of evolution given their resources, pressures, and perhaps even the political climate," not that evolution isn't getting adequate exposure (although I'd have to agree with that assertion as well). I was looking for an explanation of why the widely-accepted within the scientific community theory of evolution is poorly understood, and was guessing that perhaps it's not well taught in schools, or even worse, surpressed. From my perspective, your postulation that other theories (i.e. creationism) should receive the same amount of attention is reactionary, but understandable. No doubt in Georgia many people agree with you. I would feel about the same way if you had suggested that the geocentric model of astronomy (that teaches that the sun revolves around the earth) should receive as much time as the heliocentric theory (that the earth revolves around the sun) in public schools. I'm not a materialist that thinks science can disprove the spiritual realm, nor the existance of anyone's god(s). Yet not all theories are created equal... some just fail to stand the test of time, like geocentrism & creationism. Respectfully, Anonymous,

What I said was that, “public schools aren’t able to adequately teach the theory of evolution given their resources, pressures, and perhaps even the political climate,” not that evolution isn’t getting adequate exposure (although I’d have to agree with that assertion as well).

I was looking for an explanation of why the widely-accepted within the scientific community theory of evolution is poorly understood, and was guessing that perhaps it’s not well taught in schools, or even worse, surpressed.

From my perspective, your postulation that other theories (i.e. creationism) should receive the same amount of attention is reactionary, but understandable. No doubt in Georgia many people agree with you.

I would feel about the same way if you had suggested that the geocentric model of astronomy (that teaches that the sun revolves around the earth) should receive as much time as the heliocentric theory (that the earth revolves around the sun) in public schools. I’m not a materialist that thinks science can disprove the spiritual realm, nor the existance of anyone’s god(s). Yet not all theories are created equal… some just fail to stand the test of time, like geocentrism & creationism.

Respectfully,

]]> by: Anonymous http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-357 Fri, 21 Jan 2005 17:50:08 +0000 http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-357 I was appalled to see that you think the "theory of evolution" is not adequately publicized in public schools. You said yourself that it was a theory, so why should not other theories receive the same amount of attention (i.e. creation). Think about things before you say them! I was appalled to see that you think the “theory of evolution” is not adequately publicized in public schools. You said yourself that it was a theory, so why should not other theories receive the same amount of attention (i.e. creation). Think about things before you say them!

]]> by: Robert S http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-321 Tue, 21 Dec 2004 05:17:36 +0000 http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-321 Bit depressing isn't it? Here's a thought, too. The companies telling their employees to say "Happy Holidays" aren't doing so because the government has told them to, they're doing so because they believe it's economically expedient. In other words, they're just following the market, which many of these protesters would otherwise encourage them to do. Of course, the market also allows the religious radicals to protest to convince the companies to return to saying “Merry Christmas,” too. I nonetheless have to note the irony that they're actually protesting the companies' attendance to the market. The same market many of the protesters worship six (ok, maybe seven) days a week. And currently the market has decided that most of us don't mind being told Happy Holidays as long as the salutation seems cheerful and, hey, at least somewhat genuine. And, mainly, of course, Happy Holidays is more inclusive and doesn't exclude people of other faiths, includin g heathens like me. ;) In other wacky religious news, did you hear about the judge in Alabama, who, apparently inspired by Judge Roy Moore and his 10 Commandments monument, is having the Commandments sewn into his robes as a decoration. Seriously: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=3&u=/ap/20041215/ap_on_re_us/ten_commandments_robe Keep up the great work guys, and, um, Happy Holidays? Bit depressing isn’t it? Here’s a thought, too. The companies telling their employees to say “Happy Holidays” aren’t doing so because the government has told them to, they’re doing so because they believe it’s economically expedient. In other words, they’re just following the market, which many of these protesters would otherwise encourage them to do. Of course, the market also allows the religious radicals to protest to convince the companies to return to saying “Merry Christmas,” too. I nonetheless have to note the irony that they’re actually protesting the companies’ attendance to the market. The same market many of the protesters worship six (ok, maybe seven) days a week. And currently the market has decided that most of us don’t mind being told Happy Holidays as long as the salutation seems cheerful and, hey, at least somewhat genuine. And, mainly, of course, Happy Holidays is more inclusive and doesn’t exclude people of other faiths, includin
g heathens like me. ;)

In other wacky religious news, did you hear about the judge in Alabama, who, apparently inspired by Judge Roy Moore and his 10 Commandments monument, is having the Commandments sewn into his robes as a decoration. Seriously:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=3&u=/ap/20041215/ap_on_re_us/ten_commandments_robe

Keep up the great work guys, and, um, Happy Holidays?

]]> by: Talula http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-320 Sun, 19 Dec 2004 07:59:47 +0000 http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-320 Would these boycotters be more pleased if the store employees either a) did not greet them at all? or b) greeted them with "Happy Hannukah! Have a Wonderful Kwanzaa! Merry Christmas!" To hell with them all, pun intended. On a related note, there was a great article in the NYT today on a recent commercial that certain channels refused to air. They ended up bringing more attention to the commercial for the United Church of Christ than the channels that aired it. The ad had an image of a church with two big bouncers in front, rejecting different people--apparently the two men discretely holding hands (among those rejected) were the central controversy that prevented the select channels from abstaining from airtime. Ultimately the message was to convey that the UC of Christ does not discriminate, much like Jesus did not. I wholeheartedly agree that acceptance, love, and willingness to welcome are the values that Jesus would embrace, and that I, independently, support. As an endnote, what an interesting act of civil disobedience it would make to stage two bouncers outside a church that discriminates in any offensive way. They could pretend to reject anyone they felt unfit to enter. (And then just let them enter, bewildered.) Prob. wouldn't last long, but would catch some attention regardless. Would these boycotters be more pleased if the store employees either a) did not greet them at all? or b) greeted them with “Happy Hannukah! Have a Wonderful Kwanzaa! Merry Christmas!” To hell with them all, pun intended.

On a related note, there was a great article in the NYT today on a recent commercial that certain channels refused to air. They ended up bringing more attention to the commercial for the United Church of Christ than the channels that aired it. The ad had an image of a church with two big bouncers in front, rejecting different people–apparently the two men discretely holding hands (among those rejected) were the central controversy that prevented the select channels from abstaining from airtime. Ultimately the message was to convey that the UC of Christ does not discriminate, much like Jesus did not. I wholeheartedly agree that acceptance, love, and willingness to welcome are the values that Jesus would embrace, and that I, independently, support.

As an endnote, what an interesting act of civil disobedience it would make to stage two bouncers outside a church that discriminates in any offensive way. They could pretend to reject anyone they felt unfit to enter. (And then just let them enter, bewildered.) Prob. wouldn’t last long, but would catch some attention regardless.

]]> by: Suresh http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-319 Sun, 19 Dec 2004 06:33:59 +0000 http://heliolith.com/archives/2004/12/18/the-holy-wars-of-xmas/#comment-319 the creationists have been at it for a while. somehow I am more upset by this issue than by economic boycotts... the creationists have been at it for a while. somehow I am more upset by this issue than by economic boycotts…

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