Comments on: Airport Christmas Trees Make Comeback

Rabbi Drops Lawsuit Threat Against Seattle Airport For Not Including A Menorah

[shingles1]

Triton441, Merry Christmas to you!

However, jumkey is right - the holiday's origins pre-date Jesus. In this case, the pagan winter solstice celebration, among others. The early Christian church had a habit of piggy-backing on top of pre-existing Jewish and pagan holidays and celebrations. In fact, December 25th only became the official date of Christ's birth in the year 350 when Pope Julius I declared it so.

[jrevick]

All of Seattle and now the country has seen these people who threaten a law suit over christmas trees for what they really are...trouble makers and whiners. A christmas tree is not a religous symbol. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[triton441]

To Jumkey:

I'm sorry the Christmas season means so little to you and I'm sorry I insulted you. Christmas is about Jesus Christ whether you like or not, believe it or not, enjoy it or not. Yes, you have the option to view it as you do. I see Christmas with Santa Claus and trees and presents as well..and I enjoy those. It still doesn't change the reason the holiday exists. Celebrate any holiday any way you choose. I see Christmas and Easter and consider Jesus Christ. I see Memorial Day and think of the people who have passed away and what they meant. I see your birthday and see "you" whether it means birthday cake, candles, presents, friends. It's still about you and people recognizing you regardless how you celebrate. I say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. My tree is up and presents purchased. You're right. It's not my holiday. It's a holiday for everyone in the world to enjoy and share and for those who believe there is someone more important than themselves. And I thank Jesus every moment I can to consider Him and the peace He offers.

[btalking1]

And may we ask the Rabbi how he justifies threatening a federal lawsuit as in the "spirit of Christmas"?

I am an agnostic but I am always happy to allow others to believe whatever they want and celebrate however they want. If it offends me, I leave! If I don't believe what they believe, they can't force me. And decorations don't change that. The rights of any one individual (or individual religion) do not negate the rights of others (or other religions). What is so hard about this concept?

[wadyaknow]

ObservantX I totally agree with you and couldn't have said it better!

[jumkey]

Well, I hate to break the news to you Triton441 but Christmas time for me has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus Christ. Virtually every manner and method we use to celebrate Christmas is secular - from Santa Claus to the Christmas Tree to mistletoe to turkey dinner. All non-religious and enjoyed by non-Christians. Christ is immaterial to the holiday.

There have been winter pagan celebrations since man first walked out of the jungle, we just happen to call ours Christmas.

It's not your holiday so get over it.

[agnim]

Was the Port Authority trying to be coy when it suspended the tree installation over the asinine objection of that ridiculous rabbi? LOL

All these objections to HARMLESS traditions from these foreign ideologies is just disgusting.

We should in turn be objecting synagogues and mosques.
Let them take their crappy symbols to the Middle East where they can fight among themselves and blow up each other mosques and synagogues.

[love2live1]

Good Grief! Thank goodness the Christmas trees are back! The Rabbi should be ashamed of himself. A Christmas tree is tradition and has nothing to do with religion. Take a chill pill Rabbi! Enough's enough. "Merry Christmas" and Happy new year!

[chutley1]

No matter what your beliefs are about Christmas or Hanukkah--no matter what your religious inclinations are---this whole situation falls squarely on the shoulders of the rabbi and his lawyer who threatened a lawsuit! They set a deadline for action and threatened a lawsuit! That's what got this whole stupid thing started! I think the rabbi and his lawyer handled the whole thing in a very immature way. Surely they could have raised their concerns in a better way--you know, acting like they practice what they preach. I don't think the response they got from the airport was unreasonable--who has time for that now? I'd rather the port folks worry about travel safety!! Why couldn't the menorah be offered in the spirit of the season in the first place instead of preceeding it with a threat? And people wonder why the world is the way it is.......

[observantx]

This is nuts. All this Sturm and Drang over a tree vs. a menorah. No disrespect to the Rabbi, but if he wants a menorah, he can have as many as he wants - at home. The tree is an old traditional secular tradition. Centuries ago the decorated tree was a religious symbol among the Germanic tribes. The Druids and even the Romans venerated trees. Today, the religious aspect of the trees is gone.

We have this same nonsense every year. Somebody starts wailing and weeping about a secular war on Christmas because people put up trees and Santas and snowmen instead of Nativity scenes and angels. Give it a rest. You want Christ in Christmas, do it as much as want in your own home. This is the United Sates. We have freedom of religion. That also means we have freedom FROM any particular religion.

Let%u2019s just enjoy the season and stop trying to force our religions down each others throats. We see enough of the damage that leads to in Iraq and other places.

By the way, Merry Christmas to you all.