Why is it acceptable to have a Jewish Menorah on the South Lawn of the White House (it is there now), but if a Christian Cross appears in public ACLU lawyers circle like vultures to sue for its removal?

There is also a national Christmas tree at the White House…

Yeah I think it is lol. But even though I’m a skeptic of it. I believe this would be called ‘karma’. Possibly for all the jacked up stuff christians have done as a whole lol. And I’m sure there’s a tree in there somewhere anyways right lol?

I can see two Christian Crosses out my window. They are a ubiquitous feature of the landscape. We have a National Christmas Tree, and since we are primarily a Judeo-Christian country, we also have a National Menorah. You’re the only one throwing a fit.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26255-2004Jun8.html

yeah…those damn ACLU lawyer-vultures…trying to fight for civil liberties when all the nice, sweet corporate and Christian lawyers try to help poor people

P.S. To me it’s not acceptable to have either of those things in the White House.

Because crosses on the front lawn can become a fire hazard.

I never saw any evidence that the White House proscribes idolatrous symbols concerning the Judeo-Christian sky spirit. What would you do about a Crescent?

I smell a troll.

Is there a lesbian on the lawn, as well?

Definitely a strong troll odor.

Because a menorah does not serve the same purpose as the cross. The cross is the core symbol of the religion, while the menorah is not. The menorah is a symbol of a particular holiday, and it’s inclusion is to balance the inclusion of a Christmas tree, the standard Christian holiday symbol. Those two symbols are adequately balanced. There’s also a difference between a temporary holiday display and a more or less permanently erected cross.

But perhaps the best reason is that the overwhelming majority of Americans identify themselves as Christians. Christian symbolism and language permeates the monuments in the Capital, yet we repeatedly say that somehow they don’t violate the Constitution. Maybe it’s reasonable to give a minority religion one symbol for the holiday season at which they are most likely to feel marginalized, just to make up for how much they (and other non-Christians) are marginalized throughout the year.

@Snarp – Very thoughtful. GA.

@tinyfaery haha, jmah’s girlfriend has been busy.

I couldn’t resist.

@tinyfaery no I know…it has been the day today, hasn’t it for all sorts of righteous whining?

No religious symbols belong on government property, regardless of faith. The Christmas tree is a secular symbol, its use predated Christianity as a symbol of the Winter Solstice.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land What happened to quotidian family fun? What’s the big deal? Chanukkah is a very badly misunderstood holiday that has nothing to do with a menorah or oil or lights (all of that was added later by Rabbis, for political reasons) so, it is essentially similar to the Christmas tree. A menorah is not really a religious symbol, it is the result of a very minor holiday on the Jewish calendar being artificially inflated because of its accidental synchrony with Christmas. The gift-giving, etc. was all borrowed, too. Big whoop.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land The meaning of a symbol changes over time and among individuals. In the case of determining the meaning of a symbol like a Christmas tree on the White House lawn, the meaning that is most likely to be seen by the majority of Americans is the meaning that matters. To most Americans, and to most people in the world, the Christmas tree is the symbol of, obviously, Christmas, a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. No matter how much of the symbolism of Christmas had different roots, to almost everyone on the planet they are about Jesus. Now my Christmas tree has nothing to do with Jesus, but a public Christmas tree does.

What is the swastika a symbol of? It has symbolized many things in the past, and it was less than a century ago that it became associated with fascism and genocide. But that doesn’t change the fact that the swastika is a symbol of fascism and genocide. If you decide to use it and claim it has some other meaning, well good luck with that, try to avoid minority areas.

@Snarp @pdworkin You’re both right. Get rid of the tree, too. Meaning trumps cultural history.

simple answer .. privite property .

or maybe people just dont want to be reminded of this

http://www.evilbible.com/Murder.htm

I just wanna know where the Festivus Pole is?

How about the Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn? These aren’t political issues, they are the way most children enjoy these holidays. I’m sorry you don’t remember these as having been fun, but why punish the Nation?

The Bill of Rights was put into place to protect the minority. Not the majority.

@pdworkin Wait, who’s punishing the nation?

I thought @stranger_in_a_strange_land sounded angry about holiday pleasantries on the White House lawn.

Ah, I see.

@pdworkin I was concerned about the religious symbols. The tree itself is not a religious symbol, but if most people percieve it as such then it should go. What I want to see from the White House is efficient, effective leadership, not symbols or “fun”. Our society already is awash in ‘fun’.

Well, we disagree on this issue, but that’s what makes horse races.

I disagree.

what a shock

Couldn’t all this unpleasantness be avoided by having our legislators pass a law that decrees that Christianity is not a religion?

Simple, Christians generally support Republican candidates so naturally Crosses will draw more ire than a Menorah.