Show of Hands

Portraying a historical event, is not religious. The symbolism of the event is held in the heart of the one viewing it. There are many religions with separate beliefs on the event.
How many atheists celebrate Christmas , to them it is just a tree a baby and some Shepard's.
Don't be petty!!

Does anyone detect a double standard here? How can one prohibit such a display and not be prohibiting the free exercise of the same?

I think its funny. all these people offended by christmas, christmas trees, and nativity scenes. But turn around and ask them to work christmas day or eve and they throw a fit about wanting the holiday pay. Merry Christmas to all.

It's not a law, it's just decoration. They have not violated the first amendment. And they're exercising their right to express themselves. And by the way I'm an atheist.

It's spelled "Christmas". Not "Xmas" and not the"Holidays". Get over it! It's the celebration of the birth of Christ. Period.

We celebrate the giving aspect. Not the religious aspect. I can't stand Christians that turned Pagan holidays into their own.

Liberal atheist here.
It doesn't offend me in any way. I say merry Xmas to people. They say whatever back. It doesn't bother me. Don't know what the big deal is.

HA. Having Christmas decorations isn't violating the First Amendment; prohibiting them is.

Wow, your way off. We founded our country on the separation of church and state because people were afraid of the power the pope and the Catholic Church had in England. History fail...

If public nudity should be allowed such displays should be as well. Why should I stop because u are offended. Wasn't that the nudity argument??

Let's be honest, Jesus wasn't born in December. Christmas wasn't a Christian holiday til Rome converted, before then Christmas was saturnalia, solstice, etc. So technically, Christmas cant even be traced to Jesus. So wreaths, trees, lights are fine but don't use my money for fictional Jesus stories.

Keep it off public property. If you like fairy tales put up a nativity in your own yard.

I can't stand atheists that celebrate Christmas.

If you need a government to endorse your religion, you have a crappy religion. The government workers can display whatever they want at home, but the public places are not theirs. Be respectful to other people.

The SOH'ers Anonymous meeting is at 8 on Friday nights.

Nativity scenes are a violation IMO.
The Christmas trees are not.
I'm pretty sure there were no evergreen trees in first century Israel.

No, but I think it is poor judgement when you mean to rule people of many faiths and you only focus on one groups beliefs.

It's that time of year folks.
The time of year when Fox "News" starts to pander even more to the religious right and talking about "the war on Christmas". It happens every year.
A war that doesn't exist.

After a few weeks on this app I've concluded Palindrome is an idiot.

It makes me laugh when people like you make a snipe comment and contribute nothing. It's the most transparent way of saying, "I disagree with you but I'm not smart enough to actually join the discussion/argument!"

Christmas tree? That's fine by me, basically secular at this point. Nativity? Nope. If you put up the nativity you will also have to put up decorations for every single religion's holidays. I want a Darwin fish decoration dammit.

I think Christmas trees are ok because they've been adopted by secular society, but nativity scenes are too overtly religious for government displays

Whether its the 10 commandments or a nativity scene, these things belong in human folklore not government. If you want to pretend there is a god, go to church,but leave your fairy tales out of my government.

If government buildings were putting up Hanukkah or kwanza decorations, then you'd get a bunch of Christians all in a fit

Well I didn't comment within five minutes, so now I have no chance of getting top comment...

God wasn't added to anything until much later. Jesus didn't make a difference in the nation's founding. The colonists didn't say "hey, Jesus didn't get enough credit. Lets make a country for him"

... Ok? That was a, er, very deep contribution. Way to go

Sorry waytogo but here I have to agree with palindrome.
We rarely agree but at least palindrome has arguments - you don't it seems.

It's not a violation as long as they don't make it a law. The constitution prohibits laws regarding religion. Simply setting up a tree or nativity scene is not making a law regarding religion. And for all of you out there against a nativity scene, way to be tolerant!

I like how Christians scream this is a Christian nation, god this and god that then in the same breath they criticize Iran and Saudi Arabia for being ruled by religious law. Thomas Jefferson said religion produces 2 classes of people: hypocrites and fools.

I believe in God. But I don't believe in this. It's a religious statement on public property- the property of ALL taxpayers. If not one single person objects to it, then you can keep it. If someone does, then chuck it. It advances no purpose. This is EVERYONE'S America, not just religious America

A historical event??? Please provide me an example of this 'event' in a Credible history book.

XMas is not anti-Christ. It evolved as a shorthand for Christ based on the Greek letter X, which translates to Christ. Look it up.

Cause it's tax payer dollars. When our money is involved, we have a right to make anything an issue.

Seems like telling them to stop is more a violation than letting them...

For a true atheist the symbols should be meaningless; if you take offense, you are simply against religion.

decorate as you wish on your own private property...stop trying to cram it down everyone's throat in the public domain...our country was not founded on 'majority rules' no matter what some people think

I will also add that if Muslims and devil worshippers want to display their fictional stories like the Christians then they should also be allowed too.

The worst are the atheists who start wars with people who disagree with their religious beliefs…oh wait. That never happens.

Christmas is a Christian holiday. You don't like it, there are a lot of countries you can move to . I bet you take the day off on this Christian holiday. Fact is government closes on this Christian holiday. Again, you don't like it, move or turn your head when you go by but stop whining.

Not allowing it would be a violation of the 1st amendment!

Nope. As long as all religions are free to do so on their special times of the year we should be okay with it.

It's freedom to practice not freedom FROM.

How is a nativity scene pushing my religion on anyone? If you're not a believer, ignore the scene and be on your way. No one is forcing you to look at it.

Lets say I started a new religion. My religious holiday symbol is a giant poster of gay sex. If the government puts up a nativity scene, then they have to put up mine as well. Freedom of speech and religion and all that.

Imo. People in this country are so thin skinned its almost unbearable.

I work for a state agency. Our rule is Christmas trees, snow men and Santa are secular, so that's how we decorate. Our patients love it. We let them hang nativities in their own space if they choose. Seems like a good rule to me...

If no form of historical art associated with religion should be displayed on public property...then ZERO historical art should be displayed. The history of mankind and especial our nation is intrinsically steeped in religion.

Wasn't the country founded on the freedom of religion?

No... It does not prohibit any other religion. Christmas trees in particular have also become more of a winter tradition than a religious custom.

Christmas doesn't have religious meaning for many people nowadays. I have atheist and Buddhist and even Jewish friends who celebrate Christmas for fun.