BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Pagan Christmas tree restored as pagan symbol in French school

A Christmas tree was taken down from a French school, apparently as part of the debate over separation of church and state, but later put back up after it was decided it was a pagan symbol and thus not connected to the church.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/041218/80/f8tfv.html

Last night when I got home from work and had finally gotten into bed - bout 130 am - I think it was on cnn or some other news station and they were grousing about how they might have to call the xmas tree at the white house a 'holiday tree'. Which was then countered with the fact that some people don't even celebrate holidays at this time of year and thusly there shouldnt even be a white house tree.
I apologize for the spottiness of this post I was kind of tired last night... =]

Well, given that what is now called a Christmas tree is in fact a very old pagan symbol, I sometimes find it funny that people who do celebrate Christmas and really see it as the birth of Christ get so attached to it.

What is thought of as Christmas in the modern American sense is all based on customs that were created by the English Victorians. Most of what people now think of as old holiday traditions are only from things within the last 100 years, which in the scheme of holiday celebrations, is really not old at all.

I sometimes find it amusing as well. Here in Denver there was a HUGE controversy about the Parade of Lights. What it boiled down to was that there were not supposed to be any "religious" symbols in the parade and some churches were freaking out because there was a dreidel on one of the floats. Then there was the whole Merry Christmas on the COunty building hoopla.

Next year it's going to say Happy Holidays. lol

I'm not quite sure why it would matter if it were a Christmas tree or a pagan tree. They are both religions, so shouldn't it be removed regardless?? Obviously Paganism isn't as organized as Christianity, but it is a religion nonetheless...

That's a valid point. At least be consistent. But I really think it is a lot of fuss about the little things and not enough attention being given to really important issues like preventing religious intolerance from becoming big enough to lead to full scale violence and warfare...

I agree with that too!! I don't think kids especially care if there is a Christmas tree around them. If someone was holding them down and forcing them to pray, yes they would care. I think it is mostly parents who take things too far!