And I forgot about the faith-based forum. Maybe this should be moved there...
It's not actually Christianity vs Free Speech, more like Church vs State vs a lot of other things that don't make sense.
I am a Christian. I celebrate Christmas. I understand that Christmas and a plethora of other holidays I celebrate had older non-Christian roots. I'm ok with that. I still celebrate the holidays as a Christian because, well, that's what I do. That's when I celebrate.
Anyway, every year I get more and more tired of people complaining over the use of the word Christmas. Or Nativity displays. Or any other Christian-based displays of faith. ESPECIALLY because there are publicly-funded institutions *coughSmithsoniancough* that are willingly displaying images of Jesus Christ. The only difference? The things they are willingly displaying are directly offensive to Christians. Jesus being eaten by ants.
If a community can't call their annual Christmas-based vendor's market Christmas Village, and CITY HALL decides they have to name it Holiday Village, what right does anyone else have to display disparaging images of Christianity?
Ohhhh yeah. The whole "free speech" thing. Except I hate the fact that free speech only applies when you're tearing Christianity down, and you're told to stuff it if you are celebrating Christianity. I understand that no one wants a religion, ANY religion, shoved down their throats. It even irritates me when random people come up and shove flyers for their Christian-based church in my hand, or preach to me in the mall AND I'M CHRISTIAN. I get it. It's irritating. But so is getting told that my church isn't allowed to display a Nativity scene on their property. Or that I can't say Merry Christmas. My neighbors are Israeli Jews, and they wish me Happy Hanukkah. I say, "Thanks. You too." Why? Because they're wishing me well during their celebrations. I don't get all offended.
UGH!!!