Re: Culturally Sensitive Xmas

>
> On Wed, 8 Nov 1995, J Ross MacKay wrote:
>
> > This post is intended to invite a discussion on the issue of "Santa Scout"
> > attending a Pack meeting. I'll start with a little background:
> >
> > Our first meeting as a new Cub Scout Pack last December followed a Holiday
> > theme. Several boys volunteered to tell us how their family was celebrating
> > the Holidays. We heard from Jews and Christians of several different cultur
al
> > traditions, then we sang a few secular Christmas Carols.
> >
> > I told this tale at our next Leader's Meeting. Another Jewish member
> > firmly told me that it was unacceptable for me to expect a Jew to accept
> > Santa as anything but a Christian symbol. He allowed that it would be more
> > proper for me to call Santa a Symbol of the Season. We are still planning
> > on having our Santa Scout drop in for a visit.
> >
> > On a side note, I have been told that most Packs in our area have dropped
> > Santa from their December meeting. It seems that experience has taught
> > them that this Symbol of the Season is sometimes offensive to their
> > non-Christian members.
> >
> > So, what do my fellow Scouters feel about the issue "To Santa, or not to
> > Santa?"
>
> To continue this thread, plus my previous post, I feel that any Jew in
> this country is very insecure if he can't go to a "Holiday Party" and say
> Hey to Santa. We did it for years. It was a hoot. My son understood
> that we do not celebrate this but I gotta tell youse guys. I love
> Christmas. I love the Winter songs and parties. I can go and do those
> things and still go to Temple Friday nite and Saturday morning. I am
> capable of separating these things. My son is 14, getting ready for his
> Eagle board, is the ASPL, and the Chapter Sec'y for the OA. Are we
> different than most. Well, my Rabbi would hate this post, but he
> understands me and tolerates my views, just as I expect my Christian
> friends to tolerate mine.
>
> It works for us.
>
> Robert
>
Robert,

I agree with you 100 percent. Any other approach would really smack of
intolerance akin to the forced 'bug juice' incident. As a matter of
interest I once spent a xmas season in the Shouf Mountains of Lebanon
in a small village that was all 'Druze' - a secretive sect found in
Israel and Syria as well. They were happily exchanging xmas presents
and even had xmas trees! They are definitely not Christians! With
that in mind enjoy the season everyone.

Lloyd

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