NYC Schools to Celebrate Muslim Holidays

Claiming that Christian and Jewish holidays are celebrated, the New York City Council voted last week to add two Muslim holidays to the city's public school calendar, citing the annual observance of Christian and Jewish holidays.  Mayor Bloomberg objects, saying that you can't take off school for everything. Apart from the fact that I would have welcomed the extra days off when I was a kid, this move is truly unbelievable.  Has anyone noticed the rush to secularization of what used to be considered "Christian" holidays in America. Under the guise of separation of church and state, vestiges of Christianity are being removed as quickly as possible. But, under the guise of tolerance and pluralism, some are establishing the recognition of Muslim holidays. Admittedly, this is not a nationwide thing and I don't want to be alarmist, but I wonder if we will one day see an America that is protected from Christian influence while similarily being wide open to recognizing and making allowances for other non-Christian religions? It seems that we are headed down that path.

Frederic Baue wrote a book on this a few years ago called The Spiritual Society: What Lurks Beyond Postmodernism. It is excellent. He says that we are not moving toward a secular society, but rather, a neo-pagan spiritual society that will be very hostile to Christianity. We works off of the observations of sociologist Pitrim Sorokin regarding cultural shifts. He says that we are moving toward a more spiritual age that will affirm pluralism of belief but will reject Biblical Christianity as a valid belief system during this time. It was written in 2001 and everything that has happened since then only confirms his thesis.

Comments

[Big Daddy Weave]

"Has anyone noticed the rush to secularization of what used to be considered "Christian" holidays in America. Under the guise of separation of church and state, vestiges of Christianity are being removed as quickly as possible. But, under the guise of tolerance and pluralism, some are establishing the recognition of Muslim holidays."

This is Apples and Oranges. Sure, the 10 Commandments have been removed - if they were still hanging around - but Christmas is still observed and here in Texas the kids get off for both Good Friday and the Monday following Easter. It's not like we still have other Sacred Texts hanging around on the walls of our public schools.

It's bothersome though not surprising that many conservative Christians have argued and continue to argue for extensive accommodation of Christianity but are hesitant if not downright hostile to the notion that such accommodation should be extended to other faith traditions.

I thought that Brent Walker of the Baptist Joint Committee had a sound, concise response to this brewing controversy in NYC. Here's what he wrote:

"Mayor Bloomberg is wrong in saying that the City of New York does not have to accommodate all faiths. But he's right in saying that, given our vast religious pluralism, schools cannot close for "every single holiday." Let me explain.

Under the First Amendment, public schools cannot "observe" or "celebrate" religious holidays in a devotional sense. But, in pursuing an education mission, public schools are perfectly free to teach about religion. And, what better way to do it than to take advantage of teachable moments provided by a particular religion's holidays.

Public schools should accommodate the religious needs of its students. This means at least that students who are unable to come to school because of a religious holiday observance should be excused without prejudice or penalty. So, in this sense, every religion should be accommodated.

Beyond this, as a matter of administrative convenience, when a large number of students are being excused for a particular religious holiday, it may make little sense to hold classes. In that event, officials can close the public schools -- not to celebrate a holiday but to respond to the practical problem of trying to hold class when few are likely to come.

Yes, public school should accommodate all religious holidays through a generous excused absence policy, teach about religious holidays as part of its educational mission, "observe" or "celebrate" no religious holidays in a devotional sense, and close school as a matter of administrative convenience where it makes sense to do so."

[Alan Cross]

Good thoughts, BDW. But, I think that we are arguing the same thing just from different sides. I don't care if the schools eliminate vacation days for Christian holidays. We have Good Friday off and I don't know how much it enhances worship for most Christians. It does for me, but I am in the minority there, I think. The irony here is that for years we have heard that we are not celebrating Christmas but rather, "The Holidays." But now that there is a desire to recognize Muslim holidays, it turns out that we have been recognizing Christian holidays all along. Which is it?

I'll grant you Conservative Christian hypocrisy on the point of equal recognition for all religions in a pluralistic society. Will you grant the secular hypocrisy as well? Because that is what my post was about.

Because this hypocrisy exists and secularists hold the power, I see a day coming where the state is protected FROM Christianity, but other religions are invited to participate and are protected. That day may be a long way off and I do not equate that state of affairs with persecution per se, but that is where I see us trending. I don't believe that secularism is nuetral toward Christianity and I do believe that it will use other religions to push Christianity further out of the public square while simultaneously inviting other faiths in. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is where I see us heading.

So, where I differ from the religious right is that I think that our response to these things is to be faithful, worship God anyway even if it isn't propped up by the state, love all people, and live peaceful lives as far as it depends on us. Also, turn the other cheek. You know, what Jesus said.

[Lisa]

All I have to say today is AMEN!