Where has Christmas gone
Posted by: Mustang17
27th Nov 2010 06:58am
The Child Centre where my daughter-in-law works will not be celebrating Christmas with the children as there are families who attend who dont believe in it. Last time I checked this was Australia and I grew up going to school and making Christmas gifts and easter bonnets as a way of life.
To me this is a tradition of the Australian way of life which we now have to change for a minority. It's not like we would go to their country of origin and demand that they celebrate our way of life.
paof11
- 8th Dec 2011 02:46pm
I see last poster has picked up this topic again one year later! Same issues probably abound now. I am a Christian (RC), and so I clearly understand and celebrate the Advent and Christmastide seasons for the reason they exist in the first place. But I am not sure that our societies (either Australia or NZ where I am) are sufficiently Christian anymore for us to assume that the Christmas story is relevant to the majority of children attending a child centre, or indeed any non-Christian educational facility. I don't think a secular child centre or even a secular junior school is equipped to provide enough story around different beliefs and major celebrations across different religions, and if Christianity is not anymore the "default" belief system of a clear majority, then even though it is part of our shared heritage I don't see how we can argue that the Christmas story should be taught and celebrated at these institutions.
Personally I would rather not have a distorted picture of Christmas portrayed (Santa and northern hemisphere klitchy scenes complete with reindeer), and wouldn't trust secular educational institutions to tell the true story of Christmas appropriately.
From age 7 or 8 upwards it might be appropriate to talk about our Christian heritage as nations, but from an historical and anthropoligical point of view. It is the task and duty of Christians to re-evangelise our nations ..... the Christmas story can then be justifiably told to all and sundry when Christianity "rulz".
Help Caféstudy members by responding to their questions, or ask your own in Café Chat, and you will get the chance of earning extra rewards. Caféstudy will match these and donate equally to our two chosen Australian charities.
