Durham - CHRISTMAS TREE or holiday tree!

WHAT IS YOUR SENSE!

CHRISTMAS TREE or holiday tree!

I Strongly feel that the Christmas tree on the Durham Town Green, should revert back to being designated as a CHRISTMAS TREE, not a holiday tree!

PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE POST BEFORE COMMENTING!

As you may know some time back our town changed name of the Christmas tree on town green to the holiday tree. Reverting to call it a Christmas tree, is not a establishing a religion, it is a Celebration!

The intention of this post is not to offend anyone or any group; it is to restore respect for our Christmas tradition.

Today in the U.S., Christians are now being persecuted by the politically correct, compelling us to sanitize our religious celebration by using terms like “Holiday”. The decorated tree at Christmas has traditionally been the CHRISTMAS TREE in this country for over 200 years. (See some history below)

Personally, I am tired of the politically correctness, in our town and in our country.

I resent that a very, very small minority (See survey below) is being allowed to strip Christians of our ability and right to celebrate our Christian holiday of Christmas.

I have no reservations about allowing any other recognized religion group to use a part of the town green to display a symbol in celebration of one of their highest holy days.

HISTORY

This land was partly founded because religious persecution in England, in the 1600s when the Pilgrims left England to escape it. The State Church of England's interpretations were never to be questioned or strayed from. Doing so could result in a penalty, ranging from a fine to death.

SURVEY

Over 75% of the American people associate themselves with a Christian based faith.

As a reference, in 2001-FEB to APR, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York conducted an American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS).

The differences are mainly because they asked their poll subjects what religion they considered themselves to be, rather than what religion they were actually affiliated with.

Results included:

76.5%  Christian (52% Protestant; 24.5% Catholic).

14.1%  do not follow any organized religion; they are Agnostics,    Atheists, Humanists, Secularists, or have no religious affiliation.

1.3% are Jewish.

0.5% are Muslim, followers of Islam.

0.5% are Buddhist.

0.4% are Hindu.

0.3% are Unitarian Universalist.

0.1% are Neopagan (Druids, Pagans, Wiccans, etc.) 

There are many more small religions, each of whom is followed by fewer than 0.1% of American adults.