I'm struck by the fact that you almost never find Orthodox Jews complaining about a Christmas crèche in the public square. That is because their children, steeped in the richness of their own religious tradition, know who they are and are not threatened by Christians celebrating their religion in public. They are enlarged by it.Two problems:
1 - Orthodox Jews, generally, don't complain about Christmas, not because they feel secure in their religion, but because they feel insecure in their American citizenship. The more towards the right you go on the religious Jewish spectrum, the more often you encounter Jews who imagine themselves to be barely tolerated guests in America. This isn't our country, they mistakenly reason, so why complain about a display honoring the man who inspired the death of millions and millions of Jews? It won't matter: The goyim hate us anyway. That is the thought behind their silence. Not feelings of religious self-confidence.
2 - "Enlarged" by it? Christmas "enlarges" Jews?
Don't take Chuck's word for it. Let's hear from some Orthodox Jewish bloggers: Do you find that Christmas celebrations "enlarge" you? Tell us the truth, Orthodox Jewish bloggers *: Would your life be less rich, and less joyous if public displays of Christianity suddenly disappeared?
If right wing Jews think Christmas is a good thing, as Chuck argues, tell me this: why do right-wing Jews say Av Harachamim? Why is Nittel Nacht observed by Chasidim? Who does Chuck think Alaynu, with it intolerant and lacking in sensititivty call for ho-ellilim koros yikoraysu etc. is about?
Chuck is just another one of those oh-so-moral morons on the right, who thinks anything calling itself religious deserves uncritical praise -- so long as it isn't Islamic, of course.
NEWSFLASH Yehupy agrees with DovBear! Yet, inexplicitly, the "rabbi" still can't bring himself to criticize Chuck for urging Jews to just relax and let Christmas "enlarge" them. Makes me wonder if Yehupy, like Prager, puts up decoration, maybe?
