Published: December 23, 2008 08:00 am      

Letters for December 23, 2008

Visit church before misfortune strikes

’Tis the season or is it the reason for the season?

Do your children know the reason? Do they think it is because of Santa Claus that we celebrate Christmas? In times of trouble, people always turn to the church.

We can always count on the “good” people who attend church to help others. Churches have a network of people to turn to in times of trouble. Don’t wait to be in trouble.

Please take the time to help your children learn the true meaning of Christmas. Find out the times your local churches have services, and plan to attend. Being a part of church means fellowship and faith for you and your family.

Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth together.

Theresa Gifford
West Winfield

Gifford writes on behalf of the outreach board at the Federated Church, West Winfield.

Public displays violate Constitution

Flo Foley of Stamford tells us (Dec. 8) that “Christmas means peace, love, joy and hope” — reason enough, in her view, for Christmas decorations to be exhibited “in all public buildings, public parks, public schools …”

Whatever the holiday means to Ms. Foley, it is a profoundly religious celebration commemorating the birth of the core figure in Christian worship. Actually, Dec. 25 was the birth of the Persian god of light, Mithras, who had many adherents around the Roman Empire and whose teachings were often similar to those of Christianity. The early Christian fathers hoped to win these Mithraic adherents as Christian converts by adopting Mithras’ birth date. No matter: the celebration is today unique to the Christian religion.

To display “trimmings” indelibly tied to that holiday on public buildings, therefore, is something that all Americans — of any religion or none — can and should argue with, because it commits public space (and public money) to a particular religion, and that is, of course, anathema to our constitutional requirement for the separation of church and state.

The fact is that, at this time of year, people throughout the northern hemisphere like to brighten the long darkness of winter — whatever their tradition or faith. So Ms. Foley’s disdain for holiday wishes that don’t mention Christ seems both misplaced and churlish. Indeed, in what is supposed to be a season of love, peace, joy and hope, Ms. Foley’s resentment of heathens, pagans and the ACLU sounds unloving, rancorous, unhappy and dispiriting — not the ingredients of a merry Christmas.

Susanna Margolis
Fleischmanns

Closed minds? Just look at Tom Sears

This letter is a response to Gail Lebenick’s Dec. 1, letter about my criticism of columnist Tom Sears. I am originally from the Oneonta area, and attended Hartwick College, which is where I first encountered Sears.

I cannot help myself from continuing to read his columns because I have long hoped, as you stated in your letter, to see some shred of truth in them, or even a researched fact. I have yet to find any. My mind, I can assure you, Ms. Lebenick, is wide open. All I see in his columns is the status quo _ and look where that has gotten us! I agree with other people who have commented that it would really benefit The Daily Star to have a columnist who actually gives a thoughtful, articulate conservative response to events, in place of one who just quotes right-wing media and blames all the evils of the world on Democrats and environmentalists.

I find it ironic that you would implore readers of his column to open their minds when Sears’ is so closed. I am sure the editor could find one if he really looked. Until then, I will continue to check in and see if Sears has learned anything.

Tim Vatovec
Lexington, Ky.