Places of worship are seen as essential by many.

Indeed. Much more so than booze, to my reckoning.

That’s because religion is protected in the constitution..

That and there are clauses specifically prohibiting the restriction of religious freedoms.

Plus it's a freedom of worship issue. Just no place for government banning it. They aren't infants and it's not frivolous, like Burning Man.

And as I always say: If you want to change it, do it the right way.

Yes. What Maw said.

Again, what Maw said.

Same goes for Unthanksgiving.

It's funny... The origin of the Christmas holiday and most of its traditions are not Christian at all. When Constantine converted the Roman Empire to Christianity in the 4th century, he worked with the Church to make Christianity palatable to the Roman Pagans. Part of that effort was to assimilate many of the Pagan traditions and rituals into the Christian tradition. Prior to then, most believed Christ was born in the spring given the details in the story - not in the middle of winter. As part of the assimilation the Pagan Solstice /Yuletide celebration where families gathered, feasted, exchanged gifts, decorated trees was transformed into Christmas.

So, I chuckle just a little when people get tweaked about taking Christ out of Christmas....

Gotta ritualize somehow. That was just as good as any other way. Still celebration of Christianity to Christians, which I am not.

Except they do it for completely different reasons than you've otherwise outlined.

That and it's become part of the faith.

Yup

I'm a Meist tho.

I'm a theist.

I grew up in Christian schools.

I just consider myself a theist.

Grew up Christian. Didn't take.

As a Christian...Christmas is a joke to me. It’s completely blasphemous

The church has only officially recognized the worship aspect of celebrating Christ's Mass. The rest of it all predates Christianity. Probably even the commercialization. 😉

Anything other than precisely what a person follows is blasphemous.

Grew up christian, started investigating. That did its job.

Lol same @Doc

Opposite happened to me.

I am a lapsed Catholic... Just couldn't get over the child sex abuse scandal.

@thebrodys accidents happen

no worries

This is getting off topic for the room

indeed

For sure.

but its thanksgiving now.

If they didn't put so much emphasis in the Catholic structure as a component of salvation, they would have done themselves a favor in a modern context, yes. @TaLoN132

"They started it..."

I grew up Christian.. I don’t know what I believe tbh but I like to believe in heaven, an lost love ones looking down on us... Randomly jumping in here 🙋🏼‍♀️

@TaLoN132 pedofiles are everywhere. More in sports than the catholic church, but noone is blaming soccer.

That would be super, for sure. @Beth

Catholicism is not a Christian religion..no matter how much people want to think it is

And Boy Scouts, apparently.

It’s a nice thought