- Flower Mandalas by David J. Bookbinder
- Flower Mandalas at Cafepress.com
- Clare Goodwin’s Mandala Page
- Judith Cornell’s Mandala Universe
- The Mandala Project
- Robert’s Creek Mandala Gallery
- Wilson A. Bently, the Snowflake Man
Last year, a major brouhaha erupted in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when, in response to a request by a rabbi that a Hanukkah menorah be displayed alongside Christmas trees, airport officials removed the trees and all holiday displays of any kind. Eventually, the trees were replaced (and the rabbi’s threatened lawsuit dropped), but not before much ink was spilled about the controversy.
This year, the airport is not taking any chances of a repeat performance. It will not be having any holiday decorations whatsoever, but instead has erected a “winter display” that celebrates the season pure and simple. The $300,000 display includes birch trees, wind chimes, and non-toxic snowflakes, according to WorldNetDaily.com.
“We wanted to move forward without something that would get us back into any sort of controversy, and I think it is very creative,” airport Commissioner Pat Davis told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “I hope the public likes it – it will take a while to get used to,” he said.
posted December 5, 2007 at 1:17 am
A Rabbi who wants to hi jack Christmas – get a life!!!
I wonder what this self centred and biggotted Rabbi would say if someone insisted that they have a Christmad tree at the feast of the Passover or at a bar mitzvah!!!.
Also, the airport has no guts whatsoever – ba humbug you pathetic people who get pushed around by social terorists who think that the majority should run around and do what these pathetic social hijackers want!!
posted December 5, 2007 at 6:11 am
Personally I’m sick of the “Winter Display”. If a store wants my Christ-mas shopping money, they better have a Christ display and play Christ music. With everyone trying to be polictiall correct, Christians have gotten lost. I have no problem with mixing the religions decors together. I just don’t want Christ being lost in the season. I work for a retail store that doesn’t want me wishing people a Merry Christmas, but I don’t follow directions, well.
Merry Christmas!!
posted December 5, 2007 at 7:32 am
It is far more than likely that Jesus was not even born in December. Seriously, Christmas dispalys do not push Christianity on anyone.
Just tolerate this diversity.
posted December 5, 2007 at 7:36 am
It’s silly. Christmas trees and Santas everywhere IS part of our culture weather you are Christian or not. The trees are beautiful and it is a shame that people will not put them up just to be politically correct.
I do think though that if another holiday falls around the same time as Christmas, you should definitely add those symbols as well.
Maya
posted December 5, 2007 at 12:51 pm
I’m all for diversity and respecting each other, but how can we have diversity, or know anything about it, if we remove all of the symbols from public life that mean anything to anyone? I agree with you, Maya3. It is silly. Folks need to relax and lighten up–and I mean folks on both sides of this so-called “war on Christmas”. Go ahead and greet people with “Merry Christmas”. Chances are pretty good that even if they’re Jewish or don’t celebrate Christmas for whatever reason, they won’t be all that offended.
Me, I happen to believe that we all need a bit of the Grinch in us. We all need to find a way to discover what Christmas is about, and not get sucked into the Christmas “machine” that gets rumbling and rolling well before Thanksgiving. My wife and I agree that we have no Christmas decorations, music or movies (I love “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”) in our house until the day after Thanksgiving at the earliest. We usually don’t decorate our tree until the second week of December. I end up enjoying Christmas a lot more that way.
posted December 5, 2007 at 1:59 pm
poor, persecuted christians. why won’t everyone just leave those defenseless little christians alone?
posted December 5, 2007 at 3:20 pm
I don’t know what Vic’s problem is but for some reason Musmis doesn’t have the same sound as Christmas.
posted December 6, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Thank you Frank, It’s nice to be reminded of that Christmas and it’s traditions actually have more in common with Pagan heritage than anything else.
I’m not Christian, but I LOVE Christmas, I always have. In my language it’s called Jul.
I am never offended if someone wishes me Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Easter etc… it’s nice that people wish you a happy holiday, it does not matter which one.
Maya
posted December 6, 2007 at 6:08 pm
A Rabbi who wants to hi jack Christmas – get a life!!!
I wonder what this self centred and biggotted Rabbi would say if someone insisted that they have a Christmad tree at the feast of the Passover or at a bar mitzvah!!!.
A rabbi sued to get a menorah alongside a giant Xmas tree – in a public place – and that’s highjacking Xmas? He didn’t even want the tree removed, just our faith represented as well.
That makes him self-centered and bigotted? Wow.
Methinks the rabbis is not the self-centered bigot here.
P.S. Bar mitzvahs and Passover are not celebrated at public places, you twit. Learn the difference.