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Interfaith Celebrations: Good or Bad Idea?

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    Should we include all religions?

  • Duration 4:59
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And I welcome back to spirited debate OK so there's Christmas Chanukah Kwanzaa winter solstice.

Fill in the blank and anything else like not quite sure land there because we all just -- to get along there's peer pressure to say happy holidays for fear of offending somebody.

And of course we ignored that there's even a difference between the -- and celebrate -- -- launch of the mall.

Aren't afraid celebrations that are about rabbi Irwin who is here to talk about that he's the author of yearnings embracing these sacred messy -- of life.

Welcome -- So -- just all.

Just seeing Columbine.

Just forget all these differences and do interfaith even though they've kind of interface is simple walk stone version of.

-- the religion there was no way to do that anyhow he didn't he can't walk -- does is make a lot of people angry and a lot of other people board.

-- -- -- Religion is what little religion we should let the coming up people become lay up people vote act but the greatest of American and really talking about these holidays in America.

The greatness of America is its freedom.

But here's the upside of freedom the upside of -- we're gonna have a lot of permutations.

A lot of different ways in which people gonna celebrate.

That end the downside of freedom some of those ways are gonna make other people upset some of those ways will look like they they don't think some of those ways will look like they're mixing and blending things that.

Shouldn't be mixed and when did.

According to other people.

Let's listen but don't you think that people have a right to to finally -- -- -- somebody else decide that they about the Christmas trading that's holidays is that you know.

You know it's like saying you know let's take a menorah as -- -- like the -- of Manila who you gonna call it.

All that nice little -- a lot of -- the other night because I just like receive an -- and that's next to it that's defining your.

You know I think we're trying to balance things in America right now we went through a period in which we had very very very high borders -- kind of flattening.

Of religion.

And -- was because religion was perceived to be coercive.

OK now we've kind of gone through that and and I think religions have.

At least in America learned their lesson -- -- courses and now we have to do is we have to.

Kind of opened things up and allow people.

Imagine that when someone says Merry Christmas to me Amadeus generation rabbi but not offending me what they're saying is -- -- wishing you kind of deep blessing.

In the language of their own tradition a pet and I -- you say that you understand I know this is we have to teach people this bright and happy holiday path.

-- -- people right.

Part of their motivation is okay they don't want to offend everybody but what we have to do is to teach people don't be offended if someone says Merry Christmas me here's what I know.

They're a blessing me with the kind of deep deep blessing in the language of their own tradition and -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Merry Christmas.

All -- that whole tradition to be able to offer a blessing.

Back -- there aren't there aren't on similarities in these traits -- of course there's similarities what's really the similarities I would say.

What we have in common is very nice but do you wanna be common.

Tell you wanna be special so I think what's really interesting is we have a lot of things in common.

But the difference is how we -- we really.

That's what got.

What do you think you'll just telling -- -- we actually -- election too much it.

Again might take in America and I think in the world the world still needs some just get -- kind.

What -- a very unique place and it is in in in this respect.

In America we can Begin to relax a little bit and allow the differences to show and not imagine this.

That you -- difference in how you understand Christmas and and -- holiday in the meaning of it in me how I understand Chanukah have been.

If it doesn't mean we don't have to kill each other -- going to make believe we're not different let's hear about the differences -- like you're someone.

Make an explanation of Christmas it's deep and profound regarding the birth of the child and the potential and a child and the opportunity like -- It is what that you.

-- like a -- that you know I don't have that in my tradition the same way.

Interfaith families so that's a little harder because it's one thing to have gotten a public swearing -- all -- seminar it's -- Christmas streets nativity scene what about it interfaith.

Families.

When they have to mix -- so there there's three options.

And in America people gonna do all 31 option is we're gonna do nothing.

One option is we're gonna pick one.

And one option is we're going to do some kind of mixing and blending and we had everything going on in America right now the most important thing -- -- is -- religious and spiritual person whoever you want that drama.

Whether you are.

Mix nothing.

Putting together let the -- decide all those kinds of ways the most important thing is the couple needs to be honest.

People need to be honest -- because this is where people get hurt.

People make -- because they don't wanna they don't think we'll do nothing and in you know want.

Ten years later when -- haven't had Christmas with their -- -- haven't had -- with their kid for ten years and they look and they said what happened.

So much more important to me now than I understood back then I that's present and that's resentful and parents have to deal.

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