[jillianleab]

Where I moved from, this kind of debate drew so much flack from every culture and religion present. It got so that the school system celebrated nothing. But there was still a "winter break" (around Christmas) and a "spring break" (around Easter). Was a farce but the school district decided they could no longer appease everyone and if they had a Christmas program for the children, they would have to have a celebration for everyone else.

It's the same where I live. Winter break for the public schools is always over Christmas, and Spring Break is always over Easter. I remember when I was younger we could call it "Christmas break" and "Easter break" but that came to an end pretty quickly! I also remember as a young child making Christmas themed crafts in school (Santa, for example), which from what I understand, doesn't happen now.

So, to answer the original question, since public schools do not actually celebrate Christmas (well, perhaps some do, but they aren't supposed to), no, other religious holidays should not be celebrated either. Private schools are up to the decisions of the board members - if you are Jewish you probably wouldn't enroll your kid in Catholic school and get ticked off they won't let you observe Yom Kippur, right? Public schools should, however, promote tolerance and acceptance of other cultures, which means excused absences for religious holidays, or, if the population demands it, certain dietary observances where needed.

It does get touchy since winter breaks are always over Christmas, and Easter is almost always over spring break, but is that really considered the school "celebrating" the holiday? Both are federal holidays here, so perhaps if religious groups want equality for their respective holidays they should put pressure on the government to recognize them as federal holidays. Boy, wouldn't THAT be interesting!

[worthbeads]

Look out, the question has changed!!! Please read the altered original question.

[startover22]

We do both, help if we can and let him/her pay the consequences... there are ways of doing both.. Oh geeze that is the mother in me... let him drown in his tears for goodness sakes... ok, no I would help, no you shouldn't, but I don't want him to suffer... OMG that is a true fight right there!
AND please keep no score... I am afraid of who's side I will be on sweet.

[jillianleab]

Hey, worth, next time could you not change the original post? It will make it confusing for people just joining the thread, or people who are just reading for enjoyment. We can keep up if you just make a new post!

"Should you go out of your way to help people who bury their own graves?"

Here would be an example of the preceding question:

"A person drinks, does all sorts of drugs, and leads a self-destructive lifestyle. They see no interest in changing their behavior. Should you help them when they refuse to listen to reason, or should you leave them to suffer their own consequences?"

For me, it depends on who it is and how much they are damaging themselves. I will kick the crap out of my husband if he goes down that path and would fight tooth and nail to keep him away from it. If it is someone I really, really, love, they are worth fighting for. A distant cousin? A long lost friend? Sorry, but I can only help so much, and one must see the damage they are doing to want to change. I'm not going to pour that sort of effort into someone who is not vitally important to me.

Here's just another question involving these questions:

Do you think it would me more interesting if we scored sides and have this be a competition, or should this just be for the fun of it?

Just for the fun of it. If you wanted to keep score, you should have put it in a category we could rate.

[worthbeads]

Okay, I will make separate posts in the future. But what does everyone want? Should there be a score? Should I make 2 threads for each question; one scored and one not? Do you want the score system to be with the AMHD green and red system?

What can be done to improve?

Are enough of you going to be involved enough to make this worthwhile?

[startover22]

Ok, I think you may be right Jillian... Every once in a while there is someone who makes that difference and every once in a while that someone comes by and touches the "digging his own grave guy" and guess what happens... a blessing in disguise. And then there are the A-holes who should just keep diggin. It is our choice who to help, but sometimes, we are just in the right place at the right time. Whether we know it or not...

[firmbeliever]

Worth,
I am in...

Make it different threads.

[worthbeads]

All right. I will make the first non scored debate. If enough of you ask, I might make them scored. You can also suggest topics to me via private message.

[Synnen]

The only thing about separate threads is that people like me, who sometimes have limited time to FIND interesting threads like this have to go LOOKING for them.

I usually have 10 minutes in the morning, 5 at lunch, and 1/2 hour or so after work... and I have a thread to moderate in those times as well.

I'll keep going (and scored is great, as far as I'm concerned) as long as I can find the threads! :)

[startover22]

I wonder how you will determine who is on who's team or side though. I am so wishy washy... (still learning) it only takes another opinion in some cases to change my mind... Sounds weird but that's how it is...
Synn, it is nice to see you anytime!

[magprob]

They only keep digging their graves until one of two things happen.
1) They fall in.
2) They get sick and tired of being sick and tired, quitting their vices and trying to put their lives back together.

You can't make anyone do anything they are not ready to do.

As far as the second question, I don't give a crap what they do just as long as they don't scare my Chihuahua or walk on my flowers.

[NeedKarma]

Make two threads. Never change the original question.