I experienced a pleasant form of culture shock a couple of years ago in Naples in the weeks between "Thanksgiving" and Christmas. Special exhibits of nativity scenes (presepi) were everywhere, from museums to open air stalls. But it was the ones on school playgrounds that caused the most culture shock, since here in the States this would no longer be allowed. Two things triggered this memory: One was the posts here about Christmas traditions. The second was an article in today's paper about how Marseille, France, blurs the line between Church and State, in defiance of France's strict separation of the two. It's believed that this special "blending" contributed to the relative calm in Marseille during the French riots. The town mayor (a Catholic) has cultivated close ties with the city's Muslim, Jewish and other religious leaders -- meeting with them all and even finding legally precarious way to provide some state support and acknowledgment for them all. A city council member is quoted as saying, it's mostly symbolic, "but symbolism is not a game. It is very important." The mayor called it "a crazy system, but it has some utility." It would be nice to think that there would be similar displays outside Italian schools reflecting the special holidays of all major religions. It made me wonder if the "answer" isn't MORE public displays of ALL religions, rather than no public displays at all. To paraphrase the Marseille councilman, this might have some utility after all in our increaslingly multicultural countries.

Hi Joe -

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It made me wonder if the "answer" isn't MORE public displays of ALL religions, rather than no public displays at all.

That is the same idea I was thinking about in my recent blog post.
http://americaninitaly.blogspot.com/2005/11/things-i-wa...king-about-this.html

I don't understand why one person's beliefs, whatever they may be, can ignite such anger and hatred. Like I said in my post, much of your religious choice depends on what your parents believe, or in which country you were born.

In a world, that is so small, and there is so much blending of cultures, the wise thing would be to teach understanding and tolerance - and that is done more through public display than no display at all, no?

unless of course you are a scientologist...then you are just plain crazy. hahaha Does anyone else find it funny, that a religion that bases it's foundation on the concept that aliens inherited the planet, that women should not scream or make any noise during child birth, or that you should not speak at all to newborns for the first month, because they have their own agenda, teaches its followers that psychiatry is a fraud. Gee, I wonder why. haha

Anyway - I agree Joe.

I gues much of it dipendes on whether you think religion is a good or a bad thing. Me I tend to lean on the "bad". Sorry!

Also, consider that nativity displays in Italy have more to do wiith art and tradition (and usually the nativity thing is perpared during the art lessons) than with religion.

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consider that nativity displays in Italy have more to do wiith art and tradition (and usually the nativity thing is perpared during the art lessons) than with religion.

Not for the religious catholics I know. I don't think you can get much more religious then a nativity, can you? The birth of Jesus and the virgin Mary... they seem pretty darn religious to me.. hehe

I don't get disturbed by religious symbols, because if they mean nothing, or little to me, why should they bother me? Headress, cross, yamikah, dreidel, nativity, koran, whatever. When someone strongly believes in their religious symobls, then I assume they are passionate about them and I guess they should be. But if you are an Islam, and you see a cross, who cares... Not your symbol, not your religions. Move on. (Actually I don't know if they use the cross or not...it is an example.)

I am not a religious person, therefore, I don't have issue with any others belief. Unless they use their religion to bomb, terrorize and kill under their religion. That is just crazy.

The article I read was not about whether religion is good or bad (a worthy but different debate). Individuals can decide that for themselves, partake in a religion or not, and all choices should be respected. Rather it shed light on the possibility that the very act of a State acknowledging through symbols that major religions exist and that they exert a powerful force in peoples' lives (and therefore in public life as well) -- that the very act of acknowledging this might in itself serve a good (utilitarian) purpose. That's one reasonable conclusion to take away from the recent events in Marseilles vs the suburbs of Paris. It questions whether the notion of a purely "secular" State is really a good idea. As religious diversity increases, we tend to think that's a cause for publicly ignoring all religions, when maybe we should find broadly acceptable ways to acknowledge them all instead.

Neither I am a religious person. Maybe that's why all religions scare me at the same level ^___^

We lived in Singapore for two and a half years, and I remember those years as going from one holiday to the next : Chinese New Year, Easter, Vesak Day, Deepavali, Ramadan and Eid al Fitri, etc. These are national holidays. Most major religions were represented and celebrated, although I don't recall a large population of Jews in Singapore. Our second apartment in Singapore was a block away from a mosque, and I still remember standing on the balcony and listening to the imam call out the morning prayer on Christmas Day. I had no trouble with it, even as my family and I got dressed for Mass.

It all seemed to work in Singapore, precisely because everyone was able to practice their religion openly. It was like the state sponsored all religions, so there didn't seem to be much tension among the various religious groups. Maybe just a naive expat's take on the society, but in many ways it was a great way for people to learn about cultures and religious practices other than their own, and that seemed to bring about tolerance and respect.

Judith, I enjoyed hearing about Singapore. I think I like their approach. We plan to live in Cushing, ME, after we return from a year or so in Italy (getting there is turning out to be a very s-l-o-w process for us). Speaking of culture shock -- Singapore-Denmark-Milan is an unusual progression. I'd love to hear your thoughts about living on a farm in Maine after Singapore. Do you think you will you ultimately return to Denmark? We have friends who consider Cushing too remote (we already have land there) -- probably the size of Denmark! Georgous lakes and mountains up your way!