Marwa Shaker

Honors English 10 B
Period 4
April 4, 2014 1

Wouldnt the city look more beautiful with more festive decorations? And not
just around Christmas, also with other holidays from other religions. This topic is
somewhat controversial due to the fact that the first amendment stated that the
government cannot force a religion on any particular group or even a person. But
its always a nice way to celebrate a holiday with fun, festive decorations that relate
to the holiday. Religions should be allowed in the public sphere, as long as they do
not pose a threat to the government, and all religions should be treated equally.
I know only a few things about this topic but it interests me very much
because I come from a very religious background. Being a Muslim that is living in
the U.S., many people want this country to hang up Christmas decorations
everywhere. Also celebrate all Christian holidays and I also want to learn more
about this topic and I hope that it gets attention.
I selected this topic because just as I said in the second paragraph, I come
from a religious family. Learning about this can be very useful, since there are many
religions in this country. And since this country has so many people from different
nationalities, and people learning about this can be useful because it gives attention
to other religions and to the issue itself.
I found the research to be somewhat difficult since it is not talked about much
in public. Some of the difficulties I encountered on this research process are that I
knew very little to almost nothing about this topic, and I had a hard time trying to

Marwa Shaker
Honors English 10 B
Period 4
April 4, 2014 2
find good quotes for the research. I got over these obstacles and difficulties by
reading some articles online that discussed this issue, also some articles that I've
read were either with the idea of having religious display in the public sphere or
against the idea. Also I found the most helpful resources were newspapers and
articles online, and I found the least helpful resources were getting information from
the book.

The issue of religious display in the public sphere goes all the way back to
1900s and it was and still very controversial, due to background and the history of
the U.S. From the book With God On Our Side the author mentions the following
quote. In 1980 it ruled that public schools no longer display copies of the Ten
Commandments are inextricably associated with Judaism and Christianity, but also
because commandments prohibiting the worship of other gods and making of
graven images. In Wallace v. Jaffre trial the court also ruled against prayer
exercises.(Martin 380). That shows that the controversial topic goes all the way
back to that time, and many of these types of cases were happening at that time.
And until now, prayers are still not allowed in school due to the fact, that schools
now have many people from around the world that have different religions, and
some decorations offend other people and their religions. Also The fact that these
atheist plaintiffs would settle for removing the cross from the museum is telling.
Their ultimate goal has nothing to do with displaying their "sacred" symbol, the
atom, but rather to eliminate Christianity from our culture. (Armstrong online). This

Marwa Shaker
Honors English 10 B
Period 4
April 4, 2014 3
also shows that people are people are still in conflict with religion and their beliefs,
and many of these cases are happening right now. And struggle it became. A
struggle so bloody that 25 years of it were known as "The Killing Time," a time
during which men, women, and children could be shot on the spot for refusing to
say "God save the king." (Perrino-Walker online). This proof that people are always
in conflict from 100 years ago and even more, and how much could change over the
course of the years.
Since today's atheism is starting to look that they are taking over, allowing
decorations to be hung up all around the city makes people come together and be
strong together. AlsoTodays atheism is different from the atheism of the 18th, 19th
and 20th centuries. Nietzsche, Russell and Voltaire did not gloat over the presumed
death or nonexistence of God. There was no triumphalism in their assertions. While
not enamored of organized religion, they did not view it as a singular force for evil.
(Gotlieb online). That proofs even more of how much religions are changing day by
day and atheism is just one example, and from previous quotes it seems that
atheism is threatening our religions and questioning our beliefs. The same author
also quotes the following. But today's atheists are as extreme in their convictions
as the fire-and-brimstone believer. The resolute follower knows beyond any doubt
that God exists, whereas the atheist knows beyond any doubt that God is a figment
of the imagination. I'm reminded of the aphorism: To the believer there are no
questions; to the atheist, there are no answers. (Gotlieb online). As the quote
states, to the atheist, god is only an object to them, and they are trying to convince

Marwa Shaker
Honors English 10 B
Period 4
April 4, 2014 4
other people of their beliefs, but our beliefs bring us together and unite us. And
another quote says that We form society through a journey of the collective human
imagination. In the past, societies used a shared religion to find their collective
imagination and bind themselves together. That's no longer possible, but can a
purely secular approach replace this function of religion? (Somerville online). And
as I mentioned before and this quote describes, that even 100 years ago religion
brought us together and until today it brings us together.
Some will argue that we should all come together because of who we are and
as a nation not because of our belief, and that topic of religion always seems to
bring trouble to our nation. Also "OUR VARIED BELIEFS CAN BRING US TOGETHER TO
feed the hungry and comfort the afflicted; to make peace where there is strife and
rebuild what has broken; to lift up those who have fallen on hard times. This is not
only our call as people of faith, but our duty as citizens of America, and it will be the
purpose of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships."
(Lysik online) Even though in the previous paragraph I mentioned that religion bring
us together, but many atheist and other people believe that thats who we should
be as a person not our religion. Also The life-size statues of baby Jesus, along with
Mary, Joseph and others, added a visual reminder of our nation's religious
underpinnings. The Nativity scenes were an impermanent acknowledgment of the
timeless role faith and organized religion plays for the residents of Santa Monica
and visitors alike. No longer is that the case; the city has now prohibited the display
of these dioramas on public land. (Gotlieb online). And thats one of many cases

Marwa Shaker
Honors English 10 B
Period 4
April 4, 2014 5
that are currently happening, due to the conflicts that are always happening
between people. And "While there may be few secular aspects surrounding Good
Friday, there are many secular aspects to Easter--the Easter bunny, Easter baskets,
jelly beans, dyed eggs, and Easter-egg hunts. And [the state] has intrinsically tied
the Good Friday holiday to the now-secularized Easter holiday." The "nowsecularized" Easter robs Good Friday of its religious meaning. (Lysik online). They
are telling us that importance of other holidays are taking over other holidays and
thats what is currently happening since we are getting closer to Easter.

I believe that religion does bring us together at all times and that hanging
decorations that relate to one holiday does harm anyone. It is true that some will
not encourage it because of reasons that relates to them but I dont think I know
any holidays that are harmful from any religion and that they offended or put in
danger of a group. And the right to celebrate that holiday in the way it should be
celebrated, should be allowed as long that it does not harm any particular group or
the country.

Marwa Shaker
Honors English 10 B
Period 4
April 4, 2014 6