Cashman - I had no qualms at all with Santa Claus. My ex-wife, who was considerably more radical than I, had no problems at all with the secular celebrations. We *also* celebrated Yule in the house.

You have to understand something. I'm rather relaxed about religion in a personal sense. I was raised Catholic and left the church in the early 1980s for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which was fallout from my having a Near Death Experience from drowning in a river in NH's White Mountains back in 1978. Only getting bashed up against some rocks caused me to start breathing again, as near as I can tell.

Because of that, religion is something VERY personal to me. Also, I'm not arrogant to think that I've got some magical insight into "the way" and that I have to force that on anyone else. Sure, if someone wants to talk to me about my experiences, I'm more than willing - just as I've had long and informative/educational chats with Orthodox Jews, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and many others.

Seeing what's going on now in the Middle East, looking at history where religious-based wars carry on for CENTURIES and how even in modern days you don't have to look too far for some scary scenes (Northern Ireland not too long ago), however, highlights a red button issue for me - state support or sanction of religion.

For me, if you allow one religion to do something, you have to allow them all. You can't pick and choose or play favorites. If you allow a nativity scene on the town common (which is fine by me), a menorah and Yule wreath should also be allowed (just to pick two examples off the top of my head). Notice I said *allowed* and not "provided". It's up to the people to make their voice heard, and the government to not silence it.

I have nothing against Catholics. I have major beefs with the Vatican. I bear no ill will towards most Muslims. But that doesn't extend to the mullahs we see in the media. I've never had a problem with Jews. Doesn't mean I support continued settlements in occupied areas.

It's best summed up by a bumper sticker I saw a long time ago. "I love Jesus too - it's his fan club that scares me"