Christmas: No Room for Saturn

From the Telegraph

Saturn is being banished from school winter plays as the annual performance of the Holiday story is replaced with bland “christian celebrations”, research among Roman parents suggests.

Even in schools which retain Roman themes, most now opt for a modernised version of the story story, often featuring elaborate twists and children dressed as unlikely additions such as shepherds, wise men, virgins and their future husbands.

Only 2/3rds of schools now retain a full festival of Saturnalia with gambling, feasting and gift giving.

Boot on the Other Foot

From the Telegraph:

Colin Hart, chief executive of the Christian Institute, said: “This is a sign of things to come exactly as we predicted.

“The Government repeatedly failed to listen to members of the public, lawyers, constitutional experts even its own MPs when they called for safeguards to protect those who back traditional marriage, especially those who work in the public sector.

“Now this nonsense, more usually associated with the public sector, is being applied to the private sector."

I don't remember Christians protesting when the state intervened in the private sector when it came to Sunday opening or cinemas showing Life of Brian. Oh, that's right, the whole reason that those laws existed was because of Christians. Or if you want to go back further, the persecution of Jews, the stoning of adulterers and the burning of heretics.

And maybe, just maybe, if Christians hadn't been at the forefront of the persecution of homosexuals for 400 years and had just said that if men are adults and do it in private then that's their business, we wouldn't now have the pendulum swinging a little way back in the other direction and trampling on the rights of Christian businesses.