how is West secular when their public holidays are actually based on christianity? sunday, christmas, good friday etc?
if state and church/ or any religious institute is suppose to be separate for any supposedly good government, then why have holidays based on one religion only?
Re: how is it secular?
I need more holidays
Re: how is it secular?
^ i wudnt mind either :p
but why not have holidays on the days that are not significant for any religion?
Re: how is it secular?
so some holidays are based on religious events/myths - so what? secular is when people are free tp practice (or not) the religion of their choice without the govt imposing a jazya on them. Much of 'west' passes this test.
Re: how is it secular?
^ i am talking about secular government ( government that does not follow any religious code).
religion shud be practiced freely everywhere whether it is west or east.
Re: how is it secular?
holiday comes from two words:
holy
day
it got to be a sacred day based on a religion.
Re: how is it secular?
like my cat’s birthday?
Re: how is it secular?
^ depends on how cute ur cat is.
Re: how is it secular?
^ Not like Alex from Madagascar for sure :D
Re: how is it secular?
lolz.. i lovedd the giraffe and penguins!
urgh… stick to the topic 
Re: how is it secular?
Suroor, dont u think that there will too many vacation if they do like u want them to?
Re: how is it secular?
^ Peace Moti! What can u do to change this? If u are referring to Canada then yes as a secular country they cater majority first. As a Muslim u do have the right to take a day off for your religious activities, but limited as per employer’s discretion. I know ppl. (my Shia colleagues) they take days off too but it doesn't count towards their holidays/vacation. Also, it makes sense because if everyone asks for his or her holidays then you'll be doing overtime during regular weekdays. Majority wins, or else have
more kids!
Re: how is it secular?
The founding fathers were Christian and it's been tradition ever since.
Re: how is it secular?
I don’t mind it really. We get public (Christian) holidays off, and by law, we get our own religious holidays off too, paid of course. 
Re: how is it secular?
What nonsense. The founding fathers never used the word God or Christianity while making the constitution.
Re: how is it secular?
even a secular country is entitled to their beliefs/holidays. secularism means not having laws based on religion, it doesn't mean trying to please every ethnic or religious group by abrogating tradition altogether
Re: how is it secular?
Exactly!
Re: how is it secular?
The US was largely founded by religious minorities escaping persecution in Europe. Freedom of religion and tollerance of religion does not prohibit celebration of holy days. The idea was to create a country where all are free to celebrate religion in their own way. The holidays were common to most settlers, and were a point of agreement, and was a carry over from the European origins of most people.
One of the first things that Washington did when he became the first American President was to send letters of introduction to many of the small religious enclaves around the country. Many, the Amish, the Quakers, even the Baptists and other splinter Christian sects were considered quite odd in Europe. Washington travelled the country, often staying in the homes of these diverse religious leaders.
For the most part Washington called on all to be good citizens, but he clearly left judgement of religious belief to God.
From a letter to the Baptist Churches 1789:
**If I could have entertained the slightest apprehension that the Constitution framed in the Convention, where I had the honor to preside, might possibly endanger the religious rights of any ecclesiastical society, certainly I would never have placed my signature to it; and if I could now conceive that the general government might ever be so administered as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution. For you, doubtless, remember that I have often expressed my sentiment, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience. **
In the entire body of this letter, Washington does not refer to Jesus, nor Christianity, but to the worship of God. That pretty well frames his view of relgious tollerance.
Re: how is it secular?
I agree they're being hypocrites, if these guys are truly secular then nothing official should be of a religious nature, no swearing oaths over the Bible, they ought to alter the Union Jack so that it no longer features a cross and replace the St. Georges with a secular flag, officially change Christmas to 'Winter Festivities' and Easter to 'Spring Festival', I don't mind Santa Claus and easter bunnies.
India should do the same with all religious icons such as the Chakra as it too claims to be secular.
Of course if they're going to be honest and admit they are not truly secular but influenced by Christianity then it's their own countries and I have no issues with them celebrating their religion even if others such as Muslims are offended by it, Muslims can always migrate if it gets too much as their religion requires them if they can't practice their faith in a certain land instead of winging and whining (protesting) just as non-Muslims who have a problem with Jizya (which is not discrmination as they're getting protected in return and Muslims too have to pay Zakah which they don't ) should leave the Muslim lands.
Re: how is it secular?
The chakra is Ashoka chakra.. it is not a hindu religious symbol. and people taking oath.. could do it either in the god name or just oath. The communist take oath without the mention of any God. Hindus and Christians take oath in the name of GOD. And Muslim take the oath in the name of Allah.
U should define secularism first. Is secularism.. means not to practice any religion or is it to give equal importance to every religion.