The author of the editorial “Trees that stand for the season” (Monitor Opinion, Dec. 13) seems to have difficulty deciding if a certain tree is religious or not. Let me help by providing a guide of sorts.
If the tree is topped by a five-pointed star (Star of Bethlehem) that would be a Christian or Christmas tree in the eyes of a new beholder. If topped by a six-pointed star (Star of David) that would be the Jewish holiday tree, very rare. The Star and Crescent, the Islamic holiday tree, never, ever seen. The Aum, Hindu. The Dharmachakra, Buddhist. Topped by a blazing globe of hot, white light (North Star), that would be the secular holiday tree. Nothing on top of the tree, that would be the Norse holiday tree, but you should bring it inside.
Still can’t decide? Then next year let’s put Mother Earth up there – the planet could use a little adoration right now – then watch which group gets agitated about it. That will tell you if it is religious or not, too.
I could be wrong, but I seem to remember that the Concord City Council sometime in the 1990s voted to make the tree a holiday tree instead of a Christmas tree to make our city more welcoming to other faiths. I think the five-pointed stars in Concord and Penacook also went away at that time, but they are back now.
As far as the tree in Durham, please refer to my handy rule of thumb above. If it isn’t secular or Norse then I think the First Amendment says the menorah belongs on the public square. Mazel tov!
JACK SHIELDS
Penacook