Published: 12:45PM Tuesday December 11, 2007
Source: Reuters
Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims joined Britain's equality watchdog in
urging Britons to enjoy Christmas without worrying about offending
non-Christians.
"It's time to stop being daft about Christmas. It's fine to
celebrate and it's fine for Christ to be star of the show," said
Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights
Commission.
"Let's stop being silly about a Christian Christmas," he said,
referring to a tendency to play down the traditional celebrations
of the birth of Christ for fear of offending minorities in
multicultural Britain.
Suicide bombings by British Islamists in July 2005 which killed 52
people in London have prompted much soul-searching about religion
and integration in Britain, a debate that has been echoed across
Europe.
The threat of radical Islam, highlighted by the London attacks,
prompted reflection about Britain's attitude to ethnic minorities
and debate about whether closer integration was more important than
promoting multiculturalism.
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