Does America have a Patron Saint ?
Discussion
After all the hype of St Patrick's day & one of our local pubs in Norwich not being able to extend their licence for St Georges day.(but they can for St Patricks day, Chinese New Year & American Independance day) it got me thinking. (Dangerous thing to do I know)
Why do American's celebrate St Patricks day. ? They can't all have Irish roots ?
They like to have the hype of celebrating someones day, Mothers day, Fathers day, Sisters Day, Grandparents Day, groundhog Day, Administrative Professionals Day, Friendship Day, National Boss day, Veterans day, Sweetest Day, Valentines day... the list goes on & on.
So do they have a Patron Saint ?
Why do American's celebrate St Patricks day. ? They can't all have Irish roots ?
They like to have the hype of celebrating someones day, Mothers day, Fathers day, Sisters Day, Grandparents Day, groundhog Day, Administrative Professionals Day, Friendship Day, National Boss day, Veterans day, Sweetest Day, Valentines day... the list goes on & on.
So do they have a Patron Saint ?
monkey boy 1 said:
Why do American's celebrate St Patricks day. ? They can't all have Irish roots ?
Ask this question in New York ( while you are at it also question what proportion of Noraid donations that pertentage wise came from North America )
bit like like asking who looks after/backs the state of Israel to the 'n'th degree
Current Patron Saints (US - not all inclusive)
Saint Dale
Patron Saint of fast cars that make left turns a lot
Saint Paris
Patron Saint home movies
Saint Ashton
Patron Saint of older women
Saint P Diddy
Patron Saint of Bling
Saint JLO
Patron Saint talentless bimbos
Saint Angelina
Patron Saint of lips
etc, etc, etc
ErnestM
Saint Dale
Patron Saint of fast cars that make left turns a lot
Saint Paris
Patron Saint home movies
Saint Ashton
Patron Saint of older women
Saint P Diddy
Patron Saint of Bling
Saint JLO
Patron Saint talentless bimbos
Saint Angelina
Patron Saint of lips
etc, etc, etc
ErnestM
father ted said:
this would be a sensible statement until you try and translate it to the 'deep south' where they are still known to erect a few 'burning crosses' from time to time.....regardless of planning permition
(sorry ,seen Mississipi Burning a few too many times)
I live in the "deep south", no burning crosses here. You are referring to days gone by. Also, be careful using Hollywood as your information guide; they have "agendas".
>> Edited by jimbeaux on Thursday 24th March 23:03
Jaglover said:
Americans do not have a patron state becuase they have a deliberate policy of having no established religion.
Thus even though America is a strongly christian country-christian symbols are barred from public buildings.
Though the back of every dollar bill has "In God we trust".
GavinPearson said:
Jaglover said:
Americans do not have a patron state becuase they have a deliberate policy of having no established religion.
Thus even though America is a strongly christian country-christian symbols are barred from public buildings.
Though the back of every dollar bill has "In God we trust".
Perhaps there are exceptions-but they do have a more formal seperation of church and state-due to their own origins as oppressed religous minorities. There was a news item the other week that a courthouse had to take down a plaque of the ten commandments-because it was an institution of the state.
Although the US is ostensibly a more "Christian" country than (say) the UK, it is a point of principle that it has no one "established" religion or Patron Saint - which I think is brilliant and I hope it remains that way.
The United States constitution bars the setting up of established religions and also bars the display of religious symbols in Federal and State government buildings. You have to remember that the US was essentially set up by the descendants of British people who had fled the home country to escape religious persecution at home. When they were writing the Constitution they were kean to ensure that the types of religious persecution that had caused so many problems in Europe had no place in the "New World". Obviously, in the 200 odd years since those ideals were put down on paper, the US has had its share of religious problems but, it has to be said, by and large the original principles of the founding fathers have been adhered to and the US remains a pluralist society tolerant of a wide diversity of religious opinion.
As for the Yamks celebrating St Patricks Day - many ethnic groups in the US celebrate their patron Saints' days (and other relious festivals). Indeed, isn't the famous New Orleans Mardis Gras festival basically a religious celebration too. It's just that, back in the mid 1800s, the Irish were one of the first large scale group of immigrants and the celebration of their day was one of the first to "get going".
The United States constitution bars the setting up of established religions and also bars the display of religious symbols in Federal and State government buildings. You have to remember that the US was essentially set up by the descendants of British people who had fled the home country to escape religious persecution at home. When they were writing the Constitution they were kean to ensure that the types of religious persecution that had caused so many problems in Europe had no place in the "New World". Obviously, in the 200 odd years since those ideals were put down on paper, the US has had its share of religious problems but, it has to be said, by and large the original principles of the founding fathers have been adhered to and the US remains a pluralist society tolerant of a wide diversity of religious opinion.
As for the Yamks celebrating St Patricks Day - many ethnic groups in the US celebrate their patron Saints' days (and other relious festivals). Indeed, isn't the famous New Orleans Mardis Gras festival basically a religious celebration too. It's just that, back in the mid 1800s, the Irish were one of the first large scale group of immigrants and the celebration of their day was one of the first to "get going".
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