Christian Christmas Displays Still Under Attack… But 76% of Americans Believe Religious Symbols Should Be Allowed
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on December 15, 2009
Westminster Presbyterian Church's Christmas nativity scene in Altadena, California a few years ago
With all the left-wing political correctness inundating our lives these days, a recent poll overwhelmingly knocks holes in the myth that Americans don’t want to see religious symbols… in particular, seeing Christian Christmas symbols displayed during the Christmas season.
To satisfy a handful of disgruntled atheists and anti-Christian radicals, a majority of Americans are being slighted and insulted.
From Rasmussen Reports: Americans Strongly Favor Religious Displays on Public Lands, Celebrating Religious Holidays in Schools:
Americans remain overwhelmingly in favor of allowing religious symbols to be displayed on public land and feel even more strongly that public schools should celebrate at least some religious holidays.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 76% of adults believe religious symbols like Christmas Nativity scenes, Hanukkah menorahs and Muslim crescents should be allowed on public land. Just 13% disagree, and another 10% are undecided.
Eighty-three percent (83%) believe public schools should celebrate religious holidays. This figure includes 47% who think the schools should celebrate all religious holidays and another 36% who believe they should only celebrate some. The question did not single out which holidays should be celebrated and which should be excluded.
Only 14% think the public schools should not celebrate any religious holidays.
The following article was published by The Polish Am Sunday, June 24, 2007: Polish Americans join fight to allow Nativity Scenes in N.Y.:
With Christmas 2007 exactly six months away, New York City’s Christians opened their campaign against the prohibition of Nativity scenes during the holiday season.
At the invitation of the well-known Irish organization, the Ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Polish American Congress entered the fray with its participation in a demonstration and press conference on the steps of City Hall on June 23rd.
It’s purpose was to support the efforts of City Council Member Tony Avella of Bayside on behalf of the Christmas displays.
Frank Milewski, president of the Downstate N.Y. Division of the Polish American Congress, represented New York’s Polish American community at the event. Another participant was William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, a longtime friend of the Polish American Congress.
At the press conference, Mr. Avella announced his plans to introduce a City Council resolution that calls upon the N.Y. City Department of Education (DOE)to amend their holiday display policy for public elementary and secondary schoolsto include a Nativity scene or Creche. Currently, DOE’s policy allows a Jewish Menorah or Islamic Star and Crescent to be displayed during the winter holiday season so long as they are displayed together.
“My resolution is purely about inclusion,” stated Avella. “The Menorah and Star and Crescent are religious symbols. By adding a Nativity scene/Creche to the holiday display, Christianity will receive equal representation with other religious faiths during the holiday season.”
Bill Donohue of the Catholic League added, “The Second Circuit Court of Appeals never said that a Nativity scene could not be displayed alongside a Menorah and a Crescent Star (though schools could elect to substitute a secular symbol like the Christmas tree). Therefore, it is up to the New York City authorities to either practice inclusion and allow Creches to be displayed or practice discrimination and deny them.”
As head of an organization with many members who lived in Poland when the Soviet-imposed Communist regime put on all sorts of restrictions on religious practices,the PAC’s Milewski believes “this is a fight we have to be in.”
When the Communists attempted to force everyone to celebrate the Christmas season “with a tribute to a phony snowman they called Father Frost, the people of Poland gave the whole idea an icy chill and never budged. We need to have that same determination over here,” he said.
And in 2009, the battle to publicly display Christian Christmas symbols still wages…
From Sun-Sentinel [FL], Boca pastor says library display has menorah, needs Nativity:
A lighted Christmas tree, a tabletop electric Hanukkah menorah, and miniature Santa Claus and snowman figures are part of the downtown library’s holiday decorations.
Local Christian activists on Monday announced they want more — a crèche depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Rev. Mark D. Boykin, senior pastor of Church of All Nations, said he wants city officials to allow the placement of a Nativity scene near the menorah to show “religious equality.”
“During these festive times, we as Christians must be included in the celebrations,” Boykin said.
The evangelical church leader said he will bring a number of congregants to the library on Thursday afternoon in an attempt to donate the portable religious display, which measures about 2 feet wide and 6 inches high.
[...]
Courts generally have allowed holiday decorations, both secular and religious, on public property, as long as the displays avoid any appearance that a public agency favors any particular religion.
Pastor Boykin says the library’s Christmas tree does not demonstrate inclusion of the Christian faith.
“To us, that’s what a snowflake would be to a menorah,” he said. “That has nothing to do with Christ and religious expression at all.”
American Family Association Online provides compiled a list of retailers that have banned “Christmas” from their retail ads, in-store promotions, or TV commercials.
From a previous Rasmussen poll, most Americans prefer ‘Merry Christmas’ to ‘Happy Holidays’:
Amidst all the holiday shopping craziness, most Americans at this time of year want to see holiday signs that wish them a “Merry Christmas.”
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 72% of adults prefer “Merry Christmas,” while 22% like “Happy Holidays” instead.
Older Americans favor “Merry Christmas” more than younger adults.
From John W. Whitehead, Rutherford Institute: Is Christmas a Dirty Word?
“Doesn’t anyone know the true meaning of Christmas?” –Charlie Brown
When I was a child in the 1950s, the magic of Christmas was promoted in the schools. We sang Christmas carols in the classroom. There were cutouts of the Nativity scene on the bulletin board, along with the smiling, chubby face of Santa and Rudolph. We were all acutely aware that Christmas was more than a season to receive–it was a special time to give as well.
Fast forward a mere 50 years, and Christmas is being eradicated. In fact, there is a phobia about Christmas, and it’s all because of those first six letters, C-H-R-I-S-T. As a result, Americans are increasingly being pressured to avoid anything related to the religious holiday in public. Indeed, corporations and government officials are going to outrageous lengths in order to not offend those who do not celebrate the holiday. In the process, they’re trampling all over the First Amendment.
Schools across the country now avoid anything that alludes to the true meaning of Christmas–such as angels, the baby Jesus, stables and shepherds. In many of the nation’s schools, Christmas carols, Christmas trees, wreaths and candy canes have also been banned as part of the effort to avoid any reference to Christmas, Christ or God. One school even outlawed the colors red and green, saying they were Christmas colors and, thus, illegal.
Teachers at a Connecticut school were actually instructed to change the wording of the classic poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to “Twas the Night Before a Holiday.” And as a mother of two schoolchildren remarked: “In the past, this school has gone from ‘winter’ parties that banned red and green cupcakes, and napkins, to banning any Winter party in fear that it may be mistaken for Christmas.”
Things are not much better outside the schools. In one West Virginia town, although the manger scene (one of 350 light exhibits in the town’s annual Festival of Lights) included shepherds, camels and a guiding star, the main attractions–Jesus, Mary and Joseph–were nowhere to be found. Supposedly concerns about the separation of church and state resulted in the omission.
Related reading:
Frugal Café Blog Zone: War on Christmas: Best Buy Flunks for Its “Happy Eid al-Adha,” Bans “Merry Christmas” in After-Thanksgiving Christmas Ads and ‘Tis the Season… for Bashing and Banning Christmas: Victory for Atheists in Washington? (video)
Gateway Pundit: Black Muslim Group Celebrates “Brother & Martyr” Maurice Clemmons and Religious Ornaments Banned From Annual Capital Christmas Tree This Year
HillBuzz: The First Day of Obamamas and Something fun to do to Best Buy: force them to recognize every obscure and/or offensive holiday you can think of and You are hereby ordered by the State of Utopia to prepare merrily for Obamamas, December 13th
The Friggin Loon: In God We Trust No More and Access Denied to Santa and Strawberry Blondes Upset Over Christmas Cards
Political Integrity Now: ‘Tis the season for liberal stupidity! Yay for Christmas!
Riehl World View, Best Buy Re-Discovers Christmas, Along With Eid-al-Adha
Denver FOX, KDVR.com: Best Buy criticized for Muslim holiday greeting:
Bare Naked Islam, BOYCOTT ‘BEST BUY’ – They wish MUSLIMS “Happy EID” but won’t wish Christians “Merry Christmas”
Patriotic Resistance, Boycott Best Buy and tell them why
Crunch Gear: A storm is brewing at Best Buy
Stop The ACLU: Best Buy Ditches ‘Christmas’ But Celebrates Muslim Holiday in Fliers
The Minnesota Independent: Best Buy stands by ‘Happy Eid’ ad, will include ‘Christmas’ in new ads
The End Times: Best Buy Bans Christmas But Has No Problem Wishing Customers A Happy Eid al-Adha
Motor City Times: Tyranny Of The Minority: Majority Of Americans Prefer ‘Merry Christmas’
The Palination: The Word is Christmas!
Half Baked Sourdough: It’s Getting To Be That Time Of Year
JTA – Jewish & Israel News: Court: Schools can ban religious music at assemblies
Ad Week: Best Buy Ad Flap Heats Up
Examiner: The Christmas vs. Holiday battle ensues (video)
Bad Eagle: Bill O’Reilly, Mrs. Santa Claus, & Ditsy Blondes
Diary of a Mad Conservative: 72% Favor Merry Christmas
Michelle Malkin: Sigh: ‘Tis the season…to start targeting Christmas again
Debbie Schlussel: Never With a Muslim School, Though
Alamo City Pundit: Feds Ban “Merry Christmas”; Get Caught; Blame Bush. . . (sigh)
Pundit & Pundette: Nothing says Christmas like . . .
World Net Daily: Guess who’s now banned from Capitol Christmas tree! Forest Service forbids ‘religious themes’ on 5,000 decorations recognizing holiday
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Rabid progressives.
We have to stop the Marxist policies that have infested our governments’ immense bureaucracy.
The cap and trade bill will be as contentious if not more.
The whole damn thing is a big poker game, with the taxpayer continually supplying the money spenders more and more chips, to make bigger bets, through the extortion of the poker players.
Obama knows he has a limited time to wrench this country into the image that he and Michelle Obama want.
Strong arm tactics with the congress?
Extortion, payoffs, Lieberman’s Wife’s position on a board that provides help for breast cancer was threatened by the thugs that are the Obama Administration.
Saul Alinsky stated in his book, the first successful radical was lucifer.
The progressives’ bible is Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals.
Basic rules are:
*Isolate
*Ridicule
*Destroy
Ask Hilliary if she has ever read his book, ask Obama.
Both are liars, but both are radical progressives.
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