Wishing You a “Duck Dynasty” Christmas

Christmas,

A few years ago, if someone had written the words, “Duck the Halls,” you would have assumed it was a typo. Today, however, there’s a Christmas album out by that title from none other than “Louisiana’s most unlikely millionaires,” the Robertson family of the hit TV show Duck Dynasty.

Some people find the show a little strange. Between long beards and camouflage, it definitely isn’t like most of the other stuff on television, but it’s one of the most popular shows on the air. I believe that’s because the show captures the things people cherish: Faith, family, and freedom—or, as Jase Robertson put it, “God, family, and ducks—in that order.”

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Words From Our Founders: Congress’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1781

Words From Our Founders

Today we continue our Words From Our Founders series examining our Founding Fathers’ own words on religion, religious liberty, and morality.

Below is a proclamation agreed to by Congress on October 26, 1781. The proclamation establishes December 13, 1781, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The proclamation also takes a retrospective look at the American Revolution, which, by the end of 1781, was drawing to a close with the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown (referenced in the third paragraph of the proclamation).

PROCLAMATION

Whereas, it hath pleased Almighty God, the supreme Disposer of all Events father of mercies, remarkably to assist and support the United States of America in their important struggle for liberty, against the long continued efforts of a powerful nation: it is the duty of all ranks to observe and thankfully acknowledge the interpositions of his Providence in their behalf. Through the whole of the contest, from its first rise to this time, the influence of divine Providence may be clearly perceived in many signal instances, of which we mention but a few.

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Atheists in Florida to Hang Banner Replacing Jesus with Bill of Rights

Christmas, ,

According to the Associated Press, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is hanging a banner in the Florida State Capitol depicting Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Statue of Liberty gathered around a manger containing the Bill of Rights. The banner will read, “Let us also honor the birth of our Bill of Rights, which reminds us there can be no freedom OF religion without having freedom FROM religion in government.”

The banner is part of an effort by the Freedom From Religion Foundation to “counter” nativity scenes on public property. The group has placed signs at state capitols in Illinois and Wisconsin stating there are no gods, no Heaven, and no Hell.

Of course, atheists in Arkansas have set up what many have dubbed a shrine to paganism next to the Nativity scene on the Capitol lawn the past few years.

Atheist groups claim these displays are part of the “public forums” state capitols are establishing, and a public forum means all forms of speech are welcome. Legally, however, there are different kinds of public forums — unlimited public forums and limited public forums.

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