War on Christmas – Page 5

Baxter County Officials Put Disclaimer on Nativity Scene

Dec 5, 2014Jerry2 CommentsChristmasChristmas, War on Christmas

Earlier this year we wrote about a letter atheists sent to Baxter County officials concerning a Nativity scene that has graced the courthouse lawn in Mountain Home for years.

This year, rather than stand by their legal ability to celebrate Christmas with decorations that are religious in scope, the Baxter County Quorum Court unanimously decided to put a disclaimer up alongside the Nativity stating the display was the work of private citizens.

The Baxter Bulletin writes,

Under the resolution, the quorum court approved placing the nativity scene on the lawn, accompanied by a disclaimer on a sign that states:

“During the Holiday Season, the County of Baxter salutes liberty. Let these festive lights and times remind us that we are keepers of the flame of liberty and our legacy of freedom. Whatever your religion or beliefs, enjoy the holidays. This display is owned and erected by private citizens of Baxter County.”

The irony is I believe this disclaimer is more likely to add to the controversy than subtract from it. If one private group is able to put a Nativity display on the courthouse lawn, I would expect other private groups to allege they should be able to put displays on the lawn as well.

We have already seen this at the State Capitol Building in Little Rock: Atheists successfully argued in court their “Winter Solstice Display”should go up alongside a privately-owned Nativity scene on the capitol lawn–even though the atheists’ display has almost nothing to do with Christmas and very little to do with the Winter Solstice.

We keep saying it: Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is also an official holiday in this country. Why would our government be free to recognize Christmas as a holiday; give its employees time off from work on Christmas day; put up decorations commemorating Christmas; but not even mention the very event Christmas celebrates? It’s ridiculous.

Seven Myths About Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Public Schools

Nov 13, 2014JerryChristmas, Religious FreedomChristmas, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, War on Christmas

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, many schools and teachers are preparing educational material and programs that coincide with the holidays. In recent years, it seems like Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations at school have come under increased scrutiny from atheist groups and others who allege schools somehow are violating the U.S. Constitution when students sing Christmas carols or learn about Puritans.

Alliance Defending Freedom has assembled an excellent fact sheet busting seven myths about Christmas celebrations in public schools. You can download it here or read it below. If you are a teacher–or know someone who is–please be sure to share this information with your friends.

While the fact sheet deals specifically with Christmas, its principles apply just as well to other federal holidays–such as Thanksgiving, which is just a couple of weeks away.

Seven Myths About Christmas and Public Schools

Adapted From a Fact Sheet Provided by Alliance Defending Freedom

Myth #1: Students are not allowed to sing religious Christmas carols in public schools.

(more…)

School Cuts Christmas to Appease Muslim Families

Nov 12, 2014JerryChristmas, Religious FreedomChristmas, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, War on Christmas

magi2 As the Christmas season starts earlier and earlier each year, so does the “War on Christmas.” This week, Todd Starnes brings us a story out of Maryland, where school officials have decided to cut “Christmas” from the school calendar in order to appease Muslim families.

Starnes writes,

As of next year – all Christian and Jewish holidays will be removed from the calendar. That means no more Christmas, no more Easter and no more Yom Kippur.

There’s no word on whether the board will remove the Irish from St. Patrick’s Day or the love from St. Valentine’s Day or the trees from Arbor Day.

For years local Muslims had been urging the district to close schools for two of their holidays. Many gathered outside the school board offices holding signs like ‘Support Equality for Eid’ and ‘Because…our children matter too.’

Instead, the school board opted to eliminate all religious holidays.

This really doesn’t have as much to do with the fact that the school district is trying to appease Muslims as it does with the school district’s actions. Atheist groups, lately, have made it a habit to target schools this time of year over Christmas and Thanksgiving activities. The fact that the protesters in this case were Muslims isn’t the issue; it’s the fact that the school district is trying to secularize the holidays we celebrate.

Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are recognized and celebrated by the federal government. Government offices close because the government honors these days. Both holidays have religious roots, but courts have ruled time and time again that recognizing them does not run afoul of the U.S. Constitution. In fact, even public schools are free to join in the Christmas spirit.

If people don’t like the fact that the government celebrates Christmas–or if they want other holidays added to the federal government’s calendar–then they ought to take their complaints to Congress instead of the local school board. After all, Congress and the President are the ones who actually identify federal holidays.

If the President of the United States gets to celebrate Christmas, a local school board shouldn’t be able to stop schoolchildren in Maryland from celebrating it as well.