Christmas under Siege
by Michael F. Haverluck
CBNNews.com
December 22, 2007
CBNNews.com - From Georgia to Oklahoma, the biblical foundation of Christmas is under attack.
Even though Christmas is celebrated to commemorate Christ's birth, a legal battle to un-invite Jesus to His birthday party was recently waged in Dallas, Georgia.
Leaving the Manger in the Dark?
Americans United for Separation of Church and State threatened to file a lawsuit against the city of Dallas if it doesn't remove its nativity scene from a public street. The scene is part of several light displays across the city celebrating Christmas.
But this doesn't settle well with Mayor Boyd Austin.
"I think without the birth of Christ, we wouldn't have Christmas and I think this is the reason for the season, and I think that the overwhelming silent majority of people will be heard on this and they're going to say, 'Leave it alone,'" Austin told Atlanta's ABC affiliate station WSB-TV after listing off the other adornments in the Christmas display. "We have lights, angels, reindeer, Christmas trees, stars, snowflakes... there's banners and garlands and poinsettias."
Some may wonder whether there's any legal precedence behind the threat from the leftist organization.
David Cortman, Senior Legal Counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal group dedicated to defend Christian rights, would like to put many fears to rest.
"The attacks on Christmas are simply part of a larger war being waged on anything and everything Christian," Cortman said. "The American people, common sense and the Constitution are clearly winning the battles against Christmas waged by the Left. Unfortunately, the misguided belief that we must sanitize Christmas to keep from offending a small segment of the population still exists."
ADF offered free legal defense on Dec. 12 to the Georgia town if the AUSCS persists with its legal assault. The letter sent by ADF provided legal information to the city and also proposed its assistance for any further litigation against the display.
Keeping Christ in Christmas
Many are opposed to the secularization of Christmas.
"And when they can't leave Christ in it, there's something wrong," said the mayor's mother, Willie Mae Austin, who is also a resident of Dallas. "We've always had things like this, and why now come up with something like this? If Christ is not in Christmas, there's no Christmas."
She's not alone.
"I love it," said Dallas resident Eunice Tyson about the neon light nativity display. "I love it. It should stay there."
Even though the manger scene continues to illuminate downtown Dallas, the AUSCS demands that it be removed because it is "violating the Constitution" and represents "an endorsement of religion."
However, ADF doesn't believe that the organization's intimidation will see any success in the courtroom.
"ADF will continue to protect the right to publicly celebrate Christmas as well as other constitutionally protected religious liberties that are attacked," Cortman concluded.
Christmas Cancelled in the Sooner State?
Elsewhere, government employees in Oklahoma City were told that they cannot celebrate Christmas in the workplace.
They received a rude awakening on Nov. 15 when they were issued a memo stating that they couldn't display "nativity scenes, cherubs, angels, crosses, and any other symbols of clear religious significance."
They were in the clear, however, if "evergreen trees, snowflakes, reindeer, snowmen and Santa Claus" were part of their Christmas displays.
Government officials also declared that the annual Christmas party organized by city employee Christopher Spencer is no longer allowed.
If Spencer still desires to hold the event, which is complete with gifts to needy families and a shared Christmas dinner, it will have to be held offsite, and employees would have to use vacation time to attend.
Challenging the ban as unconstitutional, ADF filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma City officials.
"It's ridiculous that city employees are being told that they cannot display symbols central to their faith during the Christmas season," ADF's Senior Legal Counsel Byron Babione said.
A complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in the lawsuit Spencer v. City of Oklahoma City.
"Allowing employees to exercise their right to express their faith is not a violation of the First Amendment," contended ADF allied attorney Brent Olsson, who is representing the employees.
ADF argues that the government cannot tell employees how they can and cannot celebrate Christmas.
"It's our hope that the city will quickly realize that they are in error in censoring the First Amendment rights of its employees to publicly celebrate Christmas," added ADF Litigation Counsel Amy Smith. "ADF is prepared to defend people of faith against attacks such as these, wherever they may occur."
Sources: Alliance Defense Fund, WSBTV, CBN News
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