Locals Puts Up Their Own Nativity Scene After Town Says No To Scenes On Public Property
What would the Christmas season be without a little controversy concerning the Reason for the Season, Jesus Christ. It seems that every year, there is a group of atheists or liberals in some small town somewhere who decide to throw a fit about a Nativity scene being put on display on public property.
This comes from a misunderstanding of the concept of the separation of church and state, which leftists tend to think means that God and government should never be involved with each other. This, of course, is a wrongheaded interpretation.
The separation of church and state has to do with keeping the government out of the church, not God out of the government.
Anyway, the city of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware decided to break its previous tradition and banned a religious organization from placing Nativity scene on public property. However, townsfolk decided they would just go ahead and put up their own.
Last year, the city ordered the local Knights of Columbus to take down a Nativity scene that had been set up close to the city’s boardwalk. The city received a complaint from the Anti-Defamation League that stated the display “wasn’t inclusive of other religions.”
In November, the city held firm on its position concerning the display, with Mayor Paul Kuhns commenting that “the city policy is not to have religious displays on public property or city property.”
Here’s more from TheBlaze:
One of those displays, the story notes, travels around the city in the back of Mike Pichola’s pickup truck. Pichola told the outlet that he normally puts the Nativity scene up in his front yard, but brought it to Rehoboth Beach as a response to the city’s situation.
“It’s just a shame,” he told the newspaper. “We’re devout Christians, and this is the time of the year to do it.”
While some in the area have responded with prayers in protest of the policy, the Delaware Cape Gazette detailed Tuesday how locals have responded to the matter by putting up their own Nativity displays. The story says there are at least 10 businesses and residents who have done so. And keep in mind: This is all going on in a city with a population of just over 1,500, according to Census Bureau data.
One of those displays, the story notes, travels around the city in the back of Mike Pichola’s pickup truck. Pichola told the outlet that he normally puts the Nativity scene up in his front yard, but brought it to Rehoboth Beach as a response to the city’s situation.
“It’s just a shame,” he told the newspaper. “We’re devout Christians, and this is the time of the year to do it.”
The city policy has also inspired a constitutional challenge with the First Liberty Institute calling it a violation of the First Amendment.
