TIS THE SEASON: CRECHE OR CURSE

It's that time of year.  Actually, "that time of year" is a week into the season and about two weeks ahead of when most folks expect it.  I speak of the Christmas season.

Most retail stores have had their Christmas decorations out for a week or more.  They, along with some of the radio stations, started playing Christmas music this past week, at least here in Florida.  Some have tried to be politically correct by referring to this as the "Holiday" season, but others have simply given up and just call it the Christmas season.

The City Council of Orlando is apparently among that latter group.  They announced earlier this past week that there would be no Christmas tree at City Hall this year.  This is the first time in memory for many residents and, in fact, it is, according to the Orlando Sentinel, the first time since 1950 that "Along with the Christmas Star that ... hung above Orange Avenue ...," the City Hall tree will be missing this year.  Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City Council decided that both were a luxury the city could not afford in the current economic circumstances, thus saving the city $22,000.

Predictably, some folks were upset.  They were concerned with the loss of another Christmas tradition and some viewed this as another attempt to remove Christ from Christmas.  I did not specifically read or hear that, but it seems reasonable in light of past expressions of frustration.

Regardless, some good folks came through and did what more of us should do.  They donated the money and the tree so the city could have its Christmas tree.  Warren Brown and Co., a North Carolina tree farm, donated a 31-foot blue spruce and AirTran Airways and WFTV-Channel 9 in Orlando donated $6,800 for transporting and installing the tree.  Further, Jack Ewing, owner of Santa's Christmas Tree Farm in Eustis, FL donated a 20-foot sand pine.  So now the city has two Christmas trees.

Although we don't hear as much about it as in the past, this story reminded me of the concern some citizens had when they learned their City Council would no longer allow a creche on the Court House lawn.  Call it a creche, manger scene or nativity scene; it was a religious symbol, a purely Christian religious symbol at that, which violated the law regarding separation of church and state.

The manger scene was a long-standing tradition in many communities and one that evoked warm memories for many local citizens.  It was unfortunately also against the law.  City attorneys advised against such displays.

As with so many other forms of Christian religion expression, it did not matter that it was traditional, had a long history in the community or, for that matter, enjoyed the support of a majority of the community.  The creche on the Court House lawn or any other public land was illegal.  Secular, non-religious, decorations were all right, which, of course, rankled the devout so much that they stormed City Hall in protest.

We need to recognize two important facts: First of all, it doesn't matter how many Ten Commandment depictions were engraved over Court House entrances in the past the Supreme Court had determined in recent years that such expressions of the Christian faith violate the separation of church and state.  The phrase "separation of church and state" is a metaphorical reference first made by Thomas Jefferson to the "establishment clause" of the Constitution that states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  Second, citizens are still free to express their religious views in any way they want that does not violate local zoning or display laws.


So I came up with this idea.  If every citizen, even half of them, who want to see a creche on the Court House lawn were to put such a creche on their OWN lawn there would be more manger scenes depicting the message of Christmas for the people of town to see than would ever be seen by the lone creche at the city square.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars for lights, trees, blow-up lawn Santa Claus balloons and such, just install a nativity scene of whatever size you deem appropriate your front yard.  Put a couple of spot lights on it and proclaim the Christian message of Christmas for everyone to enjoy.  

What is that adage?  You can curse the darkness or light a candle.  Well, you can curse the law, the secular humanists, the non-believers or the commercialization of Christmas ... or you can put a spot light on an appropriate, lawful, expression of your faith on your front lawn where neighbors and many others will see it.  And I assure that if you and your like-minded neighbors do this, the TV crew with cameras rolling will be on your block before you can say Merry Christmas.