Nov 17, 2011
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A Louisiana library has banned a local church youth group from performing a Living Nativity scene on its property because of its religious overtones.
“They told us it was because they couldn’t have anything with a religious tone or message,” said Letha Dew, the chairperson of SpringHill, LA’s annual Christmas celebration. “They had a problem with the Nativity.”
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Downtown Springhill, LA
The Living Nativity was supposed to be set up next month on the Springhill branch of the Webster Parish Library. It was just one part of a large Christmas celebration planned next month for the town’s Main Street – a family-friendly holiday event.
“I was very, very surprised,” Dew told Fox News & Commentary. “But this is the time we live in and public entities have to be very careful. They are scrutinized. People threaten to sue over every little thing and they have to do what they can to keep themselves out of trouble.”
Webster Parish Library officials did not return multiple calls seeking comment.
But Dew said they don’t blame the librarians.
“Their hands are tied and they have to do what they can,” she said. “It’s not their fault.”
Rev. Patricia Stroud, the children’s minister at First Assembly of God, said she was very disappointed that the young people won’t be allowed on library property.
“I think our Christian faith is being attacked,” Stroud told Fox News & Commentary. “Our nation was founded – in God we trust. Now when we try to share our faith, we’re being questioned. That disturbs me.”
Stroud said the Living Nativity includes children and teenagers dressed as Mary, Joseph and the Wise Men. Depending on the weather, she said they might even have a real baby portray Jesus.
“We do have a couple of babies that are in consideration,” she said.
She said it was hardly controversial.
“We wanted to share Christ’s love with our community,” Stroud said. “People could drive by and watch what happened on that wonderful Christmas night.”
But the issue — was the religious component of Christmas – and that has many people wondering what’s really going on.
“What could you even have if there’s no religious message,” Dew wondered. “The only thing I could think of is Santa. Pretty much everything to do with Christmas has a religious message.”
“Christ is the whole reason for Christmas and we’re getting away from that,” Stroud said. “We’re trying to be politically correct in everything we do.”
As it now stands, the Living Nativity will be relocated to city property, Dew said.
“We’re not going to let this dampen our spirits at all,” she said. “We’re not going to let this prevent us from having a good time. We’re still planning on doing the Nativity.”
At the same time, though, the controversy has caused sadness in this small Louisiana town of 5,400 residents.
“We still want this to be something that families can bring their kids to enjoy and have a good time and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas,” Dew said.
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It is sad that so many don't know where our country comes from or what it once stood for. To those who say that our country did not come from Biblical principles; The founding fathers wrong the Deceleration of Independence based on 27 Biblical violations; Patrick Henry said "Our country was founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ", out of the 55 men who penned the Constitution 52 were active members in their church. James Madison said "We've staked our future and our ability to follow the 10 Commandments with all our heart". These men believed you could not call your self an American if you did not follow the Word of God! Gorge Washington said in his farewell address "You can not have national morality apart from religious principle". This is the foundation of our county! Not a bunch of morally silent, morally neutral, people. One Nation Under God! In God We Trust!
It would have been very easy for the founders to mention the Bible directly. I wonder why they didn't.
Also. David Barton is not a historian. Sorry.
If they really meant for the Constitution to be based on Christian law, they would have put that in the Constitution. Just because some of them stated these things doesn't make it so. Not ALL of them were religious. Code of Hammurabi is more similar to our legal system than anything in the Bible (and where do you think the Christians got their laws from)? Laws existed BEFORE Christians.
1st of all Kelly it is not only in the Constitution its all over it… The Bible was the most commonly read book of the time, it was not necessary to draw particular attention and spell out that this was from it and that was from it, the laws in the constitution can be found in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, from the Sovereign Authority of God Not the Sovereignty of the State which is in the Constitution , also found Exodus 18:16, to Judicial, legislative, and executive branches found in Isaiah 33:22; Private Property Rights, Fifth Amendment Exodus 20:15-17; and to say that our founding fathers had more in common with Hammurabi is a gross ignorance of American History
Adam Morsch. Lets pick one of those. The three branches of government are derived from Isaiah 33:22? Are you sure? "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us." Is our government the Lord? Who is the king? Is that the lord or the government? Is there a line about checks and balances that's lost in the translation?
Adam Morsch I didn't say our Founders had more in common with Hammurabi. How about actually read something before you comment on it and not be such a tool? I said that our laws are MORE SIMILAR to Hammurabi's Code than the Bible AND that laws EXISTED BEFORE the Bible and before Christians.
Adam Morsch Odd that my comment disappeared originally responding to you. I didn't say they had "more in common" with Hammurabi. I said our legal system is similar to that of the Code of Hammurabi. Try reading comprehension. But 'god' is not in the Constitution: "It has often been seen on the Internet that to find God in the Constitution, all one has to do is read it, and see how often the Framers used the words "God," or "Creator," "Jesus," or "Lord." Except for one notable instance, however, none of these words ever appears in the Constitution, neither the original nor in any of the Amendments. The notable exception is found in the Signatory section, where the date is written thusly: "Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven". The use of the word "Lord" here is not a religious reference, however. This was a common way of expressing the date, in both religious and secular contexts. This lack of any these words does not mean that the Framers were not spiritual people, any more than the use of the word Lord means that they were. What this lack of these words is expositive of is not a love for or disdain for religion, but the feeling that the new government should not involve itself in matters of religion. In fact, the original Constitution bars any religious test to hold any federal office in the United States" – So if the Founders wanted our law to be based on Christianity they would have included it in the Constitution. Please, please point to me in the Constitution where "god" is mentioned OR Biblical law. I'm intrigued to find out your answer.
Kelly Calder. My comment disappeared as well. I'd still like to know how Isaiah 33:22 applies to government without the presumption that government and God are interchangeable. Let's look at it again:
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us."
D Riley Claborn, Kelly Calder: I too have had my comments deleted. Ironically, we are the 3 polemicists here. Go figure.
Tim Gale People want to talk about censorship…I believe mysteriously deleted comments opposite those on here is more censorship than people not holding a nativity scene. But it is on Fox News…go figure.
Historical Revisionism.
My comments disappear but David Barton still isn't a historian.
The headline on the article is terribly misleading, even deliberately inflammatory. The library didn't BAN anything. They simply decided that this is not their role in the community. The group that wishes to have a nativity scene can put it anywhere on private land that will host them. Nobody banned a thing.
I personally like Nativity scenes. They're inaccurate, but they're usually quite lovely. But I like to see them in the right setting. The public library is hardly that.
All of these thoughts are interesting and thought provoking, and it is unfortunate that the students will need to relocate their nativity. However, as Christians, perhaps it is more important where we DO GO than where we CAN NOT GO. Many of us do go to gambling establishments, do go to porn shops and whore houses, do go bars and get drunk, and the list of non Christian behavior goes on and on. Perhaps Christians should be more faithful to worship, to be evangelistic, to attend Bible study, to talk about our faith on a daily basis, and thus allow our stand for Christ to be more about what WE DO than what we complain about NOT BEING ALLOW to do. In my life as a Christian I know there is much I CAN DO FOR CHRIST.
Is that the springhill library. Lol
Well said Bro. Carroll..
You know they changed that and said they could, don't you. But the plans had already moved to another place.
No I did not. I was following fox news comments.
Lord forgive children can learn about GOD, when there are so many books that can teach about homosexuality, how to be a terrorist, a thief or any of the other false religions with instruct in murdering those that don't believe like you.there's just no room.