Dec 8, 2011
Print This Post
A group of east Texas pastors has decided enough is enough — declaring their intentions to to fight back against Wisconsin atheists who are demanding that a Nativity located on the lawn of the Henderson County courthouse be torn down.
“It’s time that Americans stand up and take America back for the faith that we were founded upon,” said Nathan Lorick, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Malakoff. “We’re going to stand up and fight for this.”
Lorick, and a group of other pastors in Henderson County, are organizing a large rally to defend the traditional Nativity from an attack by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The Wisconsin-based atheist organization sent a letter to the county explaining that a local resident had complained and they wanted the Nativity removed.
“It sends a message of intimidation and exclusion to non-Christians and non-believers this time of year,” FFRF co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor told television station KFDW.
She said the location of the Nativity — on the lawn of the courthouse in Athens, made non-Christians feel unwelcome.
“Anybody walking by that is going to say, ‘Hmmm. This is a Christian government building. I’m not welcome here if I’m not Christian,’” she told the television station.
Henderson County Commissioner Joe Hall called the attack “stupid” and said he’s going to do whatever it takes to stop the atheists.
FOLLOW TODD ON FACEBOOK FOR CULTURE WAR NEWS
“I’ll tell you this — I’m going to fight this until hell freezes over,” Hall told Fox News & Commentary. “I hope and pray that we leave it up.”
Hall said he’s lived in the community for 35 years and as long as he can remember the Nativity has been erected on the courthouse lawn.
“It’s been up there for decades without any complaints,” he said.
Pastor Lorick said it’s time to draw a line in the sand — and start standing up for the Christian faith.
“Christianity is under attack in America,” he told Fox News & Commentary. “Our country is quickly heading down a direction which the Christian faith is taking a hit — it’s quickly becoming suppressed.”
Lorick, 30, said he wants his children to grow up in the same country that had the religious freedom and opportunity to “worship Jesus as I did.”
The overwhelmingly Christian community seems to share the pastor’s sentiment.
“So now they’re trying to take Baby Jesus,” said resident Tracie Lynda. “What is so offensive about a baby in a manger? If it does not mean anything to you, why does it offend you?”
Pastor Lorick said they expect a large turnout next weekend at a rally to defend the Nativity.
“We cannot sit by,” he said. “It’s a hill to die on. It’s a fight worth having. I’m here to be a voice in that movement. We are a people of the Christian faith.”
National Group Wants Courthouse Nativity Scene Removed: MyFoxDFW.com
FOX News Talk
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…You are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…You are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.
“Anybody walking by that is going to say, ‘Hmmm. This is a Christian government building. I’m not welcome here if I’m not Christian,’” <<<< Is so absurd. If there were little leprechauns and shamrocks all over the courthouse for St.Patrick's Day would the say "Hmmm this is an Irish government building. I'm not welcome if I'm not Irish." Please!
I was just wondering something. If someone became a partner to my business and invested a dollar for a part, then there were others that invested thousands of dollars into the business, how could the one that invested the dollar rule over the others? How much state tax that went toward that property did you actually pay? I would hope you are not a useless part of society we have to support that is causing this complaint. How much investment did you actually put into this property where the nativity scene is located? Could anyone please tell me?
America is not a democracy, where the majority rule. America is a constitutional Republic. In a democracy minorities will typically lose their rights and be persecuted. A Democracy is simply majority rule. In a real democracy everyone votes on everything. Democracies have and need no Constitution because laws can be changed at anytime to fit the needs of the majority. The Founding Fathers were extremely knowledgeable about the issues of a democracy and feared a democracy as much as a monarchy.
If it weren"t for this sdene there would not be such a thing as Christmas he died for our sins we should stand for him "till Hell frezes over".
Romans 12:11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'".
Phillipians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Nuff Said!
Just love this debate and see what comments are made. It shouldn't be in front of the court house. With that being said they shouldn't take off of work for any religious holiday. For the atheists, give back the religious holiday pay, demand that you work, fight its your right given to you by your creator. If you do not believe in the creator then you are voided from the Decloration of Independence.
"…voided from the Decloration of Independence"
How so?
"…the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them"
"…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
I see nothing in there that said atheist's need not apply? Nor have I ever heard Christ say that even those who do not believe in him are not loved just the same by the Father in heaven. Who by Christian belief, is the Creator of all. Even Atheists.
We need to look at this in another way. To the people opposed to this, have you not celebrated someone's life? Or have you not remembered the death of someone? Have you not built statues to honor someone? That is all these people want. To celebrate the birth of a great man in there eyes. Portray his sacrifice that they believe he made for what he believed in. How is this any different from the people you honor or remember.
On what government property has that happened?
Martin Luther King memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Mount Rush More and almost every city has a founding person statue of some sort.
It's ashame that a few people trys to force their views on US Citizens. Other religions observe their believes and we don't try and stop them. I resent this group the word Freednom in their name. They need to look up the word of Freednom and see what that word means. That means I have the right to pracctice my Freedom. I go to their business and spend money. Does this mean that they don't want our money or to live in a country that was founded on Freedom. I don't fell that I am out of place when we shop at thier stores and they work where we do. Are they going to quite their jobs because they don't believe the way the employer believes. Are they going to quite receive the benfits our government provides because the people that works with our government has a different believe. Are they going to give up having their trash picked up because the person picking up trash has a different believe. The Nativity Scene means different things to different people. So lets make them take the word FREEDOM out of the name.
Name all other religions that put up displays of their faiths on government property every year.
Yet another example of Christians attempting to bully the rest of us to put up with their attempted take over of our govt. institutions. The court is paid for by many non-christians and Christians have no business bullying there way onto govt. building property trying to "spread the message". Christians have long had an entitled mentality in this country and it's about time some organizations are standing up to them. There is no "war on Christianity" – there is a war for equal treatment against the long entitled position Christianity has maintained.
Belief or unbelief does not make truth any less or more true. Just a thought.
Belief or unbelief does not make truth any less or more true. Just a thought.
Ms. Gaylor some of your comments show just how ignorant you are to the fact. First of all EVERYBODY in the United States knows there is NO just thing as a Christian government building in this country. Second if you'd educate yourself you would know that even being who you are you will still be welcomed in any Christian building, hence you will always be accepted in a Christian building.
Jesus loves atheists and so do I.
Jesus loves atheists and so do I.
Well, People should respect others faiths, Do I think Christians should rise up and cause a ruckus? no, last time that happened they slaughtered thousands in the crusades, women, children, elderly, all in the name of God, The only reason Evolution is a theory is due to the fact, Christians will burn down the world before they let their crutch go. All fine and dandy, Please keep your nativity scene. it inspires hope and well being in Children. As for Christian Adults, Grow up. Remember your rights as an American Stop were mine begin. Religion is the number one cause of Death, Murder, Genocide, and Hate since the dawn of time, and you know what. If you don't believe me? Go read a real book. Called an encyclopedia.
This a War and we will not back down, we will not turn our other cheek, we will fight till the last man standing.
Amen, stand firm. It's time Christians and Pastors quit hidding behind the church and take a FIRM stand in support of Christanity. We act like we are ashamed to take a public stand for Christ. If it comes to a physical stand off I can muster up a lot of Marine Viet Nam Vets and Army to surround the Nativity Scene and most likely The men of the Patriot Guard. I still have a fight left in me. Christians put on the whole armor of God and stand Firm.
Atheist You have the right to choose Hell over Heaven and the right to be wrong, God gives you that freedom but you don't have the right to stop Christians from practicing our beliefs. I had an ole Marine Drill Sergeant who always said, there is no such thing as an Atheist in a fox whole!
Remind me why it is that Christmas won't thrive unless a statue of the baby Jesus sits on a courthouse lawn? Reading the pastors' remarks, I get the impression that all of Christianity would collapse if they couldn't put statues on government land…. I wonder if the Lord might have been more pleased if the town spent as much energy "attending to the widows and orphans" as they did defending a life-sized diorama on public land.
"This was a real statement to the nation that Christians are tired of the persecution and suppression.”.
I am sorry, but that statement is laughably ignorant. You CAN NOT claim to be persecuted, discriminated against, or suppressed when you make a large percent of the population. When the majority of politicians claim to be of your faith you just can not do that. Really though you want to talk about persecution lets talk about groups that those who profess "christian love" for have been persecuted for. Sorry, but this is b.s. if you think you are being persecuted please go to Uganda or even china and see what true oppression is. The oppression in Uganda fyi was caused by christians towards lgbt members.
Thank you my fellow Christian Texans. We need to stand up and fight against these barbarians. The attacks of Christianity should not be allowed to continue. Eventually everyone will have freedom of speech except those who don't hold "politically correct words" in other words liberal. The great hypocrisy of the left, they make you believe everyone is everyone not just the liberals.
So what does freedom of religion really mean? If you wanted a christian nation, well there isn't one anymore. What's happened is that people are forgetting where we live and what we are made of. Organized religion only separates even more from each other, more than country! Is a belief in an unseen entity really worth killing another human being over?
THOUSANDS of Christians should exercise their 2nd amendment rights and surround and guard this!
I'm an atheist, and yet I'm horrified by their behavior here.
That being said, the extreme bible bashers (not all of you) are even worse.
I'm an atheist, and yet I'm horrified by their behavior here.
That being said, the extreme bible bashers (not all of you) are even worse.
To which I add: "Praise The Lord, and pass the ammunition!"
The Founding Fathers would be as aghast at the attempts to remove town Nativity scenes as they would the notion that the USA was founded as a Christian country on Christian principles.
Ever ask an atheist what the first thing they do when they are about to be involved in a collision? The last one I ask told Me that His first response was "Oh My GOD DON'T LET THIS BE HAPPENING" I ask Him if He didn't Believe in GOD! Then WHY did He CALL on GOD? He told Me that He never thought of it that way! He looked at Me as if He had saw a ghost! The Bible says that If We DENY JESUS BEFORE MAN, Then JESUS WILL DENY MAN BEFORE GOD! I would Rather live My life in a JESUS like manner and find out there is no HELL! Than to live My life as a Atheist and find out there is a HELL!
I have noticed that Tim Gale is a Top Commenter on Here! Tim if You don't believe in GOD then why should something that other People believe in, Have anything to do with what YOU believe in?
I as an AMERICAN will do whatever it means Concerning Me and GOD, Where ever I want to. That is why Our Fore Fathers put, In GOD We TRUST on as many things as THEY did! And if You don't like it DON'T TREAD ON ME!
The way to end this is to just Ignore the Atheist's, Ignore them and like the attention getter's they are they will just pout and go away. Some will stamp their feet and hold their breath and run in little circles untill they tire out. build your nativity's on your own lawns and every where they look they will feel fear and ultimately go away. For the day they tread on my lawn is the day they meet there end.
Hey… That's my…. never mind…. I'll just hold my breath! LOL
thank GOD we still have christians ready to fight the aggravation of athiests!
how about sending all the athiests to Russia-we in America(biggest majority still believe in a higher power-GOD!
If you are offended by baby Jesus, you deserve to die.
God bless you for taking a stand. Thank you
What's up
What's up
On a roll
On a roll
God bless you for taking a stand. Thank you
Yeah, the could be fighting to end domestic violence, comfort the sick, heal the wounded or just help those in need in general, but you know what – that's not what Jesus cared about – he cared most deeply about making sure a statue of himself was on a court house lawn. I can't remember which Gospel it was in, but I'm sure it's in one of them.
Ian, you may want to check the gospels. Jesus cared Most about saving souls from going to Hell. Period. That is what is meant by the term SAVIOR. For this reason he established a Church and gave it His authority. The fight over the symbols of this message is, in the last analysis, a fight over preserving the message, not the symbol. But having graduated from ND as i did, Im sure you are intelligent enough to figure that out.
AMEN Brother Take a Stand God Bless The Pastors! WE need more Pastors Like them!
I would totally understand if the Nativity scene weren't located in front of a court house, but I see how it can be intimidating. Still, if the people of Henderson County want it, that ought to be enough. Why homogenize the country to zero practice of religion? Wisconsin has no say in Texas.
"“It sends a message of intimidation and exclusion to non-Christians and non-believers this time of year,” FFRF co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor told television station KFDW.
She said the location of the Nativity — on the lawn of the courthouse in Athens, made non-Christians feel unwelcome.
“Anybody walking by that is going to say, ‘Hmmm. This is a Christian government building. I’m not welcome here if I’m not Christian,’” she told the television station."".
Intimidation? Really? What about Christians feeling intimidated by your actions, atheist. The nativity makes you feel unwelcome? Well, tough, deal with it as an adult and not a cry-baby little child that wants to throw a temper-tantrum until they get their way. And if you think Christians don't welcome you, just walk into a church one day and claim to be atheist, they will welcome you even more in the hopes that the blinders can be removed and your eyes opened to the truth.
If you don't like it, go to Wisconsin, the home of your atheist group and leave Texas to the real Texans!
They are used to us (Christians) giving in on these issues. They need to understand that the right of free speech belongs to all.
1212
to all you small minded atheist in this blog we are not a cult we do not promote hatred we love all our brothers and pray for the simple minded fokes like yall and as far as cults go atheist are a cult movement, mormans are a cult movement, the karan is a cult book as is the niv, the new king james book, all ungodly and doom people to hell. I know it sayes judge not less yes be judged but I am not judging the person just what they say and do I have the wright to do that just like all christans should do. Stand up Christans and be counted or fall into the obiss.
Good for them… we all need to engage in this type of behavior…start smacking some people around and let them know we ain't going to stand for their crap anymore… this is our country, if you don't like it… go live in a communist, socialist country that will tell you what you can and cannot liek, do or say….you will fit right in.
Fear of God is showing that he is real, they want to get rid of Religion their fear is greater than their faith.
Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for information approximately this subject for ages and yours is the best I have found out so far. However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you positive about the supply?|What i don’t realize is if truth be told how you’re now not actually much more neatly-liked than you might be right now. You are very intelligent.
I feel that is one of the most important info for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But should commentary on some common issues, The site taste is great, the articles is actually excellent : D. Good process, cheers
Generally I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, very nice post.