Nativity Display Sparks Religious Freedom Dispute in Small Town Ohio

Pastor George Day

Live and let live—because trying to manage everyone else's life is exhausting, and frankly, I have snacks to eat.

Bishop William Dusenberry, DD

It’s clearly child abuse, to brainwash little bitty kiddies, into only one of the thousands of different religions readily identifiable all over the World. Yet, under contemporary standards, the religious brainwashing (AKA, indoctrination) is, instead of being categorized as the brainwashing that it is, is called “freedom of religion” — even though little kiddies, who’ve been religiously-brainwashed, are usually deprived of ever having religious freedom; and it’s Orwellian to merely suggest that the USA has religious freedom, when as a matter of fact, it clearly doesn’t.

Lori-Ann Neeb

The city should have amended it after actively promoting some kind of Christmas around the world multidenominational event which would have displays included by any faith or religion.

Paul Andrew Breda

Please - there aren't enough places to put a nativity scene, you have to put it in a public park? You know it's only to generate controversy, make people mad, attract costly lawsuits, and bring attention to yourself. Everyone, be cool. Put your nativity scene on your church's front lawn, or your own. People who push this issue are either unable to empathize with others not like themselves, or just don't like people not like themselves. Have some Christian charity, for Christ's sake,

Jodette C. Lenser

This is clearly unconstitutional and crosses the state/church separation line. Don't be fooled by the freedom of religion argument. This is not that. The taxes paid to support, among many other things, public parks, are paid by people of various reigions and no religion. The City cannot allow the promotion of someone's personal faith in public spaces without violating this principle.

Sara Bernardi

My, how beautiful it could be to see, what Im imagining is a bigger nativity scene, in a park. It would be so beautiful to really imagine baby Jesus Mary Joseph and the three kings, all together.

I'm sorry for the stress.

obere mchugh

Me personally, i dont care if a christmas display is put up any where as really its a secular holiday for the general masses, while christians can still call it there holy day and as rightly it should be, within the mass majority of the rest of atleast the united states, christmas is just what it is a winter celebrations. while i was never braught up within christiandom, we still did christmas with a few last gifts after ofcourse a bigger celebration upon the midwinter solstice. as per display's my coven stead(wiccan church) to which is my private property we keep up our krampus animatronic from halloween on our pourch, we still have the haybale out and other fall decorations too with thanksgiving approaching, but krampus will remain till after the jan 1. with yes ofcourse the motion activation and sounds. all be it my house does always look and feel Witchy so its no big deal and people dont complain most enjoy it.

Clayton Lee Pratt

I would prefer to not see any religious displays period. I'm an atheist, but the small town is live in puts up all kinds of Xmas decorations. Xmas is a christian religion holiday period. That is paid for by taxation or other fees the city collects from the citizens. That money should be used to improve the city in ways that everyone who lives in the city benefits from. Or in ways that help the most marginalized people in the city, food banks, energy assistance, improvement of infrastructure and handicap access. I do not celebrate any holiday. I see them as either religious proselytizing or soliciting capitalism. I have zero interest or need for either.

Scott Smith

It wouldn't matter to me if the display occurs on city owned land, only that the city did not fund the project. The funding being neutral is more important to me.

And yes, all self-funded religious displays should be allowed, as long as they do not blatantly offend grotesquely, pornographically, or by other highly offensive means.

Roy S. Thorpe

Quick way to end the nonsense! Put it on private land! No fuss no muss! These morons in American towns do it every year! PUT IN ON PRIVATE LAND OR LOT! STOP ALL THE SILLINESS!

Dorothy Hawkins

Here's an idea:

Cities can host "Wintertime Holidays Around the World" festival in their parks for all religious parties concerned can partake in. This way, many different cultures & religions can learn how much connects them, rather than what divides them.

All these holidays coincide with older "pagan" practices of celebrating the seasons of the year -

Especially December 25th in North America - when the sun starts shining more hours of the day, in anticipation of spring and the growing season.

Douglas William Mitchell

As long as the “compromise” is offered to all, including the satanists, then all good.

Tod Steinbauer

I live in a small city in Southern Minnesota. Minnesota is not known for being a Bible thumper state but there are a large amount of Christians in Minnesota. We also have a large amount of Muslims, Jewish and Pagans in our population.

It's pretty clear that if you let one group place religious displays on public land you have to let all religions place displays on the same public land. The city in this article had chosen to not allow any religious displays on public land which I feel is an appropriate choice given that the other choice is going to cause a huge headache for everyone involved.

Public land should remain neutral ground not allowing any religious displays to be placed on them.

Just wait until the alternative religions that fight this kind of overstep by Christians to become involved. This is not the end of this story.

Ari Joseph Bertine

It is absolutely all or nothing. 100%, no arguments, no exceptions, no favorites, no special privileges. If a Christian display is allowed, then so is a display from any other religion.

Steven Ferrell

They seem to have found a good compromise. It can be put up with a sign stating it is not the city but a personal person.

Joseph Grieco

Where we also see folks getting their noses out of whack is what constitutes a public display vs. a "private" one. Someone puts up a gazillion inflatables in their front yard and everyone goes "Aww. That's cute." Meanwhile folks like me go "I wonder how big THEIR electric bill is gonna be next month!" If you still have a downtown department store (yeah, there are still a few out there), everyone wants to see their "holiday display". But if a Church puts up a Creche on their front lawn, folks go ballistic, complaining religion is being shoved down their throats. It isn't! It's their church, their land, their rights. You don't like it? Don't look! If they get upset at that, they need to be glad most Lutheran Churches don't put up something for Krampusnacht. The evangelicals would go nuts over that!!!

Douglas Robert Spindler

Christians being selfish and not caring about other. And Christians wonder why kids today want nothing to do with the Christian religion.

ServantOfJudgement

Every year it's the same story with the same details. Christians whining about some statues and antichrists whining about some statues.

Let the Christian show admiration for his savior on his own land and let the antichrist worship himself on his own land.

Eliminate all holidays, recognition day, weeks and months. No national buttercup day, pride moth or thanksgiving. No MLK day, sweetest day and no st Patrick's day.

Independence Day, Memorial Day and Veterans day. That it, the end.

Reverend Paula Copp

I suggest the United Church of Satan put up a comparable display… and add every other religious symbol, as well.

Chris

It should be all or none. Christians don't own exclusive rights to all holidays at this time of year. And they have vehemently fought against any other belief system having a display on public property to the point of actively vandalizing them. So should this nativity be allowed on public property? Sure. But they also need to allow Solstice displays, Kwanza displays, etc. Otherwise it's showing favoritism to whiners.

Colleen McAllister

I have no problem with any religious display as long as it clearly states that it is not a govt endorsement of such a display.

Robert Gagnon

Sounds like they came to workable agreement. Christianity was not attacked, it was responded to by the rules.

James Riggle-Johnson

If you allow one, you must allow them all. Christians would be the first to protest a Satanic display for the Winter Solstice. Vivek Ramaswamy’s involvement is just a political stunt. One of the replies on his tweet said, "Thank you for supporting Christianity even if they don’t give you the same respect."

I’m not even sure why he got involved. The mayor already approved it.

Rev. Miche'al Yosef Dixon

Yet again another incident were the people fail to actually read the first Amendment many of us fought and bleed and died to protect. It says "Congress shall make no law" respecting or denying the "free exercise" (actions) thereof. Public property belongs to the public not the government and the public should have the say over who can do (actions) what on public property. Governors and mayors work for the public and should not have the dictatorship of the community.