tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post3855094561020555961..comments2022-12-05T20:34:57.333-06:00Comments on kiwi cottage: the nativityKristinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145473338589575006noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post-43174532408132195272013-06-27T23:45:55.952-05:002013-06-27T23:45:55.952-05:00What a great post!!What a great post!!Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01606570803094936934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post-47685584669798305392011-12-11T12:10:00.610-06:002011-12-11T12:10:00.610-06:00This made the national news. Thought you might be...This made the national news. Thought you might be interested: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/nativity-scene-is-a-superstition-says-atheist-group-but-santa-can-stay/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post-12530831720954935992011-12-10T14:12:43.851-06:002011-12-10T14:12:43.851-06:00I absolutely agree with this, and I agree with Sam...I absolutely agree with this, and I agree with Sam's comment above, as well.<br /><br />I have had a few days to mull over this issue. I can plainly see both sides of it. There are many facets of this situation that could be discussed and they raise many points. But what it comes down to is that technically, the scene shouldn't be where it is, plain and simple. I am annoyed by that "rule", but that doesn't matter. This is nothing new.<br /><br />What really grieves me is the reaction by some of the citizens that I've seen. Rude, intolerant, hateful, willfully ignorant, blind. It stains our county's reputation. It gives the rest of the nation a false impression of Athens, TX and most importantly, the Christian faith. It presents Henderson County as a bunch of religious zealots who would go so far as to celebrate the oppression and extermination of any person or group not professing Christianity. This is a really dangerous mindset. Here, the focus is no longer on our tenets of faith, but on division, on shutting out others, on lowly human nature. How can these professing "Christians" have missed this??<br /><br />Athens is not the first town square targeted by the FFRF. A quick google search will reveal that this organization has been at it all over the US for about 30 years. <br /><br />It is so easy to lose focus on what this really is. This is really not a big deal at all. Why do we Christians expect an easy, accommodating ride through life with our faith? Why do we so often take others (people of differing beliefs) out of the equation? Why do we regard them as sub-human? Why are we so SELFISH?<br /><br />I really believe this happened for a reason. Regardless of the FFRF, the disgruntled citizen, the din of disapproval, we have been called to remember the importance of this holiday. Jesus never forced his preaching on people. People came to HIM. He never over-explained himself. He served others. AND He commanded us to love. Why do we feel like we are above this? Also, we need to remember that we are increasingly a persecuted bunch, and to receive this persecution with joy.Hannah Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post-77599929672768884762011-12-09T21:56:14.804-06:002011-12-09T21:56:14.804-06:00Kristina, I think you are right on.
Thanks for sh...Kristina, I think you are right on.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful, bold, and well-written post.allisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08621793543013390500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post-82517289889139233282011-12-09T19:15:45.337-06:002011-12-09T19:15:45.337-06:00You know, just the other day, I was trying to imag...You know, just the other day, I was trying to imagine how I might feel about things like "In God We Trust" on money, the Ten Commandments in courthouses, and Nativity Scenes in public if I were an atheist. I honestly don't think I would care. And the fact that other people do care strikes me as being a stain on their character.<br /><br />Imagine for a moment that I went to a country that was predominantly Muslim, and I became a citizen of that country. Would it be right for me to object to all the Muslim symbols that would permeate that country just because they show up in public or government buildings? I don't think so because Islam is woven into the culture of that country. To object to public displays of Islam would be to object the expression of that country's culture.<br /><br />America is a little more diverse than most countries we typically think of as Islamic, but Christianity is still the predominant religion, and it's an expression of our culture. If I were an atheist living in America, I would accept that Christianity is part of the culture. I would accept that it would be expressed in all kinds of ways, including nativity scenes in public places. I wouldn't want it to change.<br /><br />And I would be perfectly fine with Menorahs or whatever other religious symbols that are expressions of American culture, too, if they were displayed in public places. This in no way constitutes an "establishment of religion." It is simply an expression of our heritage that happens to <i>be</i> religious.Sam Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15884738370893218595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187552192627920293.post-70971055258828221832011-12-09T19:11:17.995-06:002011-12-09T19:11:17.995-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sam Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15884738370893218595noreply@blogger.com