The war on Christmas continues with the latest effort to remove a Christmas display in a Mississippi town. Of course, any religion could display what they want but it’s the Christian religion that’s being targeted by a group from Wisconsin called Freedom from Religion. I guess they’re taking it upon themselves to decide for this Mississippi town that their Christmas display must go…what a bunch of hateful people….
In one Mississippi town, residents are fighting back after an an atheist organization requested that that a Christmas display in their city be removed, organizing a show of support for the display.
“I just feel like Christians lose a lot nowadays because we’re too polite,” says Andrea Kirkley, a resident of Collins and a stay-at-home mom. “I’m tired of seeing Christians get pushed down. We’re not pushing our faith on anybody.”
Kirkley, one of the event organizers, told The Daily Signal in an interview that individuals, businesses, and the chamber of commerce “created something for the community to enjoy.”
“I was very proud of my hometown for standing up for what we believe in, and in a positive way,” she says.
Collins, Miss., has the annual “Christmas in the Park” event at its Bettie D. Robertson Memorial Park.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, a member organization of Atheist Alliance International, sent a letter of complaint to the city of Collins, saying they were “contacted by a concerned local resident,” and requested that the display be removed.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation argued that the faith-based display is “unconstitutional” on public property.
“All of the above religious displays are unconstitutional,” Elizabeth Cavell, a staff attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, wrote in a letter to the city dated Oct. 19. “The Establishment Clause prohibits government sponsorship of religious messages.”
“In its current state, Bettie C. Robertson Memorial Park is tremendously unwelcoming to non-Christian citizens,” Cavell continued. “Citizens of all faiths and no faith have an equal right to use city parks without being surrounded by symbols promoting any one religion. A city cannot have a ‘Christian’ park.”
Cavell requested that the city remove the Christian displays in order to “eliminate the appearance of government endorsement of religion.”
Kirkley said that if someone of another faith wanted symbols of his own faith displayed in the park, he is free to do so.
Read more: Daily Signal
