{"id":140,"date":"2007-12-15T13:59:20","date_gmt":"2007-12-15T17:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/?p=140"},"modified":"2009-11-21T21:37:19","modified_gmt":"2009-11-22T05:37:19","slug":"sibling-rivalry-and-holiday-tantrums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2007\/12\/15\/sibling-rivalry-and-holiday-tantrums\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Controversy and Holiday Tantrums"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Updated 31 Dec 07)<\/font><\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

As government officers and followers of Christ, military Christians have a uniquely personal interaction with the sometimes controversial relationship between church and state.\u00a0\u00a0Even something as simple as saying “Merry Christmas<\/em>” (see earlier post<\/a>) can require consideration unthinkable in the civilian world.\u00a0 For each situation, Christians should stand by their beliefs; however, they need not do\u00a0so polemically.\u00a0 For an interesting case study, consider some of the recent controversies (and responses) over Christmas displays:<\/p>\n

Towns across the country have chosen to place nativity scenes, Christmas trees, and Menorahs\u00a0on government property.\u00a0 When lawsuits and other attempts to remove them have failed, opposing groups have “joined” what they could not “beat”–they’ve put up their own displays.\u00a0 (It is worth noting that while the Constitution does not mandate “multi-faith holiday displays,” the courts have been least averse to conglomerated exhibits.)<\/p>\n

In one town in Wisconsin<\/a>\u00a0[with thanks to the Religion Clause<\/a>]<\/font><\/em>, a Wiccan pentagram surrounded by a wreath has been put up next to the nativity scene.\u00a0 (It\u00a0may be\u00a0a sad irony that were the “pentacle” to be placed above the manger, it would be indistinguishable from the star of Bethlehem.)\u00a0 The response to the addition?\u00a0 From the person who advocated the nativity:<\/p>\n

That\u2019s pretty…I\u2019m glad there\u2019s something else up there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A few years ago in New York<\/a> state, an atheist\u00a0put up the following sign near the town’s Menorah and nativity:<\/p>\n

American Atheists Wish You a Very Merry Winter Solstice.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(Apparently, the atheist was attempting to make a non-religious\u00a0statement to counter the tide of religion in the town, so it is ironic that he chose the winter solstice–one of the most widely religously celebrated events\u00a0around the world.)\u00a0 The local reverend’s response:<\/p>\n

We’re Episcopalians; we’re very laid-back about stuff like that.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A\u00a0“Pyramid of Freedom” was recently<\/a> erected near a manger scene in Wisconsin by members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which called the\u00a0nativity<\/p>\n

a violation of the very founding of this country.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The sponsor of the nativity “welcomed the group\u2019s effort to express itself, as he did.”<\/p>\n

My philosophy is the three C\u2019s \u2014 don\u2019t criticize, condemn or complain.\u00a0 It\u2019s about sharing fellowship.\u00a0 If it\u2019s all in a positive frame, so be it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Also in Wisconsin<\/a>, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has placed its annual contribution to the capitol’s “holiday display.”\u00a0 Their sign reads:<\/p>\n

There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The back of the sign reads: State\/Church: Keep Them Separate<\/em>.\u00a0 In a final irony, the organization that seeks to be “free from religion” responded<\/a> to the theft of its sign\u00a0by adding a phrase from the King James Bible: Thou shalt not steal<\/em>.\u00a0 (Perhaps they think religion is good for something after all.)\u00a0 The response from State Rep. Marlin Schneider, who is also proposing that the “holiday” tree be renamed the “Christmas” tree:<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a free country, and [the FFRF] can put up whatever they want.\u00a0 They have a right under the Constitution.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With respect to Christmas displays, Christians have occasionally resorted to lawsuits to prevent the restriction of free exercise.\u00a0 However, once they secured that Constitutional right, most Christian law firms and advocacy groups have not sought to prevent others from taking advantage of that right.\u00a0 As noted above, their response has been “let them come.”\u00a0 They\u00a0welcomed the additions of other groups as proof of\u00a0Americans’ Consitutionally guaranteed freedoms.\u00a0 Accusations by some groups that Christians are using Christmas to\u00a0obtain a government endorsement of\u00a0Christianity appear to be unfounded.\u00a0 Rather,\u00a0Christians have fought to prevent the restriction<\/em> of religious celebration, even by groups other than themselves.<\/p>\n

Undoubtedly, some individual Christians may express offense at a Wiccan pentagram near a plastic nativity scene, but a loving and gentle response–and using the opportunity to talk about God’s Gift to mankind–will do far more to further the cause of Christianity than an arrogant tantrum.\u00a0 One prominent organization that is rarely friendly\u00a0toward Christianity virtually reveled in relating a story of an innocent\u00a0store greeter saying “Happy Holidays” and being verbally accosted with an acerbic “No, Merry Christmas<\/em>!” from a probable Christian shopper.\u00a0 Perceptions of Christians being confrontational, rude, or uncaring, whether true of the whole or not, do not contribute to the cause of Christianity.\u00a0 While the motivations of other groups may not always be pure, a non-adversarial response silences the critics more quickly.<\/p>\n

Speaking of tantrums, the quid pro quo of “holiday” displays brings to mind an interesting analogy.<\/p>\n

At childrens’ birthday parties, it is often difficult to explain to very young children why they<\/em> don’t get presents.\u00a0 Most often, they’re told that it is a “special day” for the other child.\u00a0 Some can’t (or refuse to) understand, and demand that they, too, receive personal attention.\u00a0 Some parents give in and give them a small gift to quell the riot; others refuse rather\u00a0than diminish the special occasion for the birthday child.\u00a0 Youth and immaturity make one child demand the attention that is due the other.<\/p>\n

It would be easy to point fingers at the Freedom From Religion Foundation–which doesn’t have a “holiday”\u00a0in the Christmas season–in its\u00a0child-like desires\u00a0to detract from the “special” occasions of Christmas and\u00a0Hannukah.\u00a0 One could even argue that groups that demand that their displays be\u00a0integrated near or with another faith’s are guilty of the same fault. \u00a0Still, the analogy applies to any group, including Christians, that demands an undeserved\u00a0“place at the table.”<\/p>\n

The Constitution allows, without moral judgment, Americans to have religious freedom.\u00a0 In an ideal world, each faith (or non-faith) would be allowed their celebrations free of harassment from the others.\u00a0 Since we live in this world, though, we will continue to have our mixed displays of nativities, Menorahs, pentacles, reindeer, snowmen, atheist signs, festivus poles (really<\/a>), solstice announcements…<\/p>\n

Military Christians should celebrate their religious freedom, and they should\u00a0remember that other groups benefit from that freedom as well.\u00a0 They should never compromise their moral beliefs, but they should respond to challenges to their faith with understanding, gentleness, and love.<\/p>\n

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
\n– Proverbs 15:1<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Updated 31 Dec 07)\u00a0 As government officers and followers of Christ, military Christians have a uniquely personal interaction with the sometimes controversial relationship between church and state.\u00a0\u00a0Even something as simple as saying “Merry Christmas” (see earlier post) can require consideration unthinkable in the civilian world.\u00a0 For each situation, Christians should stand by their beliefs; however, they need not do\u00a0so polemically.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[4,2,10],"class_list":["post-140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-government-and-religion","tag-churchandstate","tag-military","tag-religion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}