Archive for December 2009
Angels, sanity return to Sonoma County
Stars, angels first ordered off Christmas trees in Sonoma County government buildings can be placed back
As we reported yesterday, stars and other religious emblems were ordered removed from Christmas trees in all government buildings in Sonoma County, Calif., on Monday following a lone complaint by an “offended” resident. Acting Sonoma County Administrator Chris Thomas today rescinded his directive on Monday to remove stars and angels from the trees.
“At this time, I wish to make clear there is no prohibition on any particular decoration and as such my previous e-mail request should be considered rescinded. You are encouraged to use your best judgment with respect to appropriate decorations for our public places,” Thomas said, as reported by Bay City News.
SCROOGE ALERT LEVEL REMAINS HIGH
Sonoma: Angel ordered off Christmas tree
Officials from California county remove angel ornament from Christmas tree after lone complaint.
Stars and other religious emblems were ordered removed from Christmas trees in all government buildings in Sonoma County on Monday following a complaint by Irv Sutley, a disabled 65-year-old Marine veteran who said the symbols were “extremely offensive” and part of the “cult” of Christianity. FULL STORY
SCROOGE ALERT: HIGHEST LEVEL…SEEK SHELTER…NO ANGEL FOR YOU! …SCROOGE ALERT: HIGHEST LEVEL…
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Angels, and sanity return to Sonoma County
Cure for the Christmas blues
What happens when joy seems to have gone missing?
I took a departure from my usual fare at the LA Church & State Examiner and wrote instead about finding the answer to the question, “Where’s the joy?” Read my story, which may be in part your story this Christmas, by clicking here! You just may find a friend you never knew you had!
Empty Manger, No Candles
SCROOGE ALERT LEVEL: ELEVATED
LUZERNE COUNTY, Pennsylvania — A menorah and statues in the nativity scene on the Luzerne County Courthouse lawn were removed Wednesday night after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) threatened legal action. County officials opted not to spend time and money on a lawsuit – at least not at this time – because they are swamped with the budget crisis and other pressing matters, the Times Leader reports. The empty manger remains. FULL STORY (Photo: Pete G. Wilcox/TimesLeader.com)
Man shares Christmas message at city celebration despite ban on Bible reading
“It’s very simple, I mean it’s Christmas, it’s about the birth of Christ, it’s not about Christmas trees, it’s not about Santa Claus, it’s not about elves and reindeer.” — Samuel Duck
SCROOGE ALERT LEVEL: HIGH
It has been a part of Maryville’s holiday traditions for nearly a quarter of a century, but Monday night the Bible was removed from their Christmas celebration. But, one local man took it upon himself to tell the story of the birth of Jesus.
WVLT: Maryville man shares a Bible story, after it was removed from an event
MARYVILLE, Tenn. — It has been a part of Maryville’s holiday traditions for nearly a quarter of a century, but Monday night the Bible was removed from their Christmas celebration.
One complaint changed the local ceremony, with the long-time argument of separating Church and State.
Click here to find out more!
And, it hit home when the City of Maryville received a call, complaining about their annual Yuletide Celebration, which used to include reading from the Bible.
Walker Johnson has been the Master of Ceremonies of the Maryville Yuletide Celebration for more than 20 years, but things changed this year.
He says, “It’s my first time in 22 years not to read the Christmas story.” Describing the previous years, he says, “Everybody is partying and having a good time, and when you start to read it, they get quiet, and any time you’ve got 6,7,800 people get quiet, you know you’re doing something right.”
Annually before the large tree in downtown Maryville was lit up, Walker shared the Bible story with the crowd.
But, Mayor Tom Taylor says, “Last Thursday we received a call from a lady asking if we were going to read the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke,” adding, “and she just simply asked if that were legal.” …
This from KNOXNews.com: Man defies city of Maryville, reads Scripture at tree lighting
Photo: Samuel David Duck reads the Bible during Maryville’s Christmas tree-lighting celebration Monday night at the Greenbelt. The reading has been a tradition for decades, but this year was eliminated after a complaint to the city. KNOXNews.com/Robert Wilson
MARYVILLE, Tenn. – Acknowledging it is “terrifying to stand and go against the courts,” Samuel David Duck, a Maryville resident and father of two, did what city officials had decided not to do.
He read an account of the birth of Jesus Christ from the Bible at the city’s tree-lighting celebration Monday night at the Greenbelt.
About 20 people gathered to hear the reading from the book of Matthew and applauded when Duck finished…
