(California) Outlawing Christmas and other trends

Pahrump Valley Times ^ | December 5, 2003 | ERIC LAGESON

[narses]

Merry Christmas. Teachers in California can't say these words. It is illegal. The same for singing Christmas carols and displaying nativity scenes. In essence, Christmas is being outlawed in our closest neighboring state.

The ACLU, atheists and others are intent on kicking God out of all public life. I'm sure you'll remember the Ten Commandments being removed from a courthouse entrance earlier this year. What is the intent of these God haters?

Examine the communist leaders of the former Soviet Union. They saw God and religion as a real threat. To them, the state must transform into a God. At life's end whom will you answer to?

This socialist dogma has been infiltrating the U.S. school system for some time. In 1963, prayer was outlawed. The theory of evolution replaces creationism. Bibles cannot be brought into the classroom. Any type of Biblical message or literature has been banned. Bible clubs are harassed, persecuted or, in some cases, not allowed.

Much has been made of the phrase "the separation of church and state." These words are not in the U.S. Constitution. No such provision exists. What the First Amendment says, in regards to religion, is: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The meaning is obvious. There is no Church of America as there is a Church of England. The founding fathers didn't want our government to be oppressed by any nationwide established religion. The important point to remember is the First Amendment is about freedom of religion, not about its destruction. The phrase "free exercise" is clearly understood. You, as an American, have the right to practice your religious beliefs. Where is it written that you can't worship God wherever you want? Why are public buildings exempt?

The idiots intent on erasing God from our culture prey on ignorance. Many know what the First Amendment says and ignore or revise it. That's what's happening in California and what may happen in other states, including your own.

The government, much like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, can be very good or very bad.

Nevada is not immune from religious persecution. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is thinking of outlawing curbside memorials, especially where crosses mark the area of a driver's death. Why? Because some atheists (or non-Christians) are offended. If one is offended, punish everybody. Already a memorial was removed near Carson City.

I'd hardly call putting a cross where somebody died as establishing a nationwide religion.

The critics claim it's the "people's property." (I've given up on the fact that the government and the people are not the same thing anymore.) If it is the people's property, why can't the people use it? If the land on the side of the highway is being unused, what does it hurt to place a cross there? Why would the anti-God crowd go so far out of their way to make sure every religious symbol is banned?

Curbside memorials have been banned in three states: Colorado, Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Will Nevada be the fourth?

Removing crosses, etc., is the same as desecrating a grave. That is what our government plans on doing. Rumor is that new "guidelines" will be implemented. According to NDOT, perhaps the grieving people will be allowed a "rest area." Thanks, but no thanks.

We are living in strange times. What used to be bad is good and vice versa. When you remove God from your life, what do you replace him with? The hedonistic lifestyles so prevalent nowadays are nothing new. The ancient Roman empire, Pompeii, Sodom and Gomorrah, they all did what so many are doing now. History has shown what became of those civilizations. Could it happen to our own? The no-morality crowd is attempting a takeover. Will they succeed? It's up to you.

Lageson writes from Pahrump.

[narses]

Ping.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Merry Christmas.

And send in SWAT.

[jnarcus]

I am always amazed at the statements that people make about California....they hear a rumor or a story of one school district and instantly the whole state is tarred and feathered. Just for the record teachers in California can and do say Merry Christmas, I have even heard other holidays mentioned and at my daughter's school ( a high school) the choral preformance does in fact include Christmas carols and some actual liturgical music....And yes it is a public school in the Silicon Valley area

[FormerACLUmember]

It is astonishing how Orwellian the rat party and the ACLU have destroyed the Constitution.

Does anyone really believe that "free speech" means that you cannot say "Merry Christmas"?

[narses]

Shhhh, don't tell or the ACLU will come calling.

[Raymond Hendrix]

Thanks for posting more bad news from the sunshine State. In Tennessee there is still a remnant of freedom but unfortunately I have to move back to California to take care of my elderly parents. God help me to endure the insanity in this place.

The Blind Atheist

[MissAmericanPie]

"Will they succeed? It's up to you."

Where that this were true, but it's not up to us. It's up to an enemy of God judicial system that has with malice twisted and preverted the meaning of the Constitution, when they are not outright ignoring it, that is.

This court has the force of the military and local police behind it. So unless we are ready for a revolution, and few are, there is nothing to be done.

[A. Pole]

Much has been made of the phrase "the separation of church and state." These words are not in the U.S. Constitution. No such provision exists. What the First Amendment says, in regards to religion, is: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The meaning is obvious. There is no Church of America as there is a Church of England. The founding fathers didn't want our government to be oppressed by any nationwide established religion. The important point to remember is the First Amendment is about freedom of religion, not about its destruction. The phrase "free exercise" is clearly understood. You, as an American, have the right to practice your religious beliefs. Where is it written that you can't worship God wherever you want? Why are public buildings exempt?

But the separation of church and state was in the Soviet Constitution. A large part of American militant secularists had Soviet leanings in the past (until Russia disapointed them by abandoning Communism) and they wishfully projected it into the American Constitution. Modern secularists find the mindset of Founding Fathers so odious that they cannot focus their minds on trying to understand what the Founding Fathers meant. They rather have the "living constitution" (like the Living Church of the 1920s )

[evad]

God help me to endure the insanity in this place.

Hey..if yas want true insanity, come to Maryland where the shopping malls no longer Christmas decorate because of PC-itis.

[evad]

""Will they succeed? It's up to you.""

If it was up to me I'd fix it today.

[FITZ]

Nevada is not immune from religious persecution. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is thinking of outlawing curbside memorials, especially where crosses mark the area of a driver's death.

They will have problems with this one --- the liberals will have to choose between their groups --- the atheists or the hispanics? The curbside shrines and crosses are a very hispanic tradition ---- part of their culture. Muliculturalism has it's problems.

[EggsAckley]

Lageson writes from Pahrump.

Is that kind of like shooting from the hip?

[trek]

Eat your heart out. I live in Texas. A tornado damaged my son's church a few months back. And they have been meeting ever since in the local Elementary School! No problem with anyone in the community that I can see. No ACLU activists have yet to protest. But then again, this is a "Right to Carry" state.

P.S. I do NOT live in Austin.

[Raymond Hendrix]

Thanks for informing me about Maryland. I had no idea that it has gone that far. In rural Tennessee we just ignore the PC nonsense. It would be interesting to see people simply refused to comply with the restrictions imposed on society by those who cannot stand to hear or see the 'G' word anywhere. Let alone the 'J' word. God help us to remain charitable while this nation falls into hell...

[Spok]

The Constitution says CONGRESS shall pass no law establishing religion. That has been twisted into the premise that no STATE may tolerate religion. I'm now hearing it said that expressing CHRISTIAN beliefs is illegal. These perversions of Constitutional law have ALWAYS targeted Christian beliefs. The trend couldn't be more clear. It's only a matter of time until Christianity is banned and its practice will be criminalized under the rubric of Constitutional law. Human history, which is rife with religious and ethnic oppression, is about to be repeated. Mankind seems to have little insight into the past and continues to run the cycle of repression, resistance and war. America, I fear, is not going to break the mold.

[Amerigomag]

In my neck of the woods, central California, most folks go out of the way to say "Merry Christmas" just to rub the PC crowd the wrong way.

On the public side the annual "Winter Holiday Parade" has replaced the "Christmas Parade", it's "Holiday Greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas" on radio/TV adds and greeting cards in the stores, schools now go on a "winter break" instead of a "Chrismas break" and all seasonal cards exchanged at public schools should "avoid" references to "Christ", "Jesus", "God" or "Christmas" per the local school board.

[narses]

Merry Christmas!

[Malacoda]

The time is coming when all Christians will have to go back to practicing in secret to avoid persecution, and painting fishes on their chests to recognize one another.

[Kirkwood]

Almost like I don't live in America anymore. If I had gone to sleep in the 70s and woke up today, I would think I was in some bizzaro parallel universe.