Posted on 12/02/2004 1:11:39 AM PST by ETERNAL WARMING
HOLIDAY BLUES Christmastime event is no-Christian zone Santa, 'holy homosexuals' OK for parade, but no floats with direct religious themes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: December 2, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Joe Kovacs © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
In the latest skirmish over Christmas in America, a Christian group is not allowed to participate in Denver's annual Parade of Lights, because church members sought to sing yuletide hymns and proclaim a "Merry Christmas" message on their float.
However, the event, now in its 30th year, will include homosexual American Indians, Kung Fu artisans, belly dancers and, of course, Santa Claus.
"I think there's an agenda that is anti-Christian," Pastor George Morrison, tells WorldNetDaily. "It seems like this agenda has crept in, and it's robbing us."
Morrison heads the Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada, Colo., among Denver's largest evangelical churches with over 4,000 attendees each week.
The parade, slated for tomorrow and Saturday nights, is produced by Denver Civic Ventures, Inc., with heavy promotion by its flagship sponsor, KUSA-TV, the local NBC affiliate.
The hour-long event features highly decorated floats with symbols of the holiday season such as Santa Claus, gingerbread houses and toy soldiers, along with what's billed as an "international procession to celebrate the cultural and ethnic diversity of the region," according to its website.
Santa Claus float called one of the 'most anticipated moments' in Denver's Parade of Lights (KUSA-TV)
Among those allowed to participate is the Two Spirit Society of Denver, a support group for American Indians who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgendered, honoring them as "holy people."
Also included are performers of the Lion Dance, a Chinese New Year tradition "meant to chase away evil spirits and welcome good luck and good fortune for the year," reports the Rocky Mountain News.
Despite the inclusion of these groups with spiritual connotations, parade spokesman Michael Krikorian said the event does not allow "direct religious themes." Included in the ban are signs that read "Merry Christmas" and the singing or playing of Christmas hymns.
"We want to avoid that specific religious message out of respect for other religions in the region," Krikorian told the News. "It could be construed as disrespectful to other people who enjoy a parade each year."
He notes the church group was informed of the policy last spring when it first inquired about participation.
Pastor George Morrison
"I could not believe what I was hearing," Morrison told WND. "I was floored. I assumed it was a Christmas parade."
Morrison says he attended last year's event and noticed a lack of any connection with Christianity, which sparked his interest to be included in the first place.
"Maybe they should hold Parade of Lights in January or February," Morrison told the News. "By holding it in December, it's assumed by a majority of people that the reasons the lights are up is the continuation of the celebration of the birth of Christ. In America, that's our tradition, that's what the holiday is about."
As WorldNetDaily previously reported, Christmas celebrations were actually banned by Christians who settled colonial America in the 17th and 18th centuries, as many felt the holiday was based more on paganism than Scripture.
But celebrations grew in popularity during the 19th century, starting with Washington Irving's 1820 book "The Keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall." A week before Christmas in 1834, Charles Dickens published "A Christmas Carol," and in 1860, American illustrator Thomas Nast created Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus, based on European stories of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children.
In recent years, battles have ignited each winter across the U.S. as the public display of religion becomes a hot topic. The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, has been leading the charge in many instances to preclude expressions of faith in the public arena, though the group is not involved in the Denver parade.
Recently, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, announced the phrase "Merry Christmas" would replaced at city hall next year with with "Happy Holidays."
Catholic League president William Donohue issued a statement yesterday on this year's attempts to ban Christmas.
"This is only the beginning of the Christmas season and already the anti-Christmas crusade is in high gear," he said. "In the name of 'separation of church and state,' they distort it. In the name of diversity, they crush it. In the name of tolerance, they obliterate it. Which is why we need to call them for what they are – cultural fascists."
As far as the Parade of Lights in Denver is concerned, Morrison says he has been contacted by several attorneys, but he's no longer interested in participating this weekend, as he would need time to prepare a proper entry.
But he adds members of his church will be walking the parade route an hour before it starts.
"We're going to sing Christmas carols to people on the street," he told WND. "We're not promoting a boycott."
They'll start with an "inclusion" memorial for the atomic bomb victims.
I believe someone in Denver needs to start a rumor that the parade will be really bad this year due to the queer clown S&M display or something and maybe also say there will be a live display of the neonazi party.
just a thought...
Get together with your church group and hundreds of others and line the parade route with people holding banners containing CHRISTMAS messages. In other words, if the mountain won't come to Christ, bring Him to the mountain.
Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
We need 1000 more Bill Donohues.
I like the idea of moving the Holiday Festival of Crap to January or February.
I'm amazed the ACLU hasn't sought to overturn Dec. 25th as a federal holiday...
I guess it doesn't matter since it's not celebrated in the religious sense for a large part of sociery...
The Dutch-ification of America continues unabated...
Joyful all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th' angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem." Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."
Christ, by highest heaven adored Christ, the everlasting Lord; Late in time behold Him come Offspring of a virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th' Incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with man to dwell; Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Come, Desire of nations come, Fix in us Thy humble home; Rise, the Woman's conquering Seed, Bruise in us the Serpent's head. Adam's likeness, Lord efface: Stamp Thy image in its place; Second Adam, from above, Reinstate us in thy love.
Hail, the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!
BTTT
Do what the Hibernians do in STL...have your own parade.
Happy Ranahanukkwansmas to all.
"Happy Birthday, Jesus" by Donald Arey, Sr. I had a birthday party, most everybody came.
They danced and ate and had a ball, But no one spoke My name.
They gave each other presents, as nice as they could be.
People came from far and near, But no one mentioned Me.
The stores were filled with shoppers, The restaurants crowded out,
But no one seemed to really know what the party was about.
They talked about a reindeer. I think Rudolph was his name.
Then someone mentioned "Jesus", And they hung their heads in shame.
You see, it was My birthday. They didn't even know.
That is why from heaven My heart is grieving so.
I came to earth from heaven on that first Christmas day--
Born in a lowly manger From sin to show the way.
I died one day on Calvary, on a cruel Roman cross
To save a world of sinners from a life of awful loss.
When you next have a party, with presents, friends and tree,
Remember Me, your Savior, whose birth has set you free.
PS: I am coming again soon.-- Jesus
Furthermore, let the sponsors of the Denver "Paganism and Perversion Holiday" parade, such as the Metro Denver Ford dealers, Starbucks, Xcel Energy, etc., know your dispelasure regarding their sponsorship.
Good thinking!
Where's the ACLU when it really matters!
I realize you're being sarcastic, however, I would NOT want the ACLU involved in this. Organizations such as the Alliance Defense Fund or the Thomas More Law Center would be a better choice to fight this battle.
You can join the fight against the ACLU and their ilk by becoming involved with and supporting the following organizations:
American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) - http://www.aclj.org
Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) - http://www.thomasmore.org
Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) - http://www.alliancedefensefund.org
The Rutherford Institute - http://www.rutherford.org/
Here are just a few recent examples of how two of those organizations are fighting back:
ADF Contacts Over 3,600 School Districts Over Attempts To Censor Christmas
ADF: 700 lawyers ready to fight ACLU lawsuits
ADF: Pentagons' Warning About Boyscouts Is Absurd
Thomas More Law Center: Town of Palm Beach Pays $50,000 In Attorney Fees Apologizes To Women In Nativity Lawsuit
F@gs will take any occaision to play "dress-up" and act like fairies.
This is my friends, purely and simply, an ultimate battle and it is following His Word vs. the path of evil. The stakes are higher than what we are to eat for dinner tonight or whether we buy a new car in two years. It is eternal life or damnation and we find ourselves forced to fight for what we know to be right. For, we will be judged by our actions or non-actions.
Merry Christmas!
Dress as the Three Wise Men and walk the sidewalks of the Parade route singing Christmas hymns.
Amen, and Merry Christmas!!!!!
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