Letters to the Editor: Readers weigh in on the nativity scene controversy
It's important that we be
living embodiments of Christ
Two letters in the Dec. 5, 2007 edition of the Forest City Summit bemoaned the removal of nativity scenes from public property. The authors both believed that Christ is being taken out of Christmas, and wonder, “where is the Christ in Christmas?”
I, too, wonder that. Where is the Christ in our home decorations of candy canes, lights, trees, Santa, reindeer, and snow globes? Where is the Christ in our frenzied shopping to buy more things that we do not need, to fulfill wish lists of children and adults who will forget what they received within months, if not weeks or even days? Where is the Christ in our overindulgence of Christmas cookies? Is he there? Or has he been pushed aside, albeit unknowingly, to make room for all the “fun” Christmas activities?
When we display a nativity scene in our homes as just one of the many themes of Christmas, making it equal to the other seasonal decorations, we are pushing the Christ aside. Why should we expect the government to make him a focus if we cannot do it ourselves? Sure, we may go to church on Christmas Eve for an hour and sing our Christmas carols, but what happens the next morning? The Christ is gone, and Santa has come.
The author of one of the letters likened the display being taken away to the Grinch who stole Christmas. The Grinch, however, stole only those outward signs of Christmas: the presents and the decorations. The message in the story is that Christmas still came without those things.
Would it happen that way for us? Without our public decorations, would we still have Christmas? We should still have it. It doesn't matter if government displays or doesn't display a nativity scene. It doesn't matter if we choose not to compete with our neighbors with putting up lights.
What matters is that we ask ourselves if we are truly celebrating Christmas. Are we celebrating what we think it is, a season of love, family, and compassion, as one author pointed out, or are we celebrating what it truly is, a unique time in history when the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob made himself known in a unique way, when instead of His presence dwelling in the tabernacle in the wilderness or in the temple in Jerusalem, His presence dwelt in the person of Jesus?
If we take the time to ponder the mystery of the Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, coming to us in such a way, everything else we deem important, such as whether or not we can have nativity displays on public property, or whether or not we have bought just the right presents, pales in comparison.
Instead of feeling offended that there is not a nativity display, what if we took that energy and spent time contemplating, praying, asking God what he would have us do instead of asking the government to do it for us?
How would we then be able to have our lives transformed and help in transforming the lives of others, just as our world began to be transformed when the Christ was born? Perhaps, then, we would be a living, breathing embodiment of the Christ, perhaps we would indeed be the body of Christ as we should be, and manufactured displays would no longer have to do it for us.
Kelly J. Youngblood, Forest City
Reader wonders: Where are churches' nativity scenes ?
I want to extend my thanks for the Winnebago County Supervisors for their recent solution to the “nativity scene” dilemma. I still think the nativity scene should be removed, but given the political climate, the Supervisors' solution is probably the best that could be achieved.
When I was young and a member of our church's Luther League, one of our annual “chores” was putting up the nativity scene for our church (as a farm boy, I always got to supply bales of straw).
This year, as of December 14th, not a single church in Forest City displays a nativity scene on its lawn. Yet, the Ministerial Association insists that one be displayed on publicly-owned, government property. How odd!
Members of the Ministerial Association argued that displaying the nativity scene is a matter of free speech. We have this right in Winnebago County - many, many homes and private businesses proudly and rightly display Christmas decorations of all sorts, from secular Santa-type displays to strongly religious (Christian) displays. I don't think anyone from outside the community could drive through the county and not conclude that Christianity is alive and well here.
Government property is a far different matter, however. The First Amendment forbids government from establishing (e.g., promoting) religion. For years, displaying the nativity scene on the Courthouse lawn has been contrary to this clause of the First Amendment.
At least now there is a sign stating who is sponsoring the display. I look forward to symbols that other religions may now want to display on the Courthouse lawn.
Paul Bartelt, Forest City
Pastor thanks supervisors
for nativity scene decision
On behalf of the Christians of Winnebago County, Iowa, THANK YOU Winnebago County Supervisors Gorden Anderson, James Oulman, and Warren Wubben, who, along with County Attorney Robert Cooper, made the morally right and legally correct decision to sell the nativity set to the Forest City and Lake Mills Area Ministerial Associations and permitting them to place the nativity set back on the courthouse lawn.
I would also like to thank all the Christians who prayed, contacted their Supervisors, showed up at the meetings, stood up and spoke up and exercised their God-given freedoms and rights. We are blessed to live in a county where our elected leaders, when presented with clear and correct legal information, are willing to humble themselves and reverse an unjust decision for a just decision.
And THANK YOU to all the military veterans, past, present, and future, who have and right now are serving to protect the precious freedoms and rights we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America.
God bless America and Merry Christmas!
Pastor Doug Domokos,
Word of Faith Dominion Church, Lake Mills
Applauding Christians who fought for ‘spiritual rights'
Thanks to the ministerial associations and the people of Winnebago County who stood their ground and fought for our “spiritual rights” in our little town of Forest City.
The nativity scene looks great and as the light shines forth from the manger scene may we all remember the real reason for the season (Luke 2).
If it had not been for the coming of Christ in that manger so many years ago, we would have no Christmas to celebrate.
If it had not been for the manger so many years ago, we would have no Savior.
If it had not been for that manger so many years ago, we would be eternally lost.
Today we celebrate Christmas because “Christmas is Jesus.” May we in Forest City and Winnebago County put Christ back in our school by calling those winter programs “Christmas programs” and may we put Christ back in our hearts and in our homes.
A thousand thanks to our little town and a local newspaper that is not ashamed to honor Christ.
Carol Kleveland, Forest City
Story created Dec 18, 2007 - 17:06:19 CST.
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