Saying No to Baby Jesus

The Detroit suburb of Berkley has for decades, acording to Michigan papers, displayed a crèche outside of city hall during the Christmas season. Last year, after the ACLU pointed out that the nativity only display probably violated the law, the city council gave the display to the local clergy association which agreed to put up the display at city churches.

Sounds like a reasonable compromise right? Take it off public property but save the tradition by having the display rotate through the churches in the area.

At least it seemed reasonable to everyone but a group of local Christians. You know the kind I mean, the kind that thinks preventing Christians from forcing their religion on everyone else is a violation of their rights and persecution equivalent to being tossed to the lions.

These folks managed to get enough signatures to force a vote on a city charter amendment that would require the city to display, at a minimum, a Mary, Joseph and infant Jesus on city hall property.

More rational heads prevailed however and the measure was defeated 55-45.

And so, another round of the so-called Christmas wars has ended.

I guess I‘m a little confused as to why they didn’t simply expand the holiday display with a Menorah, Santa and his reindeer and a Frosty the Snowman. Adding the secular elements, assuming they were as prominent as the crèche, would have shifted the display into the legal realm. Perhaps it was an issue of cost or space or perhaps they didn't want to sully the local tradition. I can understand that. At my age, tradition is important.

In any event, I can’t imagine anyone dumb enough to try and REQUIRE the town to display a nativity scene. I mean, an amendment saying it was ok might have had a fighting chance.

At least there are some folks in Michigan that appear to understand what is meant by the separation of church and state. This is another indication that Christopher Hitchens’ hypothesis that there are a lot more “nominal Christians” than “real Christians” in this country might have something to it.