Posted on 12/18/2007 5:09:38 AM PST by Puppage
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- A Wiccan pentacle has joined a controversial nativity scene at Green Bay's City Hall.
The manger scene was put up by City Council President Chad Fradette, who wanted to defy an anti-religious group that was protesting another nativity scene in a nearby town.
However, the Wiccans said that was an abuse of power and requested that the Wiccan symbol go up next to the nativity.
"I want to see all those other faiths that we don't get an opportunity to see in Green Bay, Wis., because we are sometimes relegated to that," said Wiccan Kelly Winters.
Fradette said he thinks the pentacle is pretty, and he is glad there is something else up there.
The Green Bay Gazette reported that other groups have suggested installing a peace symbol and Buddhist and Hindu displays.
Sooooo, it's the nativity scene that controversial?
Why doesn’t the WICCAN priest set up their stand and ring bells like the Salvation Army and let’s see how many coins fall into their kettle?
The bottom line: they hate Christianity.
ain’t it nice the witches want to celebrate Christmas too
when and where will the peyote stand go?
Egalitarianism at its finest. Of course, if one is rooted in truth and the other in mythology, who cares? They’re all the same. [/sarcasm]
That’s it. Wicca = anti-Christian these days. Why else would they care?
“Fradette said he thinks the pentacle is pretty, and he is glad there is something else up there.”
Notice how the Christian folk don’t get bent out of shape when other faiths wish to be represented.
Someone tell these morons that it is CHRISTmas, not WICmas.
Let them go start their own damn holiday.
Kwanzaa, anyone?
I believe they “celebrate” the Winter Solstice.
So why NOW at Christmas? If it’s that important to them they can display it on any other say.
P1ss on the pagans.
Sounds like it is on City property, by City Hall, in fact.
I’m Christian. The nativity belongs on church or private property. Not public property. That is why it is controversial.
The Wiccans have made the point poignantly clear, why NO religious symbols belong on City property. Nothing trivializes a religious symbol more than having it lumped with a bunch of others. What is the point?
As I recall, “Yule” was celebrated BC. It wasn’t until AD after the Christian church adopted the Julian calendar that the Christian church put X-mas in december so as to co-opt the already celebrated “pagan” event.
Were the Wise men Wiccans?
Is this time of year a Wiccan holiday, too?
Don't you remember that song? "Walk'n in a Wiccan Wonderland"
Ok, that's bad.....I need more coffee.
Christmas isn’t really that terribly Christian.
Yeah, what with it being the birth of Jesus Christ The Savior & all
“nor the free exercise thereof”....This is a much better way to handle things. The constitution allows for the free expression represented here. I’m all for it. When the marketplace of ideas is given it’s full expression, the roots and substance of our history and culture always win out.
Hence, conservative radio tramples the liars who depend on government subsidies and controls to get their ideas out while trying to muffle ours.
It’s much better this way. The nutcakes will eventually wither away if they must compete in full expression, rather than restrict our expression.
It's a day that Christians decided to celebrate His birth since everyone else in the pagan world was celebrating the return of the Sun.
Yes, it’s so nice of wacky wiccans to celebrate Christmas, even if it is just out of spite.
I wonder what they say? “Merry We’re-Not-Going-To-Let-Christians-Have-All-the-Fun Day!”
Merry Christmas Wiccans!
Our founding fathers might disagree with you...
I remember something about cultural celebrations sort of merging to keep conquered societies placated.
Did the Founding Fathers of this county conduct pagan rituals or did the pray to God?
Well then, we should do the other work around that's been done with Christm--er "Holiday" trees and just re-name the Nativity Scene to something else so that it isn't so "controversial".
Maybe we should call it a "Holiday Birthing Barn". Then no one's feelings would be hurt and we could avoid all that dreaded Christian inspired controversy.
Baal vs. God(I’m thinking of Elijah’s face off with the 400 priests of Baal)....let the other religious symbols go up next to Nativity scenes, the Holy Spirit won’t be thwarted by this!
Seriously, why can't these people get their own holiday? Oh, wait, I remember. It's because it's not about that, it's about tearing down anything connected to Christianity.
Good call!
From what I can tell, the majority of people want nativity scenes on public property. Shouldn't the government let its constituents vote on this instead of yielding to three or four malcontents? I mean, having a Nativity scene doesn't cause the state to establish Christianity as the national religion anymore than having a Menorrah makes us all Jewish. So why is everyone so terrified of the baby Jesus?
The Nativity scene commemorates the birth of Christ. Why would we want to trivialize it? My point is that is doesn’t belong on City property.
Right now on private property in the downtown area there is a Nativity scene and a menorah. Hanukkah ended at dusk on Dec. 12. I’m sure the menorah will remain until the Nativity comes down. By Christmas Day it will be almost 2 weeks since the end of the holiday. Now, is this Menorah representing the Festival of Lights or some equal time, don’t offend anyone, cover our a$$, move.
I don’t have any problem with the religious displays on private property. And if the merchant’s want to appeal to everyone in an effort to make them spend more money, fine. The City can make its property festive, encourage commerce and good cheer, but should stay out of the religious symbol business.
Also........
The roots of Valentine’s Day are in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15 and was changed to Christian feast day in 496.
I understand your point and half of me agrees. The other half says the 1st amendment guarantees the free exercise of religion, and if religion isn’t welcome on public property (which is expanding every day) what does the 1st really protect?
Every other group gets to use public property now and then to say “we live here”. It’s only Christians that other “citizens” seem to have a problem with.
Who cares.
Just about every religion has a winter solstice event. We have Christmas, they have...well, I am sure they have something.
As long as the penticle is not attached to the nativity, who cares.
Most people will have no clue what it is.
What are the wiccans celebrating at this time of year? Anything? Or are they just wanting to put something up with the nativity display?
It’s kinda like demanding the Red Chinese flag fly with the American flag on patriotic holidays because some Chinese fought for the US.
And that's the point, isn't it? Where whishy-washy politicians and chamber of commerce types have found it necessary to rename certain symbols (only those of a Christian nature) in hopes of taking the religious connotations out of them; just rename the nativity and they accomplish your objective stated above.
Winter solstice
Menorah's, pentacles, Nativities, the more the merrier...
I’m not sure I agree with the statement that the majority of people want nativity scenes on public property. I would need to see something more concrete supporting that.
And on religious issues, I believe the founding fathers had that whole “majority rules” thing in mind when they specified the public treatment of religion. Tyranny of the minority comes to mind.
I think about Tony Blair in England who would not to convert to Catholicism while Prime Minister. No, I don’t like anything that smacks of state sponsored religion.
And a Blessed Yule to you as well...
Christmas is all about Jesus. Why do all these religions have to have their symbols show up on Christmas? That’s just insulting Christmas. Let them chose another day to put their stuff out there. Otherwise, this would be singling out Christmas.
“So why NOW at Christmas? If it’s that important to them they can display it on any other say.
P1ss on the pagans.”
The Romans stole much of that from The Greeks who stole if from the Egyptians.
Is there a founding Wiccan witch’s birthday celebration in December we don’t know about? What happened to majority rule? If the majority wants the manger up or wants it down, that’s what should decide whether it is displayed.
Christians shouldn’t be afraid to go head to head with any religion in the public square. The message of Christ is so powerful, everything else looks dingy and crass in comparison.
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