[ican'tbelieveit]

Saw a snippet about this on tv tonight:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/holidays/3963530/detail.html

Church Group Upset They Can't March In Parade Of Lights
Parade Organizers Say Christmas Carols May Be Offensive To Others

POSTED: 4:24 pm MST December 1, 2004
UPDATED: 7:31 pm MST December 1, 2004

DENVER -- It's one of Denver's most colorful holiday traditions -- the lighting of the Denver City and County Building and the parade of lights downtown. But now two decisions about those events are making church groups see red.

Church Group Banned From Holiday Parade

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper recently announced that next year the phrase "Merry Christmas" will be removed from the city building and replaced with "Happy Holidays."

And now a church group who wants to march in the Parade of Lights and sing Christmas carols will not be allowed to participate in the parade. Organizers say the parade is about the holidays, not Christmas, but leaders of the Faith Bible Chapel say that's ridiculous.

"We can't pretend that Christ didn't exist and Christmas wasn't about his birthday, so we felt we could sing it and apparently that is not in social vogue anymore," said Pastor Gary Beasley, with the Faith Bible Chapel.

"This event is not one that has ever intended to have a religious message or a political message," said Susan Rogers, with the Downtown Denver Partnership.

She said no overtly religious symbols is allowed in the parade and that means participants can't carry "Merry Christmas" signs and can't sing traditional Christmas hymns.

But in the 30 years that it's been held, there has been an occasional Christmas element to the parade, such as marching bands playing Christmas songs, and several years ago a large balloon in the parade read "Merry Christmas." In 1987, even Mayor Federico Pena greeted the city with "Merry Christmas!" during the parade.

But last spring when the Faith Bible Chapel asked to be a part of the parade, offering to sponsor or build their own float and sing carols, organizers said no because it would be offensive.

"We try to be sensitive to the fact that we are a very diverse community and a very diverse world," said Rogers. She said this is a holiday parade, not specifically a Christmas parade, and it's occuring during a season when many other cultures are celebrating other holidays as well.

But Beasley doesn't see this reaction as being tolerant of other religions, but being intolerant of Christianity. He said his large evangelical organization is being excluded from a major downtown celebration.

"We're singing Christmas carols. It's Christmas time, people have been singing Christmas carols for hundreds of years in America," Beasley said.

The Arvada church group said since it cannot be in the parade, it will march one hour before this weekend's Parade of Lights, pass out hot chocolate and sing Christmas carols.

---

'"We try to be sensitive to the fact that we are a very diverse community and a very diverse world," said Rogers. '

Funny, we can be diverse to everything except Christianity.

[stinkerpot65]

That is 100% illegal.

[conservative_2001]

Typical liberals. In the name of diversity, they ban Christians and Christmas.

[Graymatter]

...church group said since it cannot be in the parade, it will march one hour before this weekend's Parade of Lights, pass out hot chocolate and sing Christmas carols.

How long you figure it'll be until they're forbidden to do that too?

[OpusatFR]

""We try to be sensitive to the fact that we are a very diverse community and a very diverse world," said Rogers."

This is blatant discrimination against Christians.

It's time to stop shopping and let the powers that be know Christ is Christmas and we can play hardball to get that message across.

I will not shop this season and I hope others join me.

[wiley]

Maybe the time has come for Christians to stop showing up.

Heck, why don't we sponsor our own parades.

[Quix]

MASS CHRISTIANS ALL ALONG THE ROUTE AND SUE THE ORG'S SOCKS OFF.

[sevry]

said no because it would be offensive.

"We try to be sensitive to the fact that we are a very diverse community and a very diverse world,"

You got it exactly. "Very diverse" = "said no". Offensive? Well, maybe it's offensive to the Protestants that they should be shunned in a Christmas parade. Diverse? No.

Denver is known for this. I would guess it's 'blue' county territory in a 'red' state. At least they made the freemasons happy, and the ACLU.

[Glenmerle]

"This event is not one that has ever intended to have a religious message or a political message," said Susan Rogers, with the Downtown Denver Partnership. . . . She said this is a holiday parade, not specifically a Christmas parade.

This is what I so loathe about the Left: they are dishonest. Rather than have the guts to say, We don't like Christmas, we don't like Christians, and we especially don't like you conservative Christians, they spin tales about the Parade of Lights that a six year old can see through.

I mean, what holiday, with all its holiday lights, is this holiday parade commemorating? Is it Ramadan? Kwanzaa? Valentine's Day?

And why is it that "Happy Kwanzaa" hasn't been forcibly morphed into "Happy Holidays"? Why do we still call Halloween "Halloween"? Why not call it the "October Holiday"? Everyone who's honest--and that excludes most of the Left--knows the answer to those questions.

Personally, I take a stand. I can't do much, but I can refuse to buy Christmas cards that read "Season's Greetings" and I can smile and reply "Merry Christmas" to every "Happy Holidays" greeting directed my way.