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Wisconsin-based non-profit calls for Athens (Texas) nativity scene to come down
WFAA Texas News ^ | December 7, 2011 | Craig Civale

Posted on 12/08/2011 8:50:41 AM PST by tuffydoodle

ATHENS, Texas - The signs of Christmas are everywhere in downtown Athens.

Lights, trees, and Santa and his reindeer line the streets. But it's the nativity scene on the lawn at the county courthouse that has caused concern.

"I just don't understand it, to be honest with you," said Henderson County Judge Richard Sanders. "I'm just confused about it."

Sanders says residents haven't complained. The issues were brought up by the Freedom From Religion foundation, a Wisconsin non-profit group who sent a letter to the county this week, calling the display unconstitutional and demanding it come down.

"I'm an old country boy, you come to my house looking for a fight, you're going to get one," said County Commissioner Joe Hall. "That's from the bottom of my heart."

There's no confusing how Hall feels. He says the county isn't budging.

"We'll remove it when hell freezes over," Hall said. "It's not going to happen."

Henderson County doesn't own the nativity scene. It has been put up for more than a decade by volunteers from the Keep Athens Beautiful group.

Commissioners say they wouldn't object to other religious displays being put up on county property, but they've never been asked.

If it is open to all faiths, then the Freedom from Religion foundation tells News 8 it wants to put it's own sign at the courthouse. One that reads, in part, "That there is no God, no devils, no angels or heaven" and that, "Religion hardens the heart and enslaves minds."

It's happened before.

The same sign was put up at the capital building in Washington state back in 2008. The same group, the Freedom From Religion foundation, got it posted right next to another nativity scene. The sign brought out angry protesters there, and county officials believe it would bring out the same anger, having an outsider forcing their hand.

"I would be interested if a person from Henderson County approached me, wanting to put up something on the Henderson County Courthouse lawn," said Judge Sanders. "I don't want someone from Wisconsin asking us to do something."

Their hand may be forced for them.

The Supreme Court has ruled against nativity scenes on government property in the past, but it seems clear, it's a fight county officials are ready to take on.

"I ain't gonna back down," Hall said. "I haven't and I won't."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: athens; moralabsolutes; nativityscene; texas; tx; waronchristmas2011; waronchrstmas
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To: CharlesWayneCT
“I don’t mind if atheists, jews, or even muslims put up things that make THEM feel good without attacking others.”

I don't think that atheists have ANYTHING that makes them feel genuinely good, and that is the problem. Since they are miserable, they want everyone else the same way. Misery loves company.

The Muslims , on the other hand, do have something that makes them feel good. Their problem is that thing IS attacking others.

I think of the joke about the cowboy, the Indian, and the Muslim on the train. Punchline? “We ain't played cowboys and Muslims (or atheists) yet.”

41 posted on 12/08/2011 10:44:03 AM PST by fredhead (I'm not sleeping, I'm checking my eyelids for cracks.)
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To: Bruinator
Yes.

I have never been able to understand how a majority of the 'justices' on any U.S. supreme court could misunderstand the meaning of the words: "CONGRESS shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." (emphasis mine)

42 posted on 12/08/2011 11:02:33 AM PST by WayneS (Comments now include 25 percent more sarcasm for no additional charge...)
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To: tuffydoodle; 185JHP; 230FMJ; AKA Elena; Albion Wilde; Aleighanne; Alexander Rubin; ...
Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

More War On Christmas - a subset of the War on God. Why does this sick the Freedom From Religion foundation have this power to sue cities and places all over the country? I don't get it. I think massive civil disobedience with Nativity scenes EVERYWHERE would be an excellent thing.

43 posted on 12/08/2011 5:12:31 PM PST by little jeremiah (We will have to go through hell to get out of hell.)
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To: tuffydoodle
Seasons Greetings Wisconsin based Freedom From Religion from a native Texan,


44 posted on 12/08/2011 6:03:21 PM PST by Ron H. (Hardly no difference between politics and prostitution.)
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To: Oberon

———I fail to understand how a Wisconsin-based advocacy group has standing in an issue involving a display on county-government property in Texas.-——

My first thought as well....but after all they are liberals and assume their positions on everything are without fallacy and superior ...well just because...

I’d write them back and tell them....come on down and make us take it down you gutless worms....


45 posted on 12/08/2011 6:32:20 PM PST by Popman (Obama is God's curse upon the land....)
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To: Notary Sojac
Did you notice the wording on the atheist plaque they forced the Washington state capitol to post?

“That there is no God, no devils, no angels or heaven” and that, “Religion hardens the heart and enslaves minds.”

Yeah, that will win over hearts and minds...

I appreciate the fact that you have no objection to the placement of the nativity scene. I'm a Christian who has no objection to atheists who want to post their own plaques. However, our personal opinions shouldn't matter. That's really the issue here. Are minority rights harmed when the majority, to include government employees, make religious (or nonreligious) expressions? In other words, is this constitutionally prohibited?

We have this mess of litigation thanks to a feckless Supreme Court that has made a complete muddle over one of the clearest parts of the US Constitution. I don't think anyone knows what is and isn't permissible religious expression any more thanks to the court's horribly inconsistent rulings.

46 posted on 12/08/2011 9:50:40 PM PST by CitizenUSA (What's special about bad? Bad is easy. Anyone can do bad. Aspire to be good!)
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To: CitizenUSA
Are minority rights harmed when the majority, to include government employees, make religious (or nonreligious) expressions?

That is the key.

I think that minority rights are harmed when explicitly religious issues are written into the law. For example, the courts were quite right in throwing out laws which prohibited business openings (or any other otherwise legal activity) on Sundays. Example #2, sexual activity (of any sort) between consenting adults in private is none of the law's business.

However, things such as display of a creche on the courthouse lawn or a cross in the city seal should be addressed through the political process. If enough people don't like them, elect a mayor or a governor who will get rid of them. If not, then they stay.

47 posted on 12/09/2011 7:24:06 AM PST by Notary Sojac (Liberalism: Ideas so good, they have to be mandatory!!)
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