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Charleston Firehouse Ordered to Remove Nativity Scene
CHARLESTON, S.C. - A fire department in South Carolina has removed a nativity display from a station after getting a complaint.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reported Monday that the nativity scene was removed from Charleston's Fire Station 12 after the complaint that the display supports Christianity.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter dated Dec. 17 to Mayor Joe Riley and Fire Chief Thomas Carr asking that the display be removed. The letter says a local resident complained.
The complaint was referred to the city's legal department, which recommended the scene be removed, citing U.S. Supreme Court rulings against promoting one religion over another.
A number of Charleston fire stations have Christmas decorations, but those include Santa Claus and holiday lights.
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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reported Monday that the nativity scene was removed from Charleston's Fire Station 12 after the complaint that the display supports Christianity.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter dated Dec. 17 to Mayor Joe Riley and Fire Chief Thomas Carr asking that the display be removed. The letter says a local resident complained.
The complaint was referred to the city's legal department, which recommended the scene be removed, citing U.S. Supreme Court rulings against promoting one religion over another.
A number of Charleston fire stations have Christmas decorations, but those include Santa Claus and holiday lights.
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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Shaw on
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Such decrees are in fact an assault on Christianity and the free practice of it. We must also remember that no other religion is subjected to this treatment. I have no doubt that if that department had put a Menorah up and there had been a complaint, the one making the complaint would be vilified as the next Hitler and mad to publicly recant their complaint. This is not about Kwanzaa which is not a religious holiday but a cultural one (and a relatively new innovation at that). This is about Christmas and how it is the only holiday not allowed to be called by it's name in public, unless it is at a druid tree ceremony or a renaming of Saint Nicholas festival.
In my city there is a Congregational Church that puts up a nativity scene on their front yard. This yard happens to face on a city park, which is home to a Menorah that is lit on every one of the eight nights of Hanukkah by a local Rabbi. The city does not allow the nativity in the park because it would somehow be favoring one religion over another. I personally would have no problem with both being their side by side, but that would not satisfy the anti-christian political correctness lobby. The city does have a Christmas tree in the park, but no clergy are invited to participate in the secular lighting ceremony.
For several years our Government Center (where I work) would host a holiday door decorating contest, with the rule that no religious symbols be allowed. This is pure absurdity, in that most of this seasons holidays are religious in nature or at least origin. However once again, Menorahs, and Dreidels are of course allowed and often win the contest. There is Christmas tree in the lobby, but like it's counterpart in the park, it is devoid of any and all religious symbolism.
I find it refreshing that a Chaplain would stand up for freedom of religion (not freedom from religion) and also the right to have religion not subject to any laws respecting it's establishment. Most Chaplains I have met, try so hard to be non-denominational that they end up not really being all that spiritual at all.
As for the historical facts, even all the specials on the History Channel which are thinly veiled attempts to remind us that Christianity is wrong, all start out with the historical fact of a man named Jesus born when and where the Bible says. For the most part, the historical aspects of his life are not in dispute, even hen the spiritual facts sadly are.
And on a final note, Merry Christmas to the Firefighters at Charleston Station 12.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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In my city there is a Congregational Church that puts up a nativity scene on their front yard. This yard happens to face on a city park, which is home to a Menorah that is lit on every one of the eight nights of Hanukkah by a local Rabbi. The city does not allow the nativity in the park because it would somehow be favoring one religion over another
Which is exactly the case here. The church is putting the Nativity on its own private land, no harm, no foul.
Such decrees are in fact an assault on Christianity and the free practice of it. We must also remember that no other religion is subjected to this treatment.
No it's not. Please tell me how this is an assault on free practice of Christianity? No other religion is subjected to the treatment??? Um, hello, how about the N. Andover sign issue? I do believe the Jewish faith was only allowed ONE day to display a Menorah. You don't see many other religions subjected to the treatment, because they don't really do the same type of displays.
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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Sorry, we have religious freedom here as well: No religious symbols are allowed on government buildings or property.
That said, traditional Chrissy here is a cook out and trip to the beach! You should see some of the light displays. Since it isn't cold, a lot of people go nuts with their decorations, and spontaneous street parties pop up all over town from people coming out to look at the lights. I love it.
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Cool! So you would be willing to hang a lit banner from the front of your station that reads: "There is but one God, Allah, and Mohammed is his Prophet!"
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Jack, Firefighter Hourly is now reporting that the creche was actually NOT on public property. According to the FH update, the creche was on a neighbor's property, and the neighbor had agreed to let the station put the creche on his property. The city still ordered that it be taken down.
With private property involved, this puts this particular Christmas decoration issue in a very different light.
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They control everything! Banks! Media! Door decorating contests!
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Allowing a menorah but not a creche is also wrong. Just as it would be wrong to allow a smiling Budda or Ganesh. All of these symbols in the public forum denote government endorsement of religion (courts are pretty consistently clear on this) so they've all got to go. Unfortunate, but this is the price we pay living in a free society.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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I think I'll spend next Christmas down under, sound like fun. Now I just need to learn to speak Austrailian! lol
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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"The city still ordered it down because it was inconsiderate of other religions."
And people talk about the eastern liberal elite? How about the mid-atlantic dumbass? This was the local government that ordered it down. I am more than curious how and why that was accomplished. There may yet be more to this story. But as the facts stand, unless there are some (unknown) zoning issues at work here the town is going to find themselves being sued for stifling freedom of speech and religion and I would be fully behind that lawsuit.
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