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Sadly despite bans in most state constitutions and in the Federal Constitution prohibiting mixing government and religion many Christians want to use government to forces their superstitious beliefs on the rest of us.
Holiday displays fire up debate in Loudoun County The Washington Post December 17, 2011 By Caitlin Gibson Baby Jesus is keeping strange company. For the better part of 50 years, a creche and a Christmas tree were the only holiday displays on the Loudoun County Courthouse grounds. Then came the atheists. And the Jedis. And the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster - each with its own decorations. A skeleton Santa Claus was mounted on a cross, intended by its creator to portray society's obsession with consumerism. Nearby, a pine tree stood adorned with atheist testimonials. ("I can be moral without religion," declared one laminated ornament.) Flying Spaghetti Monster devotees are scheduled to put up their contribution this weekend. It's a banner portraying a Nativity-style scene, but Jesus is nowhere to be found. Instead, the Virgin Mary cradles a stalk-eyed noodle-and-meatball creature, its manger surrounded by an army of pirates, a solemn gnome and barnyard animals. The message proclaims: "Touched by an Angelhair." With the new displays, a new tradition was born: a charged seasonal debate. This year, the dispute struck a particularly raw nerve. Skeleton Santa was ripped down - twice. Kenneth Reid, Loudoun County supervisor-elect for the Leesburg district, sent a news release opposing "outrageous anti religious displays." In a letter to a local newspaper, one resident decried the "mean-spirited attack by the faithless on the faithful." [ How dare this mean spirited government bureaucrat say that our God, the Flying Spaghetti Monster isn't the supreme master and creator of the universe. Any moron should know that!!! How could anyone believe in the Jesus thingy, which is an obvious hoax. ] For Loudoun locals, the heart of the issue isn't really about a Santa Claus corpse or a deity made of noodles. And despite a flurry of tongue-in-cheek news reports about the ongoing debate, most people don't find it a laughing matter. Some say the issue is about freedom of speech, or separating church and state; others say it is about the importance of preserving a cherished tradition. It's also about fast-growing Loudoun County grappling with the inevitability of change. For decades, the creche took its place without fanfare. Then, in 2009, a courthouse grounds committee, concerned about a growing number of requests to use the public space, decided that Loudoun should ban all unattended displays on the property. [ Sounds like a damn good idea! Stop mixing religion and government! Even if you are dumb enough not to worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster as the supreme master of the universe, you should be smart enough to know that the First Amendment forbids mixing government and religion! ] Public outcry was fierce and emotional. Residents poured into the county boardroom wearing Santa hats and religious pins, pleading with county leaders to respect their freedoms of speech and religion. [ Hey, Freedom of Speech doesn't mean you are allowed to use government land, buildings, resources or funds to push your religion. You can do that on your own property, with your own money! ] The board ultimately decided to allow up to 10 holiday displays on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants got in line. Baby Jesus has appeared in several displays. But others had far different interpretations of a holiday greeting. (One year, a mannequin arrangement featured Luke Skywalker of "Star Wars.") Reid said he has been dismayed by some of the choices. But Matthew Courtney, a member - or "Pastafarian" - of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, thinks allowing diversity in the decorations is welcoming. He said he was excited to contribute a holiday message that represents his belief but acknowledged that the message may not be well received. "I understand that it's out of the blue for some of these residents - that there are atheists in the community, or Pastafarians in the community," Courtney said. "A lot of them are uncomfortable with that. At some level I can understand that. But it doesn't bother me.... It does show the diversity of the community, and I think that's a good thing, not a bad thing."
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