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Coalition Calls for Nationwide Push on Public Nativity Scenes

(AgapePress) - At the same time that a coalition of Christian groups is encouraging the display of Nativity scenes at public buildings nationwide during this Christmas season, a Pennsylvania town has reversed an earlier decision and will now permit a couple to display one in a public park.

The Christian Defense Coalition, Faith and Action, Generation Life, and various members of Congress have launched "The Nativity Project: A Public Witness to Keep Christ in Christmas." At a news conference on Thursday just outside the U.S. Capitol Building, coalition spokesman Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said the group is calling on believers across the country to apply for permits to set up Nativity scenes in front of their city halls, government centers, or state capitol buildings in the days leading up to Christmas (December 19-22).

"It's our way of encouraging people to step out in the public square and express their faith tradition without interference or harassment," said Mahoney. In a press release, he expressed sadness at seeing what he describes as "a growing hostility" toward expressions of faith in the public square.

"This is especially true during the Christmas season where there appears to be a concerted effort to remove the true meaning of Christmas from public view," he says. "[This project] is a positive way to share the message of the season which is one of peace and good will toward man."

In addition, the ministry leader says, it is also a strong reminder that the First Amendment provides "freedom of religion and not freedom from religion" -- and that the role of government is to protect expressions of faith and not crush them. ""We're just seeing this as a positive step, a proactive step to begin to help restore religious liberty and freedom," says Mahoney, "and also help get the powerful message of Christmas out to the public."

Capitol Hill lawmakers lending their support to the project include Sen. Sam Brownback and Congressmen Trent Franks, Walter Jones, and Phil Gingrey. Spokespersons for other members of the coalition voiced similar concerns about religious freedoms.

"Nativity displays capture the essence of the Christian faith, but they are also part of the rich texture of American history," noted Rev. Rob Schenk, president of Faith and Action. "This struggle is about the supreme constitutional issue of freedom of speech and religion. It's time to stop the ACLU from bullying the Holy Family and the American people."

Echoed the national director of Generation Life, Brandi Swindell: "Our goal is not to force any one religion or belief system on another. Rather, it is to affirm the founding principles of our nation which extends the right to all citizens to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience free from government interference or harassment."

Evidently that is the type of treatment encountered last year by a Pennsylvania couple. But the town has now reversed its earlier decision and will allow Michael and Deborah Sturm to place a Nativity scene in a public park.

Nix on 'Willy-Nilly' Rules
Last year the Sturms sought permission to put a Nativity scene in a park in the Borough of Beaver but were rebuffed by city officials. Following intervention by the Thomas More Law Center, the crèche was allowed. This year, the Borough Council Board tabled the approval of the Sturm's request -- and once again, the Law Center took action. Edward White, trial counsel for the Law Center, says the matter as been resolved.

"[This year] we ... sent off another letter to the board explaining that this park is a public forum," he explains. "Within a couple of days of that letter, the council held a special session and changed its decision of tabling the matter and allowed them to put up the display."

According to the attorney, the letter informed local officials that constitutional issues were at stake. The city attorney also played a role in the reversal, notes White. "... [H]e was explaining ... to the council that this is a free-speech issue and that the council can't just willy-nilly make up rules because someone wants to put up a Nativity scene," White explains. "And you cannot discriminate based upon the content of the Sturms' speech, which is a Nativity scene."

The Sturm's Nativity scene will be on display in the city park from December 16 through the end of the year.