http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,140545,00.html
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Santa, Yes, Jesus, No
Sunday, December 05, 2004
By Scott Norvell
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"A December parade in Denver will feature everyone from Chinese lion
dancers (search) to gay and lesbian shamans, according to the Rocky
Mountain News, but not Christians who want to sing yuletide hymns or carry
a Merry Christmas message.
Denver pastor George Morrison said his request to enter a float in the
annual Parade of Lights (search), which apparently only coincidentally
happens in late December, was rejected because parade officials won't
allow any "direct religious themes."
"It's a little confusing to me," said Morrison. "Here we have this
holiday, Christmas, approaching, and Parade of Lights is suddenly changed
into something where you can't even sing a Christmas song?"
The one-hour parade features elaborate floats with holiday symbols such as
Santa Claus and gingerbread houses, plus an "international procession" of
cultural groups.
The international portion this year features the Two Spirit Society, which
honors gay and lesbian American Indians as holy people; a German folk
dance group; and performers of the Lion Dance, a Chinese New Year
tradition "meant to chase away evil spirits and welcome good luck and good
fortune for the year."
Those groups are considered examples of ethnic diversity, not religious
groups, a parade official said."
Peter Vidal
PALL Corporation
SR Programmer Analyst
5775 Rio Vista Drive, Clearwater, FL 33760-3137
