Santa YES, Jesus NO

["Milt Habeck" <mhabeck@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi ...

There is a growing contest between Christians and some number
people who do not have Christian faith about this issue: the 
"separation of church and state." The principle facet of that contest 
is whether the establishment clause has been distorted by the
Supreme Court to create a genre of separation that the founders 
never intended, or not. 

I do have Christian faith and therefore concur with Chief Justice 
William Rehnquist's view that the "separation of church and state
rulings are bad history and worse law."

Contests about floats in parades bear on a different issue: whether 
there is merit to separating God from society, or not. I think that's 
a debate that any moderately-well informed 10 year old Christian 
could win in decisive fashion. 

May the peace and saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you always,

Milt Habeck
President
Unbeaten Path

(888) 874-8008
mhabeck@xxxxxxxxxx 
www.unpath.com 




From: Peter Vidal 
To: Non-Technical Discussion about the AS400 / iSeries 
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 10:17 AM
Subject: Santa YES, Jesus NO

"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