Wisconsin Lawmaker Stirs Controversy With Proselytizing Christmas Message To Constituents

The Forward reports today on the continuing controversy over the religious video Christmas greeting sent out last month by Wisconsin Assembly member Rep. Scott Allen to his constituents.  The almost 2-minute video was shot by Allen in a state-owned studio in the Capitol building and was sent to constituents through the state e-mail system.  In the video, Allen says in part:

To me and my fellow Christians, celebrating the birth of our Savior, our Emmanuel, well, it is one of the most important celebrations of the year. For those who may watch this who are not Christians, I invite you to consider the hope offered by the Prince of Peace.

American Jewish Committee general counsel Marc Stern says the video clearly crosses the line into proselytizing. Allen says his message was not directed at constituents who held other religious beliefs, but was targeted at those with no belief.

Donald Trump's Christmas Card Covers All Bases

The New York Daily News reports that the Christmas card which Donald Trump mailed to his supporters this week covered all the bases after his campaign emphasis on the need to say Merry Christmas instead of "Happy Holidays."

From the White House For Christmas: Playlists and Concern For Persecuted Christians

On Wednesday, in anticipation of Christmas, the White House posted The Obamas' and Bidens' Holiday Playlists on the White House Spotify channel.  The Obamas' number one pick is "O Tannenbaum, Vince Guaraldi Trio (A Charlie Brown Christmas)," while "Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Bruce Springsteen" tops the Bidens' playlist.

The President also posted a more serious statement on Persecuted Christians at Christmas, saying in part:

At this time, those of us fortunate enough to live in countries that honor the birthright of all people to practice their faith freely give thanks for that blessing.  Michelle and I are also ever-mindful that many of our fellow Christians do not enjoy that right, and hold especially close to our hearts and minds those who have been driven from their ancient homelands by unspeakable violence and persecution.

In some areas of the Middle East where church bells have rung for centuries on Christmas Day, this year they will be silent; this silence bears tragic witness to the brutal atrocities committed against these communities by ISIL.

Mayor, Councilwoman Patch Up Dispute Over Christmas Tree

According to NJ.com, on Thursday, Roselle Park, New Jersey borough council voted 4-2 to go along with Mayor Carl Hokanson and change the name of the borough's annual "Tree Lighting" to "Christmas Tree Lighting."  This led Councilwoman Charlene Storey to resign, arguing that the renaming changed the ceremony "from a non-religious event to a religious one."  The mayor said that in going back to the event's traditional name, he was just calling the tree what it is. The mayor reached out to Storey, and after they met she withdrew her resignation.  The mayor in turn set up a new committee on diversity that Storey will chair.  She says she hopes the committee will come up with a process for groups to propose additions to the Christmas Tree Lighting and display, as well as deal with other diversity issues.  Both Hokanson and Storey are Democrats; Storey was raised Catholic, but is now a "non-believer."

First Family Lights National Christmas Tree

Reuters reports that President Obama and his family yesterday led the lighting of the National Christmas Tree across the street from the White House.  Meanwhile, on a page titled Holidays at the White House, the White House website displays this year's White House Holiday Decor-- with the theme "A Timeless Tradition."

Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Against School Show's Live Nativity Depiction

In Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Concord Community Schools, (ND IN, Dec. 2, 2015), an Indiana federal district court granted a preliminary injunction barring an Indiana school district from presenting its traditional live nativity scene as part of this year's school Christmas Spectacular show. The court said in part:

a reasonable observer would fairly believe that the portrayal of the living nativity scene, when viewed in the particular context, circumstances, and history of the Christmas Spectacular, conveys a message of endorsement of religion, or that a particular religious belief is favored or preferred.

The court held that the school's insertion, in response to the filing of this lawsuit, of short segments on Hanukkah and Kwanzaa did not cure the Establishment Clause problem:

the way in which Chanukah and Kwanzaa are being presented in the show in comparison to the Christmas portion in general and the nativity scene in particular actually serves to place greater emphasis on and suggest greater preference of the religious message conveyed by the nativity scene.

In its press release on the decision, FFRF says it continues to prepare for trial on the merits since the preliminary injunction applies only to this year's show.

UPDATE:  The Dec. 12 Goshen News reports that the school stayed in technical compliance with the preliminary injunction by featuring a static nativity scene using mannequins, in place of the enjoined live performance.

Nativity Pageant Challengers May Sue Anonymously

In an order (full text) issued Monday, an Indiana federal magistrate judge allowed two individual plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging an Indiana high school's Nativity Pageant to proceed anonymously. (See prior related posting.) Plaintiffs asked for the order "because one Doe Plaintiff is a minor, because of the history of violence and intimidation against plaintiffs in other Establishment Clause cases similar to this one, and because there is a reasonable expectation that the Doe Plaintiffs here will be the victims of harassment, injury, and other serious harm if their identities are made public."  Defendants did not object to the order.  The Elkhart Truth reports on the order.

Italian School Head Provokes Controversy By Canceling Christmas Concert In Favor of Winter Musical In January

With Italy's population becoming more religiously diverse, it is now facing the kind of issues regarding Christmas celebration in public schools that have been common in the United States.  Under attack from Italy's Prime Minister, the headmaster of a 1,000 pupil school in the town of Rozzano near Milan has been forced to resign after he canceled the school's traditional Christmas concert in favor of a non-religious Winter Concert in January.  AFP, The Telegraph and Deutsche Welle all reported yesterday on aspects of the story.  Before resigning, Marco Parma, headmaster of the Garofani comprehensive school whose student body is 20% non-Christian, said:

Last year we had a Christmas concert and some parents insisted on having carols. The Muslim children didn't sing, they just stood there, absolutely rigid.  It is not nice watching a child not singing or, worse, being called down from the stage by their parents.

The school's teachers backed the headmaster, but Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was incensed, saying:

Discussion and dialogue does not mean to say we can drown our identity for the sake of a vague and insipid form of political correctness. Italians, both non-religious and Christians, will never give up Christmas.

The head of Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League went further, arguing that "canceling traditions is a favor for terrorists."

Organization Launches 13th Annual "Friend or Foe Christmas" Campaign

Liberty Counsel announced yesterday that it is launching its 13th annual Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign.  It says the purpose of the campaign is "to make sure Christmas is not censored in public places."  As part of the campaign, Liberty Counsel publishes its Naughty or Nice list of retailers, praising those who use "Christmas" in their products and ads, while panning those which instead use the more generic term "Holiday." The campaign also seeks to encourage governmental organizations to embrace Christmas, saying: "public officials in schools and county offices are often cowering to grinch-like atheist organizations threatening lawsuits."

Indiana High School Sued Over Upcoming Christmas Pageant

The ACLU and Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit yesterday challenging as an Establishment Clause violation an Elkhart, Indiana public high school's annual "Christmas Spectacular."  The complaint (full text) in Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Concord Community Schools, (ND IN, filed 10/7/2015) alleges:

Each winter for the past several decades, the High School has staged a “Christmas Spectacular,” a series of performances taking place at the High School in which students perform various holiday songs and to which other students, family members, and members of the community are invited to attend. While the holiday songs chosen for the Christmas Spectacular vary somewhat each year, the Christmas Spectacular always closes with an approximately 20-minute live depiction—also by students of the High School—of the story of the birth of Jesus. This event is set to be staged again in early December of 2015....

The FFRF press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit includes a link to a video of last year's performance.

Brunei Bans Public Christmas Celebrations That Are Displayed To Muslims

According to the International Business Times, yesterday the Brunei Ministry of Religious Affairs officially banned the public celebration of Christmas in the country, concerned that viewing such celebrations could damage the faith of Muslims. The ban implements a Dec. 27 Statement from the Ministry (full text) which says in part:

Muslims are prohibited from imitating the customs and practices of other religions that are related to matters of aqidah (faith). In a hadith ... Prophet Muhammad ... said, "Whoever imitates a people is one of them".

For example, in conjunction with Christmas celebrations, Muslim children, teenagers and adults can be seen wearing hats or clothes that resemble Santa Claus. Actions such as these can amount to an offence under Section 207 (1) of the Syariah Penal Code Order, 2013, that is performing or practicing a ceremony or act contrary to Hukum Syara’ [Syariah law] ....

Meanwhile, believers of other religions that live under the rule of an Islamic country – according to Islam – may practice their religion or celebrate their religious festivities among their community, with the condition that the celebrations are not disclosed or displayed publicly to Muslims.

Airlines Facing Religious Objections By Passengers

At least two instances have been reported in the past ten days in which U.S. airlines have had to deal with passengers who have become unruly because of religion-related objections to some aspect of the flight.  The New York Post reports on an incident last Tuesday in which American Airlines escorted a passenger off a flight he had just boarded at LaGuardia Airport.  The passenger, despite attempts to calm him, continued to shout at the flight crew objecting to the gate agent and flight attendant wishing passengers "Merry Christmas." He shouted that not everyone celebrates Christmas. Passengers applauded his ouster from the plane.

Meanwhile Failed Messiah reports on a December 20 incident at New York's JFK Airport on a Delta flight to Israel. Haredi (Jewish ultra-Orthodox) men refused to take their assigned seats that turned out to be between two women. Other passengers, many of them Israeli, refused to move. The flight finally took off 30 minutes late after an American passenger changed seats to accommodate the men.

Obamas Send Christmas Greetings

The White House today posted Weekly Address: Happy Holidays from the President and First Lady (transcript) (video). The President said in part:

... today, our family will join millions across the country in celebrating the birth of Jesus – the birth not just of a baby in a manger, but of a message that has changed the world: to reach out to the sick; the hungry; the troubled; and above all else, to love one another as we would be loved ourselves.

He also thanked American troops as the combat mission in Afghanistan comes to an end:

... as our troops continue to transition back home—back to our businesses, our schools, our congregations, and our communities—it’s up to all of us to serve them as well as they have served us.

The First Lady urged Americans to go to the JoiningForces website for more information on supporting troops, veterans and military families.

Meanwhile, The Independent reports that in Britain the Queen's annual Christmas message will be broadcast this afternoon. Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message was given this year by British Ebola survivor William Pooley. The Queen is likely to praise aid workers fighting Ebola and is also likely to highlight this year's commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I.

White House Christmas Theme Announced

Yesterday the White House issued a press release captioned Information on White House Christmas 2014. It reveals that the theme for this year is "A Children's Winter Wonderland."  The release outlines at length the decorations in each part of the White House. It also highlights a high tech innovation:

For the first time ever this year, the White House hosted a 3D Printed Ornament Challenge, in collaboration with the Smithsonian and Instructables..... From a holiday Abe Lincoln and happy snowmen to a map of highways in the United States, the Challenge received over 300 designs, many of which were creative, whimsical and beautiful.....

The Challenge highlights the importance of the Maker Movement and the way that tools and technologies like 3D printing are enabling more people to take their ideas and turn them into reality. Educators are increasingly using technologies like 3D printing to engage students in a hands-on approach to learning about STEM.

Group Launches Annual "Friend or Foe Christmas" Campaign

Liberty Counsel announced yesterday that it is launching its 12th annual "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign." The campaign treats as a "foe" of Christmas businesses or governmental entities that use terms other than "Christmas" in promoting the holiday season.  Liberty Counsel publishes a "Naughty or Nice List" of retailers that either use the term "Christmas" or refused to do so. The group also has placed on its website a legal memo on religious displays and celebrations in schools and governmental offices. A second legal memo focuses on religious expression rights of employees of private businesses.

British Broadcast Agency Approves KFC's Parody Christmas Ad Campaign

In Britain, broadcast industry self-regulation requires all broadcast ads to be pre-approved to make certain that they comply with the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.  Most of the pre-clearance is done by Clearcast-- an agency created by the country's largest broadcasters.  Huffington Post reported yesterday that Kentucky Fried Chicken has obtained clearance for its tongue-in-cheek Christmas ad campaign that some complained mocked Christian worship:

The two television ads and a video on demand ad featured a group of carol singers outside a house singing the lyrics: "We showed up at your house again singing all our stupid songs", with the male homeowner replying: "Normally I'd hose you down, but now it just seems wrong."

Massachusetts City Votes To Move Nativity Scene Back To City Hall

In Lowell, Massachusetts, the issue of December holiday displays has arisen early this year.   Today's Lowell Sun reports that City Council voted unanimously yesterday to approve a motion requesting that the Nativity scene which last year was moved to church property be returned this December to its traditional location at the plaza next to City Hall.  The motion also calls for the city to study how the display can be expanded to honor other traditions and cultures.  The display was moved last year after complaints and a legal review which concluded that the display posed constitutional problemss. Council member Rita Mercier who sponsored the motion to bring the display back to City Hall said yesterday: "I don't worry about what other people think. I worry about who that figure laying in the manger represents. I fear what he thinks."

Two House Members Object To VA Hospital Christmas Celebration Policies

The Marine Times reported yesterday that two members of Congress have written VA Secretary Eric Shinseki about incidents at three VA hospitals involving Christmas celebration policy. At a Texas VA hospital, a group of schoolchildren were not allowed to deliver handwritten cards with greetings such as "Merry Christmas" and "God Bless You."  VA officials say this involved a miscommunication, and that Christmas cards are permitted for patients who celebrate Christmas.  At an Alabama hospital, goodie bags with Christmas cards were allowed only to the extent they met the hospital's requirement that only secular gifts can be distributed broadly to veterans.  Finally, at a Georgia hospital, carolers were allowed to sing at public performances only from an approved list of songs.  Officials said that more private space was available for carolers to sing more religious songs for veterans who choose to attend. Alabama Rep. Martha Roby, one of those complaining wrote in part that she was concerned about "the culture of bureaucracy at the VA [that] would encourage facility administrators to err on the side of suppressing religious expression and discouraging acts of kindness toward veterans." Rep. Jeff Miller, House Veterans' Affairs Committee chairman,  wrote to Shinseki arguing that since Christmas is a federal holiday, VA may be violating veterans' rights by barring them from celebrating it.

Somalian Ministry Bans Christmas Celebrations

Ghana Web reports that yesterday in Somlia top officials of the Ministry of Justice and Religious Affairs held a news conference to announce that Chrismas celebrations would be banned in Somalia. Sheikh Ali Dhere, Director of Religious Matters at the Ministry told the news conference:

We alert fellow Muslims in Somalia that some festivities to mark Christian Days will take place around the world in this week.  It is prohibited to celebrate those days in this country.

Director General of the Ministry, Sheikh Mohamed Khayrow Aden, added that copies of the directive had been delivered to hotels and meeting places in Mogadishu. Officials said nothing about whether the ban applies to non-Muslim foreign workers and residents. This is the first time since 1991 that such a ban has been issued.

Obama and Other World Leaders Send Christmas Greetings

It is Christmas Day, and political leaders around the world have broadcast or posted holiday greetings. From the White House, Christmas greetings come from President Obama in his Weekly Address, saying in part:

So many people all across the country are helping out at soup kitchens, buying gifts for children in need, or organizing food or clothing drives for their neighbors.  For families like ours, that service is a chance to celebrate the birth of Christ and live out what He taught us – to love our neighbors as we would ourselves; to feed the hungry and look after the sick; to be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper.

Other world leaders have also sent Christmas greetings to their nations and the world.  Here are Christmas greetings from Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper. According to The Guardian, Queen Elizabeth's annual Christmas broadcast this afternoon will include  behind-the-scenes video filmed after the christening of Prince George of Cambridge. The Times of Israel reprints part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Christmas greetings to Christians around the world. Associated Press of Pakistan reprints the Christmas greetings sent by Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain.  And from a not-quite head of state, here is a Christmas and New Year message from Maryam Rajavi, President elect of National Council of Resistance of Iran.