"Nativity" Ban Called "Most Blatant" Form of "Religious Discrimination"
From Cybercast News Service:
(CNSNews.com) - Chicago officials and organizers of a Christmas festival should reverse a decision to drop a movie studio as a sponsor because it planned to show the movie "The Nativity Story" on televisions at the event, a conservative legal group said Tuesday.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which specializes in constitutional law, said the decision to drop New Line Cinema from the city's German Christkindlmarket festival was "one of the most blatant forms of religious discrimination imaginable."
"To suggest that a movie about the birth of Jesus Christ should not be included in a Christmas festival is absurd," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ. "This transcends political correctness and centers squarely on religious bigotry.
"The City of Chicago and festival organizers are exhibiting an intolerance that is offensive to Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The city and festival organizers must respect the First Amendment and put an end to the discriminatory practices," Sekulow said.
[More]
Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Christmas Banned From Christmas Festival
Marines Would Rather Needy Children Go Without This Christmas Than Receive a Jesus Doll
Best Buy Bans Use of "Merry Christmas"
Wal-Mart: We're Not Afraid to Say Merry Christmas
Court Okays Anti-Christian Discrimination - Allows Jewish and Muslim Symbols, but Not Christian Ones, in Public Schools
University Administrator Declares Christmas "Forbidden"
Massachusetts School District Cracks Down on Christmas
Merry You-Know-What
"Silent Night" Secularized (Wisconsin Elementary School Changes Lyrics)
"Merry Christmas" School Lunch Menus Recalled
I Celebrate Christmas
Jewish Groups: Okay to Say "Merry Christmas"
Catholic League: Wal-Mart Joins Neo-Puritan Left In Banning Baby Jesus' Birthday
Operation Nativity
posted by Pro Ecclesia 8:33 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
If you haven't already, give yourself a gift of a more meaningful Christmas.
I went to see The Nativity Story last night, opening night. As a recently baptized Christian, I will tell you that this was a most welcomed, meaningful and revolutionary movie for me. It centers around the mother of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
A superbly crafted and thoughtfully directed movie, it deserves a high rating. It is an unprecedented tribute to a woman who has been relegated to backdrop scenes. Finally, Mary gets to have a movie about her spiritual journey. In my own life, Mary was in the far distant background, giving her fleeting thought if I came across a Nativity scene at Christmas or if I heard the Beatles song, "Let It Be":
"When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be."
It was made for a certain niche -- the ~200 million or so Americans who consider themselves Christians. Two years ago, I was not in this niche, being "spiritual, but not religious." Long story, short, it was Mary who pointed me to her Son, lead me on my own spiritual journey and caused a revolution in my heart, mind and soul.
Those who take the time to learn about her and her role do not, as I was mislead to believe, worship her. They simply respect and venerate her. Leading folks to her Son, as I learned, is her job. In this movie, her character is doing exactly that again for me and viewers who are called to see it.
Ever since she lead me home, Christmas has taken on such meaning as I never imagined. This year, I've started the season -- called the Advent season -- with a faith-based movie that allowed me to slide right into it in a beautiful, gentle and do I dare say, beatific way.
This movie experience is an exquisite gift for the heart and soul. Moreover, it is a feast for the eyes. I went past the inanimate objects of Nativity displays to a visually rich and "fleshed" out Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, shepherds, Magi and stable animals. The director of the movie, Catherine Hardwick, referred to a line in the script: "...the greatest of kings born in the most humble of places."
"Power," she says, "is not a physical power. It's not riches, it's not money, it's not control of governments and nations. It's a deeper power, spirituality."
At the end of the movie, the audience burst out in spontaneous applause. For each of us, Christmas is not at all about holiday parties, frenzied shopping and the trappings and physical accouterments. Now, THAT'S revolutionary.
When this comes out in DVD, it will be a part of our yearly Christmas tradition, reminding us what it is all about.
"Merry Christ-mas!" I hope you will make it meaningfully merrier by giving yourself this movie experience of the life of Mary.
Post a Comment
<< Home