Taking Christ out of Christmas
Dec-02-2010

An atheist group is planning to put three billboards up near the nativity scene at Denver's City and County Building.

"I don't necessarily think it's appropriate because it doesn't really represent all the interests of the greater population of Colorado," said Jake Musson as he walked by the display Tuesday.

"Especially this time of year, it's perfect for it. It (the nativity) represents what the people think in this town, what Catholic people think, I guess. It's OK. It's fine," said Paula Hoff, another bystander "There should not be a government supported religion. And that's exactly what this is," said Marvin Straus, a Boulder-area atheist. "We don't care about the lights. In fact, the reason we're not picketing is sensitive to the fact that there's going to be a lot of kids there when the lights go on and so on like that. We don't want to upset the kids."

The signs will say, "Stop government support of religion, move this Denver nativity scene to a church."

The billboards will be located at North 11th Street and Speer Boulevard, Stout and 20th streets, and Welton and 22nd streets.

The billboards are being paid for by the Colorado Coalition of Reason. The group's website said COCORE is an umbrella organization of Colorado-based groups supporting reason, free thought and the separation of church and state.

The billboards are going up at three places within a half mile of City Hall starting on Dec. 6, according to the group.

"One of the great lies I know is 'This is a Christian nation.' It is not a Christian nation," Straus said. "And this is just a continuation of the fight."

Last year, COCORE set up a plaque at Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderdeen's so-called politically incorrect Christmas party. The sign read: "In this Winter Solstice Season, Illuminate your mind with reason, Let friends and family warm your heart, And celebrate that we all take part."

In 2008, COCORE had 11 billboards installed around Colorado that said, "Don't Believe In God? You Are Not Alone."

Straus said traffic to COCORE's Website skyrocketed in 2009, seeing 10 times its normal monthly hits.

"Magic wand: (there would be) nothing there (on the steps of the City and County building). The second wand is everybody gets a seat at the table. It's not specifically favoring one religion," Straus said of the nativity scene. .

He told TheDenverChannel he put up the $5,000 for the 2008 campaign, but got more than $4,000 back in donations.

A sign, he says, that more and more people are willing to spend to support religion-free causes.

"It's a lovely nativity scene. It would look great in a church," Straus said. "But you make a statement when you have a religious scene on public property."

A spokeswoman with the mayor's office told TheDenverChannel that historians believe the nativity scene has been part of the holiday display since the early 1940s.

"The display on the front steps of City Hall is a holiday tradition in Denver, having survived numerous legal challenges over the past 40 years. Public sentiment and courts support this direction. Anyone is allowed to disagree, and the First Amendment gives them the right to do so," Ann Williams wrote in a prepared statement.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Pawtucket, R.I. nativity scene on public property in a 1984 decision, concluding with a tight 5-4 vote that the display was not advocating one religion and had legitimate secular purposes.

Posted by jc at 3:18 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print