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“I love Jesus Christ and his mother Mary as much as anybody ... about 38 churches you can move that creche to — everybody lives.”
— Tom Hanks as Congressman Charlie Wilson
Tom Hanks, portraying Congressman Charlie Wilson in “Charlie Wilson’s War,” delivered the above quote to a Texas constituent who was upset that the ACLU was suing his community because of a nativity scene displayed in front of the community’s firehouse.
To Wilson, the answer was simple: There were more than 30 churches within a few blocks of the firehouse, so why not display the creche in front of one of those churches? Everyone can see it, enjoy it and it’s not on public property.
“That’s not the point!” the constituent screamed at the congressman, pointing out that this was “a Christian country founded on Christian values.”
“Who are we offendin’ except two lawyers from the ACLU?” he asked.
I’ve been thinking about that movie scene a lot in light of the recent argument surrounding the prayers conducted before the start of city council meetings.
I’ve been thinking about that movie, my gradeschool days and a recent race on the beach.
Every Christmas season in gradeschool, whenever we would sing Christmas songs, or do Christmas crafts in the weeks leading up to Christmas, one young girl would have to leave the room.
I don’t know what religion or belief system her family had, but whatever it was, her parents weren’t comfortable with her being involved in anything related to Christmas. I always felt bad for the girl, who would go out to the hallway to do homework while the rest of us glued cotton balls on Santa’s beard. For me and most of the other kids, the commercialized, gift-giving Christmas that we celebrated at school with crafts and songs was the most exciting time of year — and that girl couldn’t be part of the fun.
The irony of this situation was at the same time this girl was having to remove herself from these school Christmas activities, I was being reminded each week at Sunday school that Christmas wasn’t about presents and the fat guy in a red suit — it was about the birth of Jesus. So it goes.
Things worked out OK in this situation — the family was uncomfortable, so the girl didn’t participate.
Fast-forward to a recent vacation in which I participated in a swim-run duathlon.
Before the race, the group of competitors was asked to hold hands, and give a moment of silence to “mother earth,” or the “sea gods,” or something like that.
I was a little weirded out. But being an outsider with a group of locals, I complied. The moment of silence gave me a moment to say a quick prayer to my god asking him to give me strength so I wouldn’t drown, or get gobbled by a shark on the half-mile ocean swim. I was uncomfortable with a circle prayer, but I was the outsider on their group’s turf, and I didn’t want to be rude.
In both the case of the gradeschool classroom and the group on the beach, one member of the group wasn’t comfortable with the activity of the whole group. A simple solution was found in both cases, because the person in the minority made an adjustment or conformed to the majority.
But when it comes to public meetings at city hall conducted by people paid with taxpayer dollars, citizens shouldn’t have to conform or make adjustments to fit in if there’s a religious activity that makes them uncomfortable.
If there are people who go to city hall to have business conducted who feel excluded by a pre-meeting prayer because it goes against their beliefs, and in light of the fact that there’s supposed to be a separation of church and state in this country, maybe the city council shouldn’t do a pre-meeting prayer.
Charlie Wilson’s recommendation could be applied to this situation, because there are quite a few churches within walking distance of city hall.
Couldn’t those wanting to say a quick prayer asking for God’s guidance walk up the block and bow their heads at First United Methodist Church before the meeting starts?
Or, maybe just bow their head in private and have a quick talk with the big guy?
It seems like a quick, easy, simple solution — but I know, I know, “That’s not the point!”
It’s too bad.
“The point” sure can make things more complicated than they need to be sometimes.
---------------------------------
Josh Nichols is managing editor of the Grand Junction Free Press. Reach him at editor@gjfreepress.com.
To Wilson, the answer was simple: There were more than 30 churches within a few blocks of the firehouse, so why not display the creche in front of one of those churches? Everyone can see it, enjoy it and it’s not on public property.
“That’s not the point!” the constituent screamed at the congressman, pointing out that this was “a Christian country founded on Christian values.”
“Who are we offendin’ except two lawyers from the ACLU?” he asked.
I’ve been thinking about that movie scene a lot in light of the recent argument surrounding the prayers conducted before the start of city council meetings.
I’ve been thinking about that movie, my gradeschool days and a recent race on the beach.
Every Christmas season in gradeschool, whenever we would sing Christmas songs, or do Christmas crafts in the weeks leading up to Christmas, one young girl would have to leave the room.
I don’t know what religion or belief system her family had, but whatever it was, her parents weren’t comfortable with her being involved in anything related to Christmas. I always felt bad for the girl, who would go out to the hallway to do homework while the rest of us glued cotton balls on Santa’s beard. For me and most of the other kids, the commercialized, gift-giving Christmas that we celebrated at school with crafts and songs was the most exciting time of year — and that girl couldn’t be part of the fun.
The irony of this situation was at the same time this girl was having to remove herself from these school Christmas activities, I was being reminded each week at Sunday school that Christmas wasn’t about presents and the fat guy in a red suit — it was about the birth of Jesus. So it goes.
Things worked out OK in this situation — the family was uncomfortable, so the girl didn’t participate.
Fast-forward to a recent vacation in which I participated in a swim-run duathlon.
Before the race, the group of competitors was asked to hold hands, and give a moment of silence to “mother earth,” or the “sea gods,” or something like that.
I was a little weirded out. But being an outsider with a group of locals, I complied. The moment of silence gave me a moment to say a quick prayer to my god asking him to give me strength so I wouldn’t drown, or get gobbled by a shark on the half-mile ocean swim. I was uncomfortable with a circle prayer, but I was the outsider on their group’s turf, and I didn’t want to be rude.
In both the case of the gradeschool classroom and the group on the beach, one member of the group wasn’t comfortable with the activity of the whole group. A simple solution was found in both cases, because the person in the minority made an adjustment or conformed to the majority.
But when it comes to public meetings at city hall conducted by people paid with taxpayer dollars, citizens shouldn’t have to conform or make adjustments to fit in if there’s a religious activity that makes them uncomfortable.
If there are people who go to city hall to have business conducted who feel excluded by a pre-meeting prayer because it goes against their beliefs, and in light of the fact that there’s supposed to be a separation of church and state in this country, maybe the city council shouldn’t do a pre-meeting prayer.
Charlie Wilson’s recommendation could be applied to this situation, because there are quite a few churches within walking distance of city hall.
Couldn’t those wanting to say a quick prayer asking for God’s guidance walk up the block and bow their heads at First United Methodist Church before the meeting starts?
Or, maybe just bow their head in private and have a quick talk with the big guy?
It seems like a quick, easy, simple solution — but I know, I know, “That’s not the point!”
It’s too bad.
“The point” sure can make things more complicated than they need to be sometimes.
---------------------------------
Josh Nichols is managing editor of the Grand Junction Free Press. Reach him at editor@gjfreepress.com.
