Dear ,
The Plant City Living Center has told Mrs. Arnold, an 85-year-old
grandmother in Florida, that federal law prohibits her from
displaying any religious words or items associated with Christmas in
the common area of her apartment building.
According to the Center, The Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) issued a directive banning "any religious symbols
or religious words associated with Christmas." Under the guidelines
issued by HUD, the elderly grandmother cannot place a small
Christmas tree outside her door (because that area is a "commons
area") if it contains any religious symbols or religious words, even
an angel!
If the residents want to have a Christmas party in their
Community room, they cannot call it a Christmas party. The Center
says HUD directs residents not to use the word "Christmas" but to
use the word "Holiday."
A Sunday School class from a church near Mrs. Arnold's apartment
comes every year to host a Hanging of the Greens and Christmas Party
for all the residents. She said the highlight of their Christmas
Party comes at the very end of The Hanging of the Greens when
someone places the angel on top of their Christmas tree. Their
tradition is now banned by the federal government.
The federal government is becoming increasingly active in banning
Christianity from the public square. Earlier, the National Park
Service removed the wording "Laus Deo" (Latin for "Praise be to
God") from a replica of the cap of the Washington Monument in
Washington, D.C. and the Veterans Administration banned the script
of the flag-folding ceremony mentioning "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,"
and "Father, Son and Holy Ghost" at over 100 national cemeteries.
Both of these were rescinded after AFA supporters sent emails to
proper authorities.
To listen to the grandmother's conversation telling AFA about the
situation, click here. To read about the HUD
directive, click here.
(after listening to the audio file,
click the "X" in the upper right hand corner of your browser window
to return to the e-mail message)
Take
Action
- Send an e-mail to the Secretary of HUD and President Bush
asking that HUD stop their policy. The role of the federal
government is to defend our religious rights, not take them away.
Click here to send your e-mail.
- Take a stand against those who seek to take away our religious
freedom by distributing "Merry Christmas. God's Good News"
Christmas buttons to fellow church members, friends and family!
Wear your button with pride. If we fail to protect our religious
freedom, we will lose it! Click here to
order.
