Nativity Scene In NAVSTA Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Mr. Weinstein,
You should be ashamed of yourself for advocating intolerance to Christians, and mind you, are the majority in GTMO and the USA. America is a “Republic” hence the majority rules. Our country was founded and rooted in Christian-Judeo doctrine. Read up on the history of our forefathers and you’ll see. Even modern-day presidents (JFK, Reagan, and G.W.) had strong Christian faith and believed that without Almighty God, our country would not be richly blessed. Christmas is a federal holiday. Christmas (“Christ Mass”) is celebrated to acknowledge and give thanks for God Almighty for sending his son, Jesus, as the savior of this world. The majority celebrate the birthday/ the birth of Christ on Christmas. To take away the Nativity scene or other decorations that represent Christmas, takes away from why America has a Christmas holiday.

For you and others (the minority) to press your anti-Christian agenda is wrong and promotes intolerance. For most Christians, you don’t see us telling you (the minority) to takes down your menorah; or tell a black American not to celebrate Kwanza; or tell a Muslim not to honor their celebrations of Ramadan; or tell an Atheist not to display a spaghetti monster in a public place; or tell a non-Christian not to celebrate Santa Claus, flying reindeer, or Frosty the Snowman. Christmas is open to all Americans who want to celebrate it, regardless of what’s displayed; we Christians don’t force you to worship the Nativity scene. It’s the many symbols of Christmas that is represented. It’s your choice to believe or simply to ignore. That’s tolerance and respectful to others. Tolerance can’t be a one-way street.

I’m stationed here in GTMO, and the galleys represent all facets of people who celebrate Christmas. Each galley is decorated with both a Christian theme and secular theme. Each has a Christmas tree; they did have a Nativity scene until you made a stink about it; all Christian and secular sayings are displayed in the galleys (Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Season’s Greetings) in order to be equal and open to all people of different faiths or those who don’t have a particular faith (believe me, there are many who celebrate Christmas and aren’t Christians); and there are decorations that are both, Christian in nature and secular. Taking the Nativity down is forcing your secular beliefs on me. If secular, atheistic themes such as Santa, Frosty, Santa’s reindeer, and other secular symbols will be allowed to be displayed, then a Nativity scene should have that same acceptance to be displayed. Remember, it can’t be one-sided. If you’re going to allow one thing, then the other needs have equal opportunity.

(name withheld)

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Hi (name withheld),

I think you misunderstand. At least I choose to believe you misunderstand. Otherwise… well, I’ll get to that.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) does not advocate intolerance to Christians. In fact the vast majority of the members/supporters of the MRFF are themselves Christians. What we oppose is the violation of the separation of church and state, a long-held legal position that says the government should not promote, or be seen as promoting, one religion over another. That, you see, betrays our dedication to the freedom of religious choice on the part of our citizens.

So you see, you begin with an incorrect premise.

No one here would argue that the majority of Americans are not Christians, because, as said, the vast majority of the members/supporters of the MRFF are also Christians, some of them clergy. You’ll find no argument about the faith of the presidents you’ve named, either. Like all Americans, they are free to choose their own religion and practice it as they see fit, just as Americans who choose other faiths or no faith have that freedom as well. But to separate religious belief and practice from government is the cherished purpose of the separation of church and state. That’s because we don’t want to have a religious state like, for example, Iran.

Your point about majority rule, however, works for democratic concerns, not religious ones. One must always be aware of what is known as ‘the tyranny of the majority’ and the injustice it can bring about.

Clearly, as you describe it, Christmas has a deeply religious significance for you. For others, it does not. That’s why Captain Nettleton said, when the concern was pointed out to him “The spirit of the Navy’s policy on this is, if it’s religious, it goes to the chapel.” And that’s where they went. You see, no has taken them away; the Nativity scenes have been moved to the chapel grounds, where they can be enjoyed by those who wish to look at, pray to, or worship them as they choose.

You seem intent on making the distinction between Christian and secular, as though offering space for secular-themed displays makes displaying a religious scene all right. But you miss the point articulated by Captain Nettleton, who understands the Navy’s policy: if it’s religious, is belongs in the chapel.

Maybe this will help:

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

Air Force Instruction 1-1

7 August 2012

2.11. Government Neutrality Regarding Religion. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for an individual’s free exercise of religion or other personal beliefs and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. For example, they must avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion. Commanders or supervisors who engage in such behavior may cause members to doubt their impartiality and objectivity. The potential result is a degradation of the unit’s morale, good order, and discipline. Airmen, especially commanders and supervisors, must ensure that in exercising their right of religious free expression, they do not degrade morale, good order, and discipline in the Air Force or degrade the trust and confidence that the public has in the United States Air Force.

Let me try to cut to the chase: the MRFF is not anti-Christian and has no anti-Christian agenda. We oppose violations of the separation of church and state. We do not misunderstand Thomas Jefferson or any of the founders, nor do we misunderstand the Supreme Court or the body of law supporting the separation of church and state. We have no problem with a Nativity scene or any religious display of any faith or any totem or other display of belief as long as it is properly displayed in its proper place – that place not being a military mess hall or any government structure or place where its appearance makes it seem to have official endorsement or sponsorship and/or appear to be promoting one faith over another. Mr. Weinstein’s religious choice has no bearing on the MRFF’s mission and no significance in this discussion. We do not tell people what they can believe or how they practice their religion or non-religion, whatever it may be, as long as it does not breach the separation of church and state and thus violate the freedom of others. The MRFF is not trying to silence you or the practitioners of any faith or non-faith. The MRFF is not making your Christmas miserable and to suggest it is is to argue that the commander of your base and the policy of the U.S. Navy as articulated by the Secretary of the Navy is an accomplice in doing so. That begins to sound like either the religious hysteria or religious paranoia that has given birth to the silly notion of a ‘war on Christmas.’ We do not countenance such a thing and would never be part of it if, indeed, it were to exist.

Sincerely,

Mike Farrell
(MRFF Advisory Board Member)

Your act to convey the removal of a critical symbol of Christmas diminishes the reason most Americans celebrate Christmas. For you to say this is a Constitution violation is an irresponsible claim. Unless you are purposely twitching the words of Thomas Jefferson about separation of Church and State or wherever you are getting your info, no where in the Constitution does it say you can’t display the Nativity scene or Christian symbols in any place. We all have the right express our freedom of religion. If we are going to be told not to exhibit Christian symbols, then all symbols of other faiths and the secular should all be removed. Intolerance is unacceptable to only the Christian faith. If you’re going to force Christians to do something, then it goes for everyone else.

I am not about to have you and your team try to tell me to be tolerant and accept only secular symbols of Christmas, but be O.K. with removing all Christian references of Christmas. My understanding is that you’re a Jew. How would you feel if an organization like your tried to trample on your beliefs? If people don’t like the Nativity scene, they should still show some tolerance of our faith and respect it. It’s like if I go to those who had made the complaint and told them that they couldn’t kill and eat a cow because they might be killing and eating a Hindu’s relative. So what, do we now go to the slaughter house and tell them not to kill anymore cows because it’s offensive to the Hindu? How far does this go before Christians or any faith lose their right to have a freedom of religion?

We don’t tell you or the atheist to stop doing things that aren’t biblically sound, so stop telling us Christians what we can and can’t do!!! The Christians have been tolerant, yet we are persecuted for our faith in Christ and Christmas is being hijacked by fanaticals like yourself. During Christmas, who gives the most charity and share so much love to the poor and vulnerable….Christians do, but yet the unbeliever/non-Christian want to silence us and tell us that we are the problem in todays society because we go against the modern-day norm that contrary to the morals of the Bible and contrary to American peoples belief prior to the 1960’s.

Stop making Christmas so miserable. During my childhood years, Christmas was a magical and peaceful time. Nowadays, Christmas is being attacked and Christmas has become unpleasant because of “Scrooges” like you. Give it a break. Most Americans and other countries who celebrate Christmas only want peace on Earth and goodwill to all men. We don’t want to be fighting all the time through the court system or through political correctness because a few can’t stand the look of any Christmas symbol. Again, America is a Republic, meaning the majority rules and the majority want Christmas. If attacks continue on Christmas, maybe the Congress needs to “undesignate’ Christmas as a national holiday.

Concerned,

(name withheld)