Letter From My Friend & Former Pastor

They're smooth!

I'm talking about the Freedom from Religion group! After reading the Ellwood City Ledger I see what they are after...bogus statement of "no god, no hell, no faith" on a banner to be placed "above" the Happy Holiday banner in front of the Ellwood City Municipal Bldg. The local resident who remains cowardly hidden in the shadows and supposedly filed a complaint through Freedom From Religion is being used!

Since Freedom from Religion know they do not have a legal leg to stand on, they appear to make lots of threats and noise to intimidate through fear tactics. Then they will "settle" for a banner in a prominent place to "preach" their No god atheistic mantra.

Smart, huh?    Well, it time PEOPLE wake up and be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves".

One more thing on the group Freedom from Religion. After spending about 2 hrs reviewing their site, I came to these conclusions:

The founder, ANNIE LAURIE GAYLOR, is a generational liberal, feminist, atheist with a long history of public forums. She married a former "Christian" pastor, (of 19 yrs!) DAN BARKER. He opened his mind to reading other materials than from Christian authors thereby renouncing his former "faith".  (Thought: If one really meets the Lord, how can that one "unmeet" the Lord?) They appear to be solidly "anti Christian" rather than anti other religions, i.e. Islam, Buddhism, New Age, Wiccan, etc.

at first I was disheartened to think that we as a community of faith and residents of Ellwood City would only come together like this through opposition and the threat of not being allowed to display the traditional Nativity Scene. Then I thought -  (wouldn't it be wonderful if every year we would have come together for the displaying of the Nativity Scene with the whole community of churches, businesses, schools, etc, and sing Christmas carols, drink hot chocolate, eat cookies – and maybe we could start a NEW TRADITION along these lines? ) 

but then I became aware of a few other insights.

Ellwood is like a family that can talk, fight, and disagree with each other but DON'T let someone from outside do it!  If anyone dares to do that  we will come together FOR each other and defend one another!   I guess I realize that when the proverbial chips are down, we will unitedly stand.  That is a good thing; especially in this day in which we live.

Another thought I had was that by supporting the Nativity Scene, as a community we have INVITED the Lord Jesus to come into our city in a public and possibly greater measure. We are in essence saying, "Lord, we want YOU to be recognized from Your birth to Your coming again. We want You to be established in our government. We want You to have a place among us."

I think He will accept our invitation and manifest Himself the way He desires.

Also, if the "churches" would hold a rally, organize an event in support of OUR faith, or any other "churchy service", probably no "non-believers" would come.  But since this Nativity Scene issue is a grassroots movement, it opens the door for many different people of various faiths or no faith, of different backgrounds and cultures to participate and STAND UP for the Lord!  How cool is that?

There is another name for our God...Jehovah Sneaky!  I think He is just  "sneaking" up on us to do things in our midst that we cannot even imagine!

These are exciting days in which to live and serve the Lord!

Keep your prayers and support ongoing and LETS determine to become that prayer through loving actions and deeds of kindness.

This has just been some rambling thoughts and impressions as I process the recent happenings surrounding the Nativity Scene.  Hope it was worth the reading!

God Bless and Shalom!

Cynthia

 

P.S. Don't forget to say, "MERRY CHRISTMAS" to everyone you meet this month!