The Andersons became creative and incorporated the cross into a planter since planters are not considered ornaments. By definition an ornament is a decorative piece not a religious symbol. With all the anti-Christian animus in our world, there is probably more at play here than trying to get rid of an unsightly yard ornament.
Religions and their symbols can be very offensive when we feel that something is being pushed upon us that we don’t want. One scenario is when we don’t believe the religion is true and beneficial. That certainly is a justified reason for rejecting it. Another is when it may be true and beneficial, but we don’t want to be responsible to follow its tenants because it conflicts with our desires. I believe God, Jesus and biblical Christianity is in the latter camp based upon being the only religion being persecuted, the only one that “tolerant pluralism” doesn’t accept and the only God where people swear in His name.
Also, in America, that religion has been outlawed from politics with “separation of church and state” laws. That happened with a very devious “sleight of hand.” Thomas Jefferson, when telling the Danbury Baptists that the government would stay out of the church, he unfortunately used a two-side metaphor in his communication. That resulted in the government ignoring Jefferson’s point and focusing on the other side to keep the church out of the state.
That is bad enough, but to add “insult to injury,” they made the diametric opposite religion the state church, fully funded with taxpayer money! That religion is “Secular Humanism.” They have written three manifestos that are all in diametric opposition to biblical principles. They claimed to be a religion for a hundred years until the “separation of church and state” law began to work against them. The Supreme Court identified them as a religion as well as the dictionary definition.
The other “sleight of hand” was to classify Secular Humanism as secular and not religious. Truly secular entities are not controversial. They are things like camping, hunting, vacationing, cooking, eating, etc. However, things the secular humanists consider controversial are not only religious, but a religion in diametric position to biblical Christianity.
Secular Humanism needs to be identified as a false religion that has replaced biblical Christianity. Its negative effects in America have been obvious for the last 60 years. It needs to be rejected, and replaced with biblical Christianity.
Bill Nitardy is a resident of the Village of Sunset Pointe.