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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 16692
[Politics]
Date Posted:
11/28/2006
5:49:36 pm EST
Wvox Stats
Views: 6,961
RSS: 18,157
Comments: 15
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Delegate Says Religious Display Meant To Inspire, Not Preach
Author: Jake Stump Source: Daily Mail (WV)
Title: DELEGATE SAYS RELIGIOUS DISPLAY MEANT TO INSPIRE, NOT PREACH
Del. Sharon Spencer, D-Kanawha, says she hasn’t received any complaints about a Bible and a nativity scene she has displayed on a table outside of her Capitol office. She says she wants to inspire people who walk past her office.
Displays of religious symbols in schools and on other public property have sparked countless protests, but Del. Sharon Spencer, D-Kanawha, has encountered no resistance to the Bible and nativity scene she has placed in a hallway outside her Capitol office.
Spencer said she's not trying to impose her religious beliefs on others.
A Bible, some miniature figurines for a manger display and a flower vase are kept on a wooden table in the second floor hallway of the East Wing, near Spencer's office.
She also hopes it inspires passersby who may be hard on their luck.
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Community Thoughts: There are 15 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| All Things Being Equal | Nov 29th. at 1:04:26 pm EST
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Sela (Happyplace, New York) - Email Me
If Spencer is not trying to impose her religious beliefs on others why didn't she just set up the display in or outside her own home or at the very least inside her own office instead of the very public hallway outside of her government office – because as she herself says,
"I can't say the decisions I make aren't based upon my Bible," "The Bible I use is the King James version. Many laws are based on that.”
No one is saying Spenser shouldn't practice or display devotion to her faith, but in a Government building where many people of many faiths pass through and are often less tolerated...it amounts to prostelyzing...Maybe if the state of things were more equal her motivations would seem more innocent...
Imo it just comes off as some things being more equal than others...
as Spenser says,
"We open our legislative sessions by praying. We have a prayer breakfast. Nobody has to pray in session."
No nobody does - any non Christian must just have to sit and listen and wait patiently until the Christians are finished to be begin their work…would Spencer be so tolerant or patient if it was the other way around or if others faiths were made to be given equal time before she could do her work...
Nobody has to pray...nobody has to be offended...and nobody has to set up public displays of their personal religious beliefs in public government buildings either...its a choice though, just one that not everyone is allowed...
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| She Just Declared Reality A Christian One... | Nov 29th. at 9:04:15 am EST
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karrie9 (Kenosha, Wisconsin) - Email Me - Web
If the minority doesn't dare speak up in cases like this, then it can't possibly be majoritarian tyranny or establishment of religion. (Sarcasm alert.)
It's a religion of "the one true and only right way." Its commandments both forbid other Gods and demand that you worship theirs. Depending on whom you ask, that counts every religion/path out except....Christianity!
That's inspiring/tolerable to Christians but possibly preachy/intimidating/dangerous to others -- she has unwittingly declared American reality to be a Christian one ("Religious Display Meant to Inspire, Not Preach") .
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| I Think Its Great! | Nov 29th. at 6:45:28 am EST
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LD Wolverine (Edmonton, Ontario) - Email Me
And I love the addition of a flower vase with the display, showing some thought of the earth in with it. I think there is far too much hype about this time of year. Too many people getting very angry over what should not be an issue. I love to see people getting into the holiday spirit, whatever they believe in. It is better then the sterile hopelessness you so often see in people's faces. A little humanity is a good thing, and religion is an utterly human trait is it not?
I'm a Pagan, with extrieme Wiccan influinces. But I refuse to stop saying Merry Christmas. I am a soldier so I work in a government building. I have my goddess statue at my desk next to a miniature crystal ball, along with a little angel figure I was given by a friend of mine and my little St. Micheal charm, which he also gave me. No one has ever challenged me on it, I actually get quite alot of compliments on my little display of faith.
I say, as long as someone isnt pointing at me telling me that I HAVE to believe what they believe, then whatever tasteful display they wish to create, well, I'm all for it. As a child I adored this time of year for the christmas displays and I even made a nativity scean for my mother one year, which she still displays every christmas.
Outside christmas lights sometimes piss me off though...one guy down our street could light up a city block with the energy he uses for his very white lights he has all over his house and on every sculpture he's put on his lawn. You cant look at the stars if you are within view of his house because of the light pollution.
Peace out stranger friends
Linda
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| Up In The Air | Nov 29th. at 5:56:44 am EST
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KatRivers (Berea, Kentucky) - Email Me
Personally, I feel a bit offended at ALL public displays of religion in government offices, and am often surprised by displays in other public places, although one would think I would have grown accustomed to them by now. My lawyer has a Bible on a table in the waiting room of her office. She also has a portrait of Gen. Lee hanging on the wall, but she's a darn fine attorney! I admit to being confused about when this sort of thing stops becoming an expression of "heritage" and begins impinging on the rights of others. And how can we tell that? I am distantly related to Sen. Byrd and I have always found him an enigma . . . if I must choose a document behind which to stand, then it must be the U.S. Constitution. I feel the Constitution and the Bible have been revised about the same amount! If there were more non-Christians in public office -- or who were attorneys -- and who displayed their non-Christian religious icons, I guess I would be more comfy with this. Hell, I am afraid to put a pentagram screen saver on my computer at work! I would not be afraid to put a Bible passage on there. Enequity still exists there and I am beginning to feel too old to keep fighting against the majority.
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| Knee-jerk? | Nov 28th. at 10:27:31 pm EST
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Sihaya (Pikesville, Maryland) - Email Me
I'm reading a lot of knee-jerk reactions based solely upon the fact that this delegate displayed a small show of her beliefs outside of her office.
Well-- so what? Her comments about the display seem to be mature and well-thought.
I know nothing about the delegate in question, but from the details given in the article, I see no cause for outrage. Is she supporting Christian-only faith-based initiatives? I don't see that anywhere. Is she making disparaging or grossly uninformed remarks about others of differing faiths? I don't see that either. I only see a blurb of an article about a small nod to the delegate's beliefs in the holiday season.
Breathe, people.
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| Action Figures | Nov 28th. at 8:12:42 pm EST
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Terry (Irvington, Virginia) - Email Me
Look Mom, action figure toys in the Capitol! Now Tommy and I can play war of the wise men while you do that boring political stuff around the corner!
Or, who'd Mary shag today? Maybe the Wise Men will reveal the real father? Or, did they all do her, so that we may never know? Could she have done a sheep too? Ooops, broke off the Wise Man's leg when it didn't swivel into the right Kama Sutra posture.
If the display is out there in a public space, every citizen has far more right to convert what's intended as yet another arrogant, illegal, and predatory pandering of something other than real Christianity (since such predation and pandering violates Jesus' teachings) into such kids' games or alternate political messages than this politician has to subvert a public facility into her personal religious shrine.
One can only wonder how this article was initiated.
Did the Delegate foolishly seek the attention of a reporter, or did the reporter lay a trap where the corrupt poly-tick type invited scrutiny of the ACLU and constituents in her own or other districts who might object to such illegal state sponsored bigotry in their public facility? Maybe that will be reported in the next article, when we see who offers to file suit and the bible thumper explains her notion of why illegal acts by government officials are desirable.
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| You've Seen One, You've Seen Them All. | Nov 28th. at 7:00:15 pm EST
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
The inspiration is meaningless on the downtrodden who need help more than they need-- "inspiration".
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| I Can Hardly Wait | Nov 28th. at 6:48:28 pm EST
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AnnieBW (Laurel, Maryland) - Email Me
For the new Muslim member of Congress to put out a display of his religion - just to inspire someone who is down on their luck! :D
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| (none) | Nov 28th. at 6:46:43 pm EST
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Llunmere (Germantown Hills, Illinois) - Email Me
Keep your 'inspiration' out of my head, lady.
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