In celebration of the holidays a new display went up this week in the Florida Capitol building: a diorama depicting an angel falling into the flames of hell, courtesy of an organization called the Satanic Temple.
The Cambridge, Mass.-based secularist group had sought to place a similar installation in Florida last year, but state officials rejected it as “grossly offensive.” This year, after the advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State threatened to sue on Satanic Temple’s behalf, the diorama was approved.
The display is one of several irreverent decorations aimed at countering a Nativity scene in the Capitol. Others include a pile of noodles from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and a stack of beer cans by blogger Chaz Stevens honoring the parody holiday Festivus from the TV show “Seinfeld.”
Why does Christmas make some people so profoundly unhappy?
More compelling signs of the juvenilization of our democracy.
I’m not that het up over this and wish Christians wouldn’t be, generally speaking. If people want to set up profane displays, fine — it contrasts nicely with the light and warmth of the Truth.
If people wish to gather around nasty little displays, fine — but I suspect they won’t. I suspect that people will wish to gather around the ones demonstrating light and warmth, as long as the free market is in effect.
I find it fascinating that more and more the pagans and liberals come across as the caricature of Puritans. It would be nice if Christians were more and more known as full of joy and hope and many other of the fruit of the Spirit — because that’s always ultimately more attractive than the grinches.