Is it legal to have religious decorations at a public place?
2007-11-04 01:16:47 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
A store is a privately owned location. They may put up whatever decorations they want. Many do choose secular decor to avoid offending various consumers. Now, if the courthouse puts up a creche, then you might have grounds for a complaint.
2007-11-04 11:03:26 · answer #1 · answered by Ara57 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is a religious holiday. Why do you want to get them in trouble? If the store had decorations for Hanukkah or Ramadan would you be this upset? Everyone is entitled to decorate how they see fit. It is not a public place, the store owner can ban anyone from entering his/her business. A public place is a government building and they will not usually put up relgious decoration of any sort for any holiday.
2007-11-04 08:25:53 · answer #2 · answered by Mickey M 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A store or other place of business is NOT public property. Its privately owned. Therefore the owner is free to decorate it however he or she wishes. And you are free not to shop there -- and to tell the store owner why you are no longer going to shop there -- if the decorations offend you.
The sidewalk in front of the store IS public property, however, and if the store owner(s) put out religious decorations (like a Nativity scene for instance) out on the sidewalk, you may have grounds for a complaint, especially if the display is blocking the flow of traffic on the sidewalk. But inside the store, no.
2007-11-04 08:30:15 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The First Amendment of the Constitution says:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
Since the store is a private, and not government entity, the store's owners are perfectly within the law to put up Christmas decorations in their store and on their property.
If you don't like it, just stay away.
2007-11-04 08:30:28 · answer #4 · answered by sandyblondegirl 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
GUESS WHAT?!? It's not Frosty the Snowman's birthday, it's Jesus Christ's birthday! So that is why people tend to have religious decorations at this time of year, to remind the rest of the world, especially people like you, the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas did not begin as a major shopping season; the celebraiton of Christmas was started to commemorate the birth of a man who is revered and honored in the three main religions of the world. Jesus Christ came to this earth to teach forgiveness, tolerance, and sacrifice for the greater good, which is captured in the old lyric "..good will toward men..." This is what started Christmas, and alot of us still try and keep it that way. So instead of wasting your time being a jerk and trying to divide communities, maybe you should consider moving to a place where you have no freedom of speech, religion, press, or assembly. No wonder many of our veterans are jaded; they fight to protect these freedoms, and have to come home to people like you.
2007-11-04 09:42:57 · answer #5 · answered by blakesinnocence 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, it is not illegal for a store to have religious displays. In fact the right to do so is protected by the Constitution.
Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
2007-11-04 08:21:18 · answer #6 · answered by Charlie149 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not public property (like a city park would be). Businesses are private property. So it IS legal for them to decorate their store however they see fit, including religiously. If you don't approve, shop somewhere else!
2007-11-04 08:27:50 · answer #7 · answered by Skepticat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it is not illegal to place religious Christmas decorations up. It is their property, after all, and they have a right to decorate it as they want, like for instance, you have a right to put all those demonic looking decorative ghouls out on your front yard for Halloween, right?
2007-11-04 08:22:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know which country you are in so may be it is illegal there but it should not be. Although belief is a personal thing I think religious festivals remind us all that it is important to celebrate life, death, perserverance and victory. here in the UK we have moved from the end of Ramadan (Moslem) through Hallowe'en (Christian) which is also Samhain (Pagan/Wicce) to Guy Fawkes Night (Protestant Christian) and towards Diwali (Hindhu/Sikh). Then Remembrance Day, Guru Nanal Dev's Birthday, Christmas and Al Hajirah.
I don't complain when those of another faith celebrate their religion - I am glad that they have something to celebrate.
2007-11-04 09:43:55 · answer #9 · answered by morwood_leyland 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas = Christ's Mass. It is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It IS a religious holiday.
That other people may want to piggy back on it is fine - but to try and remove the religious connotation is ridiculous. That's why it exists
2007-11-04 08:19:30 · answer #10 · answered by Uncle John 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋