Leesburg, Virginia Allows Nativity, Luke Skywalker, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster

December 20, 2011 by Jack Jamison Leave a comment

When officials in Leesburg, Virginia, decided not to allow for the display of a nativity scene on city property, says New York Magazine, “pro-nativity demonstrators who cited freedom of speech and freedom of religion, after which the county backtracked and decided to allow any religious display on a first-come, first-serve basis.” Ho ho ho ho ho:

For the better part of 50 years, a creche and a Christmas tree were the only holiday displays on the Loudoun County Courthouse grounds. Then came the mannequin Luke Skywalker and signs celebrating the winter solstice. This month, a skeleton Santa Claus was mounted on a cross, intended by its creator to portray society’s obsession with consumerism. A pine stands adorned with tinsel—and atheist testimonials. “I can be moral without religion,” one declares. Members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster are scheduled to put up their contribution this weekend. It’s a banner portraying a Nativity-style scene, but Jesus is nowhere to be found. Instead, the Virgin Mary cradles a stalk-eyed noodle-and-meatball creature, and the manger is surrounded by pirates, a solemn gnome and barnyard animals. The message proclaims: “Touched by an Angelhair.”

Freedom, as someone or other once said, means freedom for everyone.