An Alabama pastor involved in a nativity dispute has a strong statement for Christians upset about the ‘War on Christmas’: “Get over it.”
White Springs Baptist Church Pastor Abel Garcia’s home of Rainbow City has been embroiled in outrage because residents are angry that City Hall’s annual nativity scene is not going up this year. A group of Christmas supporters are meeting at City Hall for their “Night of the Nativity” event, where people will gather and set up their own nativity scene Dec. 23. They’ll set it up for the event and take it down when they leave.
But Garcia told The Daily Caller News Foundation that Christians upset about the ‘War on Christmas’ need to find something else to gripe about. Garcia said he will attend the event but does not consider it a protest, and that he is going as a community member, not in his office as a pastor.
“The message that I hope people take away is that Christians people who want to express Christian faith or Christian values ought not rely on any school or government to do that for them,” Garcia told TheDCNF. “We have freedom of speech to do those things, so whenever you see a Starbucks or somebody who doesn’t promote Christmas, get over it. That’ their choice. We can celebrate Christmas, and we should not rely on anybody else to do that for us.”
The dispute began last year when city hall did not put up the nativity. After locals spoke out, officials changed their tune and put the nativity up, but this year it isn’t going up at all. Garcia pointed to the media attention around nativities and Starbucks cups and said they just don’t bother him.
“I do not feel that it is any government municipality’s responsibility to display any religious symbols or art works,” Garcia said. “That is the people of faith’s responsibility.”
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