Blaze News original: 12 times leftists have sought to twist, hijack, and stomp on Christmas

Nativity scene at Vatican showed infant Jesus lying on keffiyeh scarf — a 'potent symbol of the Palestinian cause'

A Nativity scene at the Vatican earlier this month displayed the infant Jesus lying on a keffiyeh scarf. Pope Francis on Dec. 7 attended the inauguration of the Nativity scene, and the Associated Press said special representatives of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas were on hand. The AP said the Nativity raised eyebrows because the keffiyeh has become a "potent symbol of the Palestinian cause."

"Just like the Nazis tried to rewrite Jesus as Aryan to justify their genocide of Jews, Palestinians are now rewriting Jesus as Palestinian to erase Jewish indigeneity to Israel," the watchdog group StopAntisemitism posted in regard to the Nativity scene. "The lies may shape-shift, but the centuries-old hatred towards the Jewish people continues."

But just days after the Nativity scene was unveiled, the depiction of the infant Jesus along with the keffiyeh scarf vanished. A Palestinian official told the AP that the Vatican gave no explanation about the removal, and it wasn't clear if the Nativity scene would be restored on Dec. 24.

Atheists complain about 'Keep Christ in Christmas' sign near Nativity scene in Canadian city. The next day, the sign is gone.

Every year the Knights of Columbus put up an outdoor Nativity scene in Kelowna, British Columbia — and this year after a "Keep Christ in Christmas" sign was displayed next to the Nativity scene, the Kelowna Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists Association complained.

A Dec. 9 letter from the group called the sign "political" and "advocating for a specific religious interpretation of the holiday." The next day the sign came down, with the city confirming that the sign isn't part of the Knights of Columbus' permit for the Nativity scene.

Australian elementary school bans students from exchanging 'food or Christmas-themed items' — and gets an earful from parents livid over 'woke ideology'

An elementary school in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this month banned students in grades 5 and 6 from exchanging "food or Christmas-themed items," the Daily Mail reported.

One mother said the ban was enacted so "non-Christian students" wouldn't be offended.

"I've heard that this is also happening at other local schools, and it's a woke ideology trying to interfere in what originally is a religious holiday that people who aren't even religious follow and observe," she told Herald Sun, according to the Daily Mail.

As you might imagine, the mother wasn't the only parent who was outraged, and the parents let Eltham East Primary School know about it, the outlet said.

Would you believe that soon afterward, Principal Warren Lloyd reversed the ban and apologized for the "oversight"? The Daily Mail Australia said it contacted the Victoria Department of Education for further comment.

Bella d'Abrera from the Institute of Public Affairs told the outlet that the school's initial ban represented political correctness on overdrive: "Every year like clockwork, left-wing activists in our schools and institutions find an excuse to cancel Christmas. What have we become as a society if activists’ cancel culture now extends to canceling Christmas for [elementary] students?"

Catholic priest politicizes Christmas by telling CNN panel that it's 'about a Palestinian Jew' — then gets history lessons

On Christmas morning 2023, Catholic Fr. Edward Beck — a CNN religion commentator — told a panel on the cable network that "the story of Christmas is about a Palestinian Jew."

He continued: "Now, how often do you find those words put together? A Palestinian Jew born into a time when his country was occupied, right? They can't find a place for her to even give birth. They're homeless. They eventually have to flee as refugees, into Egypt no less. I mean, you can't make up the parallels to our current world situation right now. And so in some way, that is who we believe God becomes, born into that situation."

Conservative commentator Jason Rantz caught the exchange and posted a retort on X, saying Beck is "trying to push Christians into Palestinian nationalism & erase Jewish history." It appeared that Beck soon blocked Rantz on Christmas Day, and Rantz observed that "the activist Father doesn’t like getting called out by Jews."

Radio host Christopher Calvin Reid added, "This 'Father' doesn't represent orthodox Christians or practicing catholics in [any way]. Christ was born in Israel and salvation is for the Jews first and then for the gentiles. God's promises to Israel will never be broken, and those who lie about history in order to promote Hamas have nothing to do with my faith. But you can always find some minister[s] who [call] themselves 'Christian' who are wolves amongst the sheep."

Chris Enloe, who wrote Blaze News' story on the controversy, added that Beck "is the same Catholic priest who two years ago said that Christians who did not receive the COVID-19 shot should not attend Christmas church services."

Florida hotel that hosted 'A Drag Queen Christmas' show gets in trouble after state says minors were at sexually explicit show

The office of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in December 2022 said it was investigating venues hosting "A Drag Queen Christmas" for possible violations of state laws against exposing children to sexually explicit themes.

In March 2023, DeSantis' office sought to revoke the liquor license of the Hyatt Regency Miami for hosting “A Drag Queen Christmas” the previous Dec. 27, NBC News reported. The DeSantis administration argued that the hotel violated Florida statutes on lewdness by hosting the show and exposing children to “simulated sexual activity, and lewd, vulgar, and indecent displays," the news network said, adding that the venue allowed minors to attend the show if accompanied by an adult.

By last December, the state settled with the Hyatt Regency Miami, NBC News said, adding that as part of the settlement, the hotel was to pay a $5,000 fine and agreed to prohibit anyone under the age of 18 from attending any performance at the hotel that “contains, depicts or simulates any activities” described in Florida’s statutes on lewdness.

Amid local library's Christmas tree ban, town human rights commissioner says Christians believe in 'happy horses**t,' 'magic sky daddy' in unhinged rant. She later resigns.

A member of the Human Rights Commission in Dedham, Massachusetts, resigned in December 2022 after writing that Christians believe in "happy horses**t" and a "magic sky daddy" as part of an unhinged rant on social media amid a Christmas tree ban in the town's public library.

In 2021, some people allegedly were "uncomfortable" with the sight of a Christmas tree in the library, which reportedly led to a ban on Christmas trees there in 2022.

Lisa Desmond, supervisor of the Endicott branch of Dedham's libraries, said in a now-unavailable Facebook post in December 2022, "I found out today that my beautiful library will not have [its] Christmas tree this year. Zero explanation. When I asked I was told 'people' were made uncomfortable last year looking at it. I’m sorry WHAT?" Desmond said in the comments section of her post that the Dedham public library director made the decision. Hundreds of comments under her post and several other related posts on Desmond's Facebook page were squarely against banning Christmas trees in the town's public libraries.

Desmond also added a Dec. 6 post with screenshots of a profanity-laced rant on a local Facebook page against Desmond and her issues with the Christmas tree cancellation. The rant's author, Diane Loud — whom Desmond said works for a local human rights commission — called Desmond a "selfish, f***ing bitch who does not care about anyone else but herself. For a tree? A motherf***ing TREE? You have put people's lives in a lot of danger. A lot of danger. For a motherf***ing Christmas tree."

The rant also read, "I hope that you — who claim to believe in Christ or whatever happy horses**t you're trying to hide behind — are the least gracious, most hateful, most disgusting trash in the world. Is this what you think your magic sky daddy wants? Where in the Bible was this again?"

And there was even more: "In closing I would like to add a final round of F*** YOU, YOU PIECES OF TRASH. I hate each and every one of you, and I do wish great suffering on you. You are terrible, terrible people."

Interestingly, the rant's author prefaced it all by saying, "I know there's no way to survive whatever sanctions you'll ask the select board to put my participation in commissions that actually try to make people's lives better, so I might as well go for it."

Desmond said in her Facebook post that "police have been notified" about the rant, and she also called for the rant's author to resign from the town's human rights commission.

Two days after Desmond shared Loud's rant, it was announced that Loud "has stepped down from her position on the Dedham Human Rights Commission. We sincerely appreciate Diane's service and look forward to working with the Commission on Disabilities to find a representative to take her place."

What's more, after a massive pushback against the Christmas tree ban, the library director soon said the trees were allowed to go up after all. Library Director Amber Moroney said in a Dec. 12 statement that "Christmas trees will be put up" at both of Dedham's public libraries, WBTS reported. Moroney said in a statement to Fox News that "the initial decision to not display a Christmas tree was the result of an ongoing review of all our holiday decorations and displays that started back in the spring."

A statement from Dedham officials said "town staff" were "targeted by recent online threats and bullying" over the controversy and that "what could have been something of legitimate discourse turned neighbor against neighbor, and has threatened the safety and well-being of community members and staff."

You can view a video report here about the controversy when it was first brewing.

Nativity scene threatened with removal in Arkansas town that has been referred to as 'the Bible Belt's LGBTQ oasis.' But folks fight back.

In December 2022, Robert Berry — mayor of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, which CNN called "the Bible Belt's LGBTQ oasis" — wanted a Nativity scene gone from its usual spot in Basin Spring Park after nearly 70 years.

Randall Christy, executive director of the Great Passion Play, told KNWA-TV that after the mayor called him about removing the Nativity scene, "We decided we're not taking it down. We refused to take it down." Christy also told conservative radio host Todd Starnes, "This is Christmas. ... Why is the Nativity such a threat to the mayor of Eureka Springs?"

As you might guess, there was substantial backlash over the threat of the Nativity scene's removal. Christy said, "People have just been pouring out — posting pictures, saying, ‘don’t take it down, don’t take it down,’ and the mayor has heard the cry of the people."

According to Berry, a town resident had threatened to sue Eureka Springs over the Nativity scene, claiming the religious imagery violated his constitutional right to freedom of religion, reported the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. City Attorney Forrest Jacob and the city's parks director, Scott Miskiel, reportedly told the mayor that "as long as you allow other secular displays to be displayed, then you're OK," according to Berry.

Christy posted the following to Facebook: "I want to sincerely, personally thank Eureka Springs Mayor Butch Berry who just notified me in writing that he has changed his mind and WILL NOT require us to remove our Nativity Scene out of the city's Basin Park. He and I will STAND TOGETHER to fight this potential lawsuit. We stand together to keep Christ and the Nativity in Christmas in Eureka Springs!!!"

Wishing others 'Merry Christmas' is 'white supremacy culture at work'? Really?

In 2020, a Chicago woman made an astonishing claim on Christmas Day that wishing someone a "Merry Christmas" is "white supremacy culture at work."

"This is your annual reminder that not everyone celebrates Christmas! The default to 'Merry Christmas' as a normal greeting is also white supremacy culture at work. If someone celebrates, then by all means. But so many people don't," Jen Bokoff posted on X.

The post caught the attention of conservative pundit Joe Concha, who mocked it. Widespread backlash soon erupted, and Bokoff apparently locked her X account. But that didn't stop others from responding.

One detractor said, "Who wants to tell her that hundreds of millions of Christians who celebrate Christmas worldwide are something other than white?"

Another pointed out, "This isn't a racist white thing. Jesus was Middle Eastern. This is a, 'I follow Christ thing.' Bless her heart."

Yet another replied, "I was walking on the sidewalk today a Muslim lady was going the other direction, she said Merry Christmas to me. I was thrilled. I wished her Merry Christmas, we both smiled and kept walking. It was a great moment for me. The real person should give it a try and get real."

Home's Christmas lights pummeled as 'harmful' and a 'reminder of divisions ... systemic biases.' Then anonymous critic receives holiday haranguing.

In early December 2020, a Minnesota couple received an anonymous letter criticizing the Christmas light display on their St. Anthony home as "harmful," Fox News noted.

The letter to Kim Hunt and her husband begins: "I couldn't help but notice your Christmas lights display. During these unprecedented times, we have all experienced challenges which casual words just don't describe what we're feeling. The idea of twinkling, colorful lights are a reminder of divisions that continue to run through our society, a reminder of systemic biases against our neighbors who don't celebrate Christmas or who can't afford to put up lights of their own."

It adds that "we must do the work of educating ourselves about the harmful impact an outward facing display like yours can have."

You can check out the letter and the "harmful" Christmas lights here.

The letter writer then says, "I challenge you to respect the dignity of all people, while striving to learn from differences, ideas, and opinions of our neighbors. We must come together collectively and challenge these institutional inequities. St. Anthony is a community welcoming of all people, and we must demand better for ourselves."

Hunt told Fox News that she and her husband were "very surprised, shocked, and saddened by the letter" — particularly since the lights give her a sense of "joy" when she returns from her job as a nurse working with COVID-19 patients. She added to the cable network that "these times we live in are so divisive" and that it's "a sad statement that Christmas lights have to be a target."

"We need to be inclusive of everyone, and let's face it, a lot of people put up holiday lights or decorate their homes for other occasions to bring beauty and happiness to what can be a very ugly world," Hunt told Fox News, adding that three other homes in the area have received the same letter.

As you might expect, the letter writer got an earful from Twitter users who saw the Crime Watch post containing the photo of the letter. Fox News said former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Derek Anderson observed: "Saw this coming a long time ago. 'If I can't have it nobody can' or 'if they have it we all deserve it' that's not life."

Others had similar reactions:

• "Ironic that the letter writer is doing exactly what they accuse the homeowner of doing — not being accepting of others," another commenter said. "I would redouble my lights."
• "People just need to stop already!!" another user declared. "If I lived in that neighborhood I'd help the owner put up even more lights."
• "If I were the recipient of that letter, I would put up THREE TIMES the amount of lights that I originally had put up," another commenter noted.

'God rest you, queer and questioning ...' Altered lyrics for iconic Christmas carol sung at English church; ideology behind it blasted as 'woke, unbiblical'

A church in England — All Saints with Holy Trinity in Loughborough — reportedly raised eyebrows in December 2022 for performing iconic Christmas carol "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" with altered lyrics that reflect a "woke, unbiblical" ideology. The updated carol removes references to Satan and Christ as Savior while mentioning those who are “queer and questioning” and “women, who by men have been erased."

Rev. Matthew Firth said the new lyrics fit the Church of England's "woke, unbiblical agenda," the Daily Mail reported. "'All ideas about Christ as savior have been erased. Triumph over Satan's power has been erased. And the whole nativity story has been erased."

Christmas ad 'bringing people to tears' shows grandfather applying makeup to grandson's face — and grandson soon presenting as female to family around dinner table

A J&B Blended Scotch Whisky commercial from Spain is "bringing people to tears with its message of love and acceptance," Today reported in December 2022.

The description of the ad on YouTube via Google Translate reads, "At J&B we want everyone to be able to celebrate at Christmas, without anyone being left out. But, sadly, on these dates, many people from the LGTBIQ+ collective feel uncomfortable or rejected in their own families and cannot celebrate with them. For this reason, we have made this Christmas story starring a grandfather and his family."

Interestingly, those wishing to view the ad on YouTube must sign in to confirm their age as the video "may be inappropriate for some users."

The ad begins with a grandfather trying to learn how to apply makeup to his face without his wife finding out as a version of the song “She" plays in the background, Today noted. After multiple attempts, Today said the grandfather finally "studies himself in the mirror, sporting a full face of expertly applied makeup."

"At first, it seems like the commercial is about the grandfather exploring his own identity — but then comes the emotional twist," Today continued.

Family members soon arrive at the grandparents' house for Christmas dinner — including 26-year-old "Alvaro." The grandfather motions for Alvaro to come with him — and the pair enter a bathroom, after which the grandfather locks the door. With that, the grandfather "uses his newfound makeup skills to lovingly transform his grandchild’s look, applying a beautiful, bold red lip, blush and winged eyeliner," Today said.

Finally, Alvaro and the grandfather emerge from the bathroom — and "Alvaro" has become "Ana" and is "appearing to come out to the family as transgender," Today added.

"The family is surprised at first, but a second later, Ana's mother stands and embraces her, moved to tears, and the rest of the family looks on with love and approval," Today said in its description of the commercial.

The ad's only clear connection to J&B is a shot at the end showing a bottle on the dinner table along with family members drinking it.

Canada's human rights commission suggests holidays like Christmas amount to 'systemic religious discrimination'

The Canadian Human Rights Commission in the fall of 2023 published a paper suggesting that statutory holidays linked to Christianity — particularly Christmas and Easter — are evidence of "religious intolerance."

"Discrimination against religious minorities in Canada is grounded in Canada's history of colonialism," the paper read. "This history manifests itself in present-day systemic religious discrimination. An obvious example is statutory holidays in Canada. Statutory holidays related to Christianity, including Christmas and Easter, are the only Canadian statutory holidays linked to religious holy days."

The paper continued, "As a result, non-Christians may need to request special accommodations to observe their holy days and other times of the year where their religion requires them to abstain from work."

Conservative lawmaker Jeremy Patzer wrote in response to the report, "This is ridiculous. Christmas is celebrated all around the world by people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. This is another example of woke ideology fomenting within the federal government. I for one will be celebrating Christmas whole heartedly. Merry Christmas!"

John Rustad, leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, added on X, "The Trudeau Liberals have lost their minds to woke culture. There is nothing discriminatory about Christmas."