What the hell is wrong with the world?

Last week, on my walk from work to the train station in center city Philadelphia, I passed by the Judge Lewis Quadrangle at 6th and Market Streets, as I do every day. Located adjacent to the federal building, and across the street from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, it is technically a part of Independence National Historic Park, and thus falls under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

Therefore, you can imagine the shock I felt upon seing a nativity scene located on the premises. The sign in front of the display proudly stated, "The Catholic League -- for Religious Rights."

Upon hearing more about this display, I learned that the National Park Service allows the Lubavitchers, an Orthodox Jewish group, to display a large menorah at the quadrangle every year to commemorate Chanukah. What's more, this is all apparently perfectly legal under a 1988 Supreme Court ruling. The justices ruled that privately-sponsored religious displays were permitted on government property where displays of free speech are allowed. This year, the Catholic League obtained the correct permits and licenses, and thus the NPS approved the display.

In my view, religion and government should never, ever, ever mix. Religious displays on government property are simply wrong. In the first place, some people may get the impression that the National Park Service officially sanctions these displays, and that the religions important to the NPS are Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism. Everyone else, sorry, you're out of luck.

Secondly, it always makes me nervous when the government gets into the business of officially approving religious displays. Where would they draw the line at what is a "religion," and what is a "cult?" Apparently, Catholicism and Judaism are OK; what if the few surviving Branch Davidians had asked to erect a statue of David Koresh? Or, what if some members of the Church of Satan would have liked to construct a display of the Prince of Darkness himself? Permits or no permits, I doubt these would have been approved.

These may seem like extreme examples. But, there are some religions that would fall in the grey area between mainstream American religions and wacko cults. It just gives me a bad feeling to think about the goverment deciding which religions are "acceptable" and which aren't. Muslims? Hare Krishnas? Jehovah's Witnesses? B'ahais? Sikhs?

I realize that we live in an overwhelmingly Christian society, and that's why no one seems to be making a big deal about this. And, Philadelphia's Jews, who number about 10% of the total population here, are equally represented at the quadrangle, so the majority of Philadelphians are probably OK with this.

But it doesn't make it OK. I strongly disagree with the Supreme Court on this one; the fact that it was a 1988 ruling puts it during the era of Reagan- and Bush- nominated conservatives, which explains a lot. Fundamental Christians forget that the United States was settled by people looking for freedom from government intervention in religious life. The Bill of Rights starts off with the phrase, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."

Displaying a nativity scene and a menorah at Independence National Historic Park makes it seem as though the federal government is officially celebrating two and only two religions. That's just plain wrong.

And by the way, have a happy Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Festivus, and/or any other holiday or holidays you choose to celebrate.

And if you choose not to celebrate any, that's OK too.