Or puoi, figliuol, veder la corta buffa
d’i ben che son commessi a la fortuna,
per che l’umana gente si rabuffa[.]
A story here about consternation in Santa Monica, where it seems that a 60-year old tradition in which various Christian congregations assembled a nativity scene in a public park during the Christmas season has been disrupted by the institution of a neutral, generally applicable municipal lottery system. As it happened, Fortune favored the atheists. (h/t Sam Bray)
In this country, complaints are heard when municipalities put up nativity
scenes on government property. But thus far, I haven’t seen a case where politicians sneak themselves into the manger.
Apparently in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez has instituted a different practice.
From the UK, a news report about a different kind of Christmas War:
Father’s finger bitten off at school nativity (08 Dec 2011)
A father had his finger bitten off in a brawl with another parent as they waited for their kids’ nativity play to begin.
Parents intervened to pull the men apart as they fought at Harton Primary School, in South Shields, South Tyneside, before the children’s performance.
The 32 year-old victim was taken to hospital where his hand was treated. A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and bailed.
See what happens when we let religion in the public schools? Maybe Justice Stevens was right, after all.
One of the pleasures of doing a website on law and religion is that the topic of church and state comes up everywhere nowadays, even the most unexpected places. Let me give an example. I’m a fan of early music – go ahead, laugh if you want to – and look forward every other Thursday to an email from an organization called the Gotham Early Music Scene announcing concerts around New York City. Yesterday’s email had a plug for a “fitting event” for the 
upcoming “Holiday season,” a fundraiser for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Americans United is producing a concert of music from the time of Thomas Jefferson, complete with readings from letters between him and his “Parisian paramour” – I’m just quoting the announcement, here – Maria Cosway (left). Jefferson, the promoters remind us, was “the primary architect of the Doctrine of Separation of Church and State.” I’m not sure what any of this has to do with the “Holiday season,” but I suppose secularists need something to do around Christmas, too. Considering that Americans United typically spends its “Holiday season” threatening to sue municipalities that might improperly display a shepherd somewhere, its attempt to cash in on Christmas is a bit ironic. I’m pretty sure Jefferson would have found the whole thing embarrassing. He was always discreet about his relationship with Cosway. She was married.
Marc, that’s all well and good about Messiaen, but for the source of contemporary Christian music in America, you need to check out Godspell, currently in revival on Broadway. At least that’s what Mark Oppenheimer of the New York Times thinks. — MLM
Here is a story about how the President stated that God is interested in people having jobs, and that Congress ought to stop debating whether to reaffirm the motto, In God We Trust — one which sometimes rankles deeply committed separationists or endorsement-ists in Establishment Clause jurisprudence. It seems the President and his opponents could make common cause: if God really cares about people having jobs, let’s not do anything to upset Him. — MOD
This is a pleasant piece on Justice Kagan, where the Justice discusses her Jewish background, an interesting upcoming Supreme Court case peripherally involving religion, and a hunting trip with Justice Scalia. — MOD