Eighty-five percent of Americans claim some form of religious affiliation. The public display of religious symbols, though, is always controversial, whether we’re talking about the Ten Commandments in a courthouse or nativity scenes in a park. In the ongoing debate about religious imagery’s proper place, where do we draw the line between private faith and public religious expression?
History Prof., Oral Roberts University
Of course religious symbols should be posted in public places. Religious symbols reflect the culture of the society in which they are found. To deny one the right to display such images, as say a crèche during Christmas or a menorah at Hanukkah, would be tantamount to separating us from “the reason for the season” or denying a demonstration of our cultural heritage. These temporary symbols should not be an offense but rather a celebration of the diversity of the community in which they are placed. In neighborhoods where Muslims, for example, are the majority it is appropriate for them to demonstrate their symbols during their traditional holidays.
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