WHY NATIVITY PLAYS SHOULD BE CANCELLED TO AVOID GIVING OFFENCE

LETTER 2 January 2008
 
In relation to crèches and playschools banning Nativity plays in relation to complaints from non-Christians, I have this to say.
 
It is vital that children be educated in treating children as children, not as Christians, non-believers, Muslims or whatever.
 
Nativity plays promote the Christian faith for they are about the birth of the alleged saviour of the world. And children are so impressionable and easily conditioned. They advocate looking down on the gods of other people for Jesus is saviour and alone is God. They imply that their faith is inferior to Christianity and this in effect implies that nobody is as good as the Christians. Christian children are obligated to use Nativity plays as a method of evangelisation. To say Jesus is God and the only true saviour is to say, “I believe this and I am great for having the right belief and I am right and everybody who contradicts my belief is wrong.” That is not a good message to be giving out to children.
 
Crèches and playschools and schools are for educating children not for promoting religion. Let the parents do this in the house.
 
Nativity plays imply that non-Christian children or Christian unbelievers are not welcome. There are harmless alternatives. The idea that Muslims and Hindus etc should respect our culture and shouldn’t complain about Nativity Plays is just plain bigotry. It implies that their ideas are not as important as ours. Nativity Plays are not part of our culture. Only a few children participate in them.
 
Would Christians accept Plays advocating Satanism even if they were in a culture that demanded them?
 
Cultures change and should be allowed to. Customs should be allowed to die out. Every custom came about because somebody broke customs and habits to start them. Christians want to keep the Nativity Play custom to keep control over Christian children.
 
If Christians want to promote Nativity Plays as factual then they should come up with some evidence that they are.
 
If we have to please non-Christians who are offended by Nativity Plays and Christians who want them then what do we do? The Plays are certainly unnecessary insults against non-Christians and non-essential for Christians. We should please the non-Christians. If we cannot decide, then clearly then the Christians should present proof that the Plays portray the truth. Because if truth is offensive, then tough.