Nativity scene sparks debate in Indiana town

BROOKVILLE, Ind. - "I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus," proclaimed Hazel Graves from the foot of the Brookville town Nativity scene.

The creche and a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation calling for its removal are the talk of this small Indiana community.

The letter was sent from Madison, Wisconsin to the presidents of the Town Council and the Franklin County Commissioners stating that the display is unlawful.

That has a lot of Brookville residents wanting to know  who leaked the information about the display.

"There's somebody here in town, and they should step forward if they're so brave, and want to take down our Nativity scene," says Graves.

Her hunch is correct, according to Rebecca Markert, the staff attorney for FFRF. "We do have members who live locally, and they are the ones who contacted us about the Nativity scene."

Markert would not divulge who that member was.

She did say the display violates the separation of church and state, and is unconstitutional because it is on government property and paid for with government funds.

The latter is one thing county commissioner Tom Wilson agrees with.

"The City of Brookville owns it, the fire department puts it up every year for the last 40 some years."

He says no one in Brookville is in any hurry to take down the display. "Our Nativity scene is going to stay until somebody tells us we gotta move it."

In the meantime, businesses like Goldfinch Restaurant are putting out petitions asking patrons to "Hi 5 for Jesus" and save the creche.

Many of the town's residents are employing another strategy; praying that this all just goes away.