The Nativity Nightmare
I grew up near Wadena, Minnesota (in fact, I was actually born at Wesley Hospital in Wadena... and I was married in Wadena), so the decision made by the Wadena city council this past week grabbed my attention and it's been the talk of this region ever since. It isn't the first time this city of about 4,200 people made the state and national news. Five years ago, an EF-4 tornado ripped through Wadena, destroying homes, businesses and the public school. Amazingly, there was no loss of life. Many said God was watching out for the city. Which brings me to the city council's decision on Tuesday of this week. The Christmas nativity scene at the Burlington Northern Park in Wadena, which has been a traditional display for many years, will no longer be featured in the city park. A concerned citizen, Tyler Rud, questioned the constitutionality of the city funding and maintaining a symbol of Christianity. He went to the "big guns," so to speak, the Freedom From Religio