This Christmas, certain left-leaning churches across the United States have decided to put a political spin on Nativity scenes, portraying Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as illegal aliens apprehended by ICE.
It’s the latest in a long liberal tradition of adamantly opposing Christian rhetoric in politics, except for when they can shoehorn it into their latest cause. This is also a heinous measure of blasphemy during the season honoring the Birth of Christ.
In one Massachusetts display, an “ICE WAS HERE” sign features prominently in the manger, and the priest has ignored an order from the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston to remove it. The Archdiocese said that churchgoers “have the right to expect that they will encounter genuine opportunities for prayer and Catholic worship — not divisive political messaging.” Since liberals don’t believe that this issue has two sides, though, such an appeal is likely to fall on deaf ears.
In another display in Illinois, Lake Street Church set up Jesus with zip-tied wrists, and Mary and Joseph as anti-ICE protesters wearing gas masks. The church posted, “The Holy Family were refugees. This is not political interpretation, this is the reality described in the stories our tradition has told and retold for millennia.” Setting up blatant agitprop designed to provoke a response, while pretending it isn’t political: another time-honored liberal tradition.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back on a similarly-themed Nativity scene in Charlotte, North Carolina, connecting its sentiment to a rise in anti-ICE assaults. According to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, attacks on ICE agents have spiked more than 1150%. Given that Democrats have spent the past year portraying the agency as the modern-day Gestapo, this statistic would not be surprising.
While Catholic archdioceses may not approve of their own churches putting up such political displays, the church has long held a pro-immigration line, and Pope Leo recently called on people to be less fearful of immigrants. He also called for dialogue and understanding between Christians and Muslims, after being asked about Catholics who view Islam as a threat to their faith in Europe.
In the end, though, the discussion is not about fear, understanding, or any other sentiment. It’s about what a realistic immigration policy is for a country. Refugee Jesus Nativity scenes may draw attention, but they won’t get Americans pining for the infinity-immigration Biden days.
