City Council will begin hearing the case today to allow nativity scenes to be displayed in New York City public schools. While menorahs, Christmas trees, stars and crescents are allowed along hallways and in front offices during the holiday season, the Department of Education views nativity scenes, or crèches, as purely religious. Council member Simcha Felder believes so strongly in the Department's policy that he not only opposes the resolution, but would rather all religious symbols be taken out of the schools. He told the Times, “If it’s offending anybody, let there be nothing." But Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights President William Donohue is pushing the Council to include room for créches, the same way he says he would if Jewish or Islamic symbols were banned, arguing, “I can’t imagine any Jews and Muslims being offended by this. What are we left with? A few angry atheists?” more ›

Baby Jesus is coming strapped this Christmas—with GPS! Many churches and synagogues in the area are equipping their nativity scenes and menorah displays with the locating system to impede hooligans who often use the holiday season to get their jollies via vandalism, costing the places of worship up to thousands of dollars for the sometimes pricey decorations. New York-based firm BrickHouse Secruity offered free, short term loans of GPS to religious institutions that now will be notified immediately by email if their display is moved. Reverend Bob Gorman of St. Ambrose Church in Old Bridge, New Jersey told The Star-Leger, "We call it God's Positioning System." Their church is currently planning to to drill a hole in Baby Jesus' backside to slip in the GPS device before the figure is placed in the manger on Christmas Eve. Somewhere King Herod wonders in defeat, "Why didn't I think of that?" more ›