{"id":2518055,"date":"2025-12-05T15:59:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T20:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-baptist-church-erects-perverted-nativity-to-protest-ice-enforcing-the-law-what-they-did-to-mary-might-be-the-worst\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T16:01:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T21:01:07","slug":"american-baptist-church-erects-perverted-nativity-to-protest-ice-enforcing-the-law-what-they-did-to-mary-might-be-the-worst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-baptist-church-erects-perverted-nativity-to-protest-ice-enforcing-the-law-what-they-did-to-mary-might-be-the-worst\/","title":{"rendered":"American Baptist Church Erects Perverted Nativity to Protest ICE Enforcing the Law &#8211; What They Did to Mary Might Be the Worst"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">44<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Famerican-baptist-church-erects-perverted-nativity-to-protest-ice-enforcing-the-law-what-they-did-to-mary-might-be-the-worst%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2518055&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article criticizes Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, for creating a politically charged Nativity scene that depicted baby Jesus with zip ties on his wrists and mary and Joseph wearing gas masks. The installation aimed to draw parallels between the Holy Family&#8217;s refugee experience and modern immigration enforcement practices, specifically condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions such as family separations and the use of tear gas on protesters. The church used this display to protest immigration policies, which the author views as a misuse of a sacred religious symbol for political purposes. The article condemns the church and its pastor, Michael Woolf, for pride and disrespect in blending political activism with Christian imagery, arguing that such actions distort the true meaning of the Nativity and dishonor the message of Jesus christ&#8217;s birth.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes the worst sins originate with people who pose as Christians.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, nothing but the sin of pride could compel so-called Christians to use Jesus&rsquo; birth as a political prop.<\/p>\n<p>Last month on Facebook, Lake Street Church of Evanston, Illinois, posted photos of a monstrous &ldquo;Nativity&rdquo; scene distorted for the purpose of protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents&rsquo; lawful enforcement of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federal immigration statutes amid<\/a> the unlawful interference of maniacal leftists.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This installation reimagines the nativity as a scene of forced family separation, drawing direct parallels between the Holy Family&rsquo;s refugee experience and contemporary immigration detention practices,&rdquo; the church wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Shockingly, baby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-trump-quotes-gospel-john-tells-audience-right-cheer-jesus-name-natl-christmas-tree-lighting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jesus<\/a> had zip ties on his wrists.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The zip ties on the infant&rsquo;s wrists directly reference the children who were zip-tied by agents during a raid on a Chicago apartment building earlier this year, where most residents were U.S. citizens: a stark reminder that enforcement terror does not discriminate by documentation status,&rdquo; the prideful, virtue-signaling author of the church&rsquo;s post wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps even more appallingly, Jesus&rsquo; blessed mother and earthly father, Mary and Joseph, sported <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-antifa-thought-cover-cameras-beat-christian-didnt-count-news-choppers-video\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Antifa<\/a>-like gas masks.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/progressive-church-alters-traditional-nativity-scene-to-make-anti-trump-political-statement\/\" title=\"Progressive ... Alters Traditional ... to Make Anti-Trump Political Statement\">gas masks worn<\/a> by Mary and Joseph reference the documented use of tear gas and other chemical weapons deployed by ICE agents against peaceful protesters, journalists, and community members advocating for immigration reform and bearing witness to human rights abuses within the system,&rdquo; the post continued.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flakestreetchurch%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0ubG6WeXnQV9Y8ShYMtEszRqmhKLAieXPtz88yQxpri8rDymFmMTdRrfYJ6tiPH8yl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"793\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>It will hardly shock readers to learn that last month <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ice-descends-lowes-home-depot-leaves-trucks-full-illegals-new-orleans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ICE<\/a> agents had to arrest the church&rsquo;s pastor, Michael Woolf.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flakestreetchurch%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0UXZjzwFisj796Yczg73ZGby66FdCqL2ZCDjvrpv5guQ9sgbF5FFZWB2CJebsD4ggl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"506\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Nor will it shock readers to learn that at least one YouTube video of a church service identified Woolf&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/school-cannot-force-students-use-trans-pronouns-federal-court-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pronouns<\/a>. That identification &mdash; &ldquo;he\/him&rdquo; &mdash; appears at the 35:17 mark of the video below.<\/p>\n<p>(Note, too, that Woolf encouraged his congregation to think of Christ&rsquo;s second coming as rooted in fear.)<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DnIifUMMVXQ?si=85k5V2PLMohslCRY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Nor, sadly, will it surprise readers to learn that the Lake Street Church&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lakestreet.org\/covenant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a> features &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-the-recent-remarks-from-kamala-harris-new-vp-pick-tim-walz-that-could-cost-her-the-election\/\" title=\"Watch: The Recent Remarks from Kamala Harris&#039; New VP Pick Tim Walz That Could Cost Her the Election\">social justice&#038;rdquo<\/a>; as well as a &ldquo;Covenant&rdquo; that celebrates &ldquo;soul liberty, which challenges us to embody God in the world each in our own way.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>All of this combines to produce a jarring impression, at least in the mind of this particular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/christian-student-attacked-spat-compassionate-liberal-daring-write-bible-verses-chalk-college-sidewalk-claim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Christian<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, one thinks first of the apostle Paul:<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions&rdquo; (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=2%20Timothy%204%3A3&amp;version=ESV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2 Timothy 4:3<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, even in the absence of scriptural warnings against false teachers, any Christian who truly seeks Jesus would have to recoil from the very spirit of the Lake Street Church&rsquo;s &ldquo;Nativity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As a conservative and longtime supporter of President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/didnt-stutter-stephen-smith-sunny-hostin-clash-view-video-urging-troops-ignore-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a>, of course I applaud ICE&rsquo;s efforts. But that hardly matters in this case. After all, the impression left by the church&rsquo;s distorted Nativity scene goes well beyond politics.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine, for instance, a church that created a Nativity scene with a political message I endorsed. Even then, I would not celebrate that abomination.<\/p>\n<p>And the reason should be obvious. The Nativity depicts God&rsquo;s coming into the world in order to save me from my sins. How could I dare use that act of divine mercy as a prop with which to showcase my political opinions?<\/p>\n<p>Only the sin of pride, of self-conceit, could persuade me to think that much of my own views.<\/p>\n<p>In short, Woolf and the creators of the Lake Street Church &ldquo;Nativity&rdquo; had it wrong on every front. We may forgive their wrongheaded political ideas. But the pride that inspired their blasphemous scene should make us tremble.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes the gravest wrongdoings come from those who claim to be Christians. Truly, only pride could drive such individuals to exploit the birth of Jesus for political purposes. Recently, Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois shared images on Facebook of a grotesque &#8220;Nativity&#8221; display altered to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents&#8217; lawful enforcement actions amid disruptive left-wing opposition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2518056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2025-12-05T154819.791.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[68321,64520,68322],"class_list":["post-2518055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-american-baptist-church","tag-ice-enforcement","tag-nativity-protest"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ben-Working-Feature-Image-2025-12-05T154819.791.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2518055"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2518059,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518055\/revisions\/2518059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2518056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2518055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2518055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2518055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}