HONOLULU CITY LIGHTS
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Spaces are set aside for private displays at the Honolulu City Lights show, which opens tonight on the City Hall lawn. Nonprofit organizations are chosen by lottery to present their holiday messages. Shown above are this year's displays.
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4 Nativity displays among city exhibits
When the Honolulu City Lights show opens tonight on the City Hall lawn, there will be four displays celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Nonprofit organizations are permitted to present their holiday messages in a corner of the municipal holiday exhibition that features bigger-than-life displays of toys, elves, snow people and Santa.
In other cities the use of public property for religious displays has led to lawsuits, protests and bans. In Honolulu a complaint about a Christmas Nativity scene on the City Hall lawn was resolved in 1998 with a system in which five spaces are set aside for private displays. Nonprofit organizations apply and are chosen by lottery to fill the five small spaces.
This year, there were only five applicants.
The story of Jesus' birth is presented in the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church booth. Cartoon characters of a camel and a mouse are guides to the action and meaning in the Bethlehem stable scene created by artist Chuck Gooch.
"Jesus, the Greatest Gift of All" is the theme of a display by the Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Hawaii. An image of the Christ Child is presented in a large gift box amid presents around a Christmas tree. The display was created by campus ministry director Janelle Dryden, who has entered exhibits for eight years.
The Knights of Columbus also erected a Nativity scene, using commercially made wire figures outlined in lights with a backdrop saying, "Keep Christ in Christmas." Kin Borja, an officer of the Catholic men's organization, said, "We're not trying to impede on anyone else's beliefs, just expressing our own feelings about the holiday."
A picture of Jesus is imposed on a U.S. map in the display by Stand Up America. Mike Gabbard, the organization director, said the display "has a simple message: to remind people that we are 'One Nation Under God' and that this wonderful season is a celebration of the birth of Lord Jesus Christ."
A Christmas tree in rainbow colors was erected by the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Gift boxes around the tree spell out the message "All You Need Is Love."
"The spirit of the season is love," said Carolyn Golojuch, spokeswoman for the advocacy group, "and we need to include everyone in that."