Zombie nativity scene draws $500 a day fine from town as Christian protesters descend

[marmar]

An Ohio man is under fire from local authorities for setting up a zombie nativity scene against town wishes, Fox 19 reports.

For the second year in a row, Jasen Dixon, who manages the “13 Rooms of Doom” haunted house, set up a manger featuring the undead honoring a zombie baby Jesus — despite being ordered to take it down last year.

According to Sycamore Township officials, Dixon needed a permit for the macabre display this year. But when he applied he was turned down, and now he faces a fine of $500 per day for every day he leaves it up.

Having gone through the same situation last year before dismantling it, Dixon began soliciting donations earlier this year to cover the expected financial sanctions.

Friday night on his Facebook page, Dixon wrote: “We were going to take it down, decided to leave it up, all the lights are re-hooked and open for business just no roof. Let’s see what happens.” .....................(more)

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/12/war-on-christmas-zombie-nativity-scene-draws-500-a-day-fine-from-town-as-christian-protesters-descend/

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Wonder what inspired them?

Maybe a response to the anti-choice inspired Halloween Horror Houses?

[chalmers]

2. technically, Jesus was a zombie

[csziggy]

12. Jesus was not a zombie - he was a lich

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/jesus-was-not-a-zombie#.idBPBqrjz

Or maybe a Rakshasa:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rolltodisbelieve/2014/04/21/hes-not-a-zombie-or-a-lich/

[snooper2]

3. That is fucking awesome, Christians never talk about the fact that they believe in zombies

Human Dies, Human comes back to life, Human is now ZOMBIE!


Full Definition of ZOMBIE

1
usually zombi
a : the supernatural power that according to voodoo belief may enter into and reanimate a dead body
b : a will-less and speechless human in the West Indies capable only of automatic movement who is held to have died and been supernaturally reanimated
2
a : a person held to resemble the so-called walking dead; especially : automaton
b : a person markedly strange in appearance or behavior

[xocet]

7. or cannibalism (transubstantiated bread) or approximate vampirism (transubstantiated wine)... n/t

[TipTok]

13. Technically...

[hifiguy]

19. So how many horcruxes are we talking about here?

[Solly Mack]

26. LMAO

[Arugula Latte]

28. Okay, we have the three way split -- father, son, holy ghost.

Then, I'm gonna say crucifix. That's four.

Maybe the crown of thorns was five?

Grail -- six.

There are probably some others out there, as well. A Thomas Kinkade figurine perhaps?

[TipTok]

35. The spear....

Source: I just watched Constantine and Hellboy...

[lindysalsagal]

37. But, was there PENETRATION?????!!!!!!!!

If not, who cares?

[ladyVet]

32. Dear gods, I want to write a story to go with that image! It is awesome.

Edited to add: I actually meant the second one, but there's an idea for the first one brewing now (though I actually had a Nativity in one of my zombie shorts already)

[niyad]

16. welcome to du

[LonePirate]

5. This is certainly a clever and an amusing way to outrage the fundamentalists. Good for him!

[cleanhippie]

23. Unfortunately, it ain't just the fundies that get offended at things like this.

This mocks the core or xtianity. It's an absurd claim on its face, so it forces believers to accept that fact. Cognitive dissonance then takes over, provoking an angry "I'm offended" or "why can't you just respect my beliefs" response.

So ya not just the fundies, it's all believers who dislike this tactic. And I'm glad it makes them so uncomfortable.

[w0nderer]

27. whilst we all remember of course that

Christianity as such has very little to do with 'yule' or as it was known even before that Vetrnætr (start of 'the wild hunt') as Christmas was known before the Christians changed the name of it after converting Europe at the sword, by the melted lead poured into throats and the live burials of 'pagans'.

Tell me again about this tolerant 'Christianity' people speak of.

but hey for christians, let's keep aymayrikayn baybee jaysus in kraistmas!
heh

For the record, I'm glad I make them uncomfortable when ever they push this. Only one day a year (and one per week) Christ said to celebrate, and it's sad that a pagan knows that when most Christians don't. Hint, wasn't his birthday.

[REP]

33. From one of my favorite holiday shows:

Peter: As we all know, Christmas is that mystical time of year when the ghost of Jesus rises from the grave to feast on the flesh of the living! So we all sing Christmas Carols to lull him back to sleep.

Bob: Outrageous, How dare he say such blasphemy! I've got to do something.

Man: Bob, there's nothing you can do.

Bob: Well I guess I'll just have to develop a sense of humor.

Family Guy, A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas

[Facility Inspector]

8. They squandered a tremendous opportunity

to teach children about Satan.

Shame.

[wcmagumba]

9. New show in order...

"The Crying Dead"? "The Pooping Dead"? "The Diaper Dead"?

Away in a manger
no crib for the dead?

[tymorial]

10. This issue is very unclear

According to Dixon, his request for a permit was denied because local authorities said his display violated the town’s zoning code by taking up more than 35 percent of his front yard.

“I got all the paperwork and how it was wrote out, and it says as long as it’s not over 200-square -foot that I can have it without a permit, and it’s about 65 square foot,” he explained, adding that he thinks the council hates the zombie theme.

If what the man states is correct then the township is in violation of its own law by issuing the fine. Either the town is actively attempting to prevent this man from exercising his freedom of speech or there are additional laws in the zoning code which take into consideration a ratio between lot size and display which is above and beyond a strict 200 square foot threshold.

[exboyfil]

14. He needs to go through the neighborhood and document

every manger scene larger than his own.

[tymorial]

11. This display is way better

than the first half of Walking Dead this season.

[dogknob]

15. A $500/day fine? C'mon... This is America...

...He is perfectly free to hire a $500/hour attorney to defend his First Amendment rights in a court of law.

Silly zombie rabbit; the 1st Amendment is for people who can afford it. The city's betting you can't.

[AZ Progressive]

18. This is his opportunity to call everyone else "freedom haters"

and hypocrites of freedom.

[KamaAina]

17. Looks like the zombies ate the protesters' brains

[Initech]

22. They stopped once they realized that the protesters didn't have any!

[Photographer]

20. Oops! Sorry, I duplicated you post. Deleted mine and reccing yours.

[Initech]

21. OMG that is quite possibly the greatest thing I have ever heard of!

[AtomicKitten]

24. When I was living in Santa Cruz, a guy had a nativity scene w/ Sylvester the cat - all 5 ft figures.

The community loved it every single year.

[Solly Mack]

25. Some people don't have a sense of humor.

That display is hilarious.

I hope he wins out.

He should think about suing.

[Rex]

29. So the city decided to discriminate against this man's right to religious freedom?

Ohio have you no shame? Why would you deny this man's right to worship as he sees fit?

[misterhighwasted]

30. Looks like he's been alert-stalked against a stacked jury!

An eerie similarity, don't you think???


I like that he prepared for the fines & continues his display.
Good for him.

[Arugula Latte]

31. This is private property, right?

If churches can put up their ghoulish dead-Jesus-on-a-stick displays, he should be able to put up this.

[ManiacJoe]

34. The important info about the permit:

According to Dixon, his request for a permit was denied because local authorities said his display violated the town’s zoning code by taking up more than 35 percent of his front yard.

“I got all the paperwork and how it was wrote out, and it says as long as it’s not over 200-square -foot that I can have it without a permit, and it’s about 65 square foot,” he explained, adding that he thinks the council hates the zombie theme.

[KittyWampus]

36. Excellent. How can people be so freaking humorless?

[Warren DeMontague]

38. Would he be able to have the thing in the yard if it was a straight up Creche scene?

If so, he's got a good 1st Amendment case against the town. They can't pick and choose, as much as they may want to.