Sunday, October 23, 2011
Mountaintop Jesus Faces Eviction
A statue of Jesus that sits on a 25 foot by 25-foot patch of public land atop the Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort in Whitefish, Montana may be “ski booted” off the mountain if the Freedom From Religion Foundation has its way. The icon in question is a large, painted stone statue of Jesus Christ, which was placed there in 1953 by the local Knights of Columbus to honor returning veterans of World War II. The statue was selected and placed on the mountain to honor, in particular, members of the 10th Mountain Division, many of whom were instrumental in establishing the local and national ski industry. The veterans spoke of seeing religious shrines in remote mountain communities in northern Italy. The Knights of Columbus were granted a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service and the statue was erected on a concrete pad. It has stood there since looking over the mountainside and greeting skiers as they descend the mountain.
In August, under pressure from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service rejected the renewal of the 10-year lease and ordered the Knights of Columbus to move the statue by the end of the year. The Foundation, which promotes the separation of Church and State, filed a claim with the Forest Service seeking the removal of the statue arguing that allowing it to remain would be in violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The Knights of Columbus appealed the decision, stating that the removal and movement of the nearly 60-year-old statue would likely destroy it and that the statue’s historical, not religious significance, mandated that it be allowed to remain in place.
U.S. Representative, Denny Rehberg (R. Mont.) intervened on behalf of the local community and the Knights of Columbus. In a letter to the U.S. Forest Service, Rehberg noted that “This memorial is an irreplaceable part of our state's history and a unique and colorful part of the local culture…the Forest Service's denial of the lease defies common sense." Rehberg also went on to say that the statue is a symbol of hope and faith, and removing it would be an insult to the sacrifices the soldiers made for this country.
Local residents and supporters were also angered by the initial denial of the permit and voiced concerns that moving the statue to nearby private land would demean the longstanding piece of history of the mountain and thus should be left where it is.
The controversy did not remain local. The newswires picked up the story and the statue’s fate has prompted national debate. On Friday, the U.S. Forest Service, in response to Rep. Rehberg’s letter and the outcry from local and not so local supporters of the statue, rescinded its order to move the statue and has announced it will take comments and allow a more meaningful dialogue on the issue. Coinciding with the Forest Service’s announcement, local community leaders said they were advised that the statue is eligible for listing in the National Registry of Historic Places. Its placement on the National Registry might help but it does not guarantee that the statue will remain.
The historical aspect of the statue, I believe overrides any religious symbolism the statue is perceived to have. By history, we know it was placed in the mountains in honor of veterans who recalled seeing similar icons in the mountains of Italy. The statue was not placed there so that skiers could stop and pray. Religious services are not held there. In fact, photos contained in the news articles I read, show the statue wearing ski goggles, a helmet and a scarf. Veterans of all religions passed through the mountains of Italy and were equally subjected to the Italian statues. Because the statue was erected to honor men who served in World War II, it cannot be assumed that the statue is there to promote one religion over another. Residents have upheld the tradition of this statue for 60 years, with the knowledge and secular belief that the statue is a memorial to the men who fought at war and is not a means to establish or support religious beliefs.
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