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It starts innocently enough in the town square of Possum, Virginia. But it becomes a spectacular national scandal: Can a federal judge outlaw Christmas? Thomas Hammond and his wife play Joseph and Mary in the annual live nativity in their hometown. But a federal judge rules the display unconstitutional. Thomas refuses to abide by the court order—and ends up in jail. From the courtrooms of Virginia to the talk shows of New York City, the battle escalates into a national media spectacle. Caught in the middle is law student Jasmine Woodfaulk, assigned to represent Thomas as part of her school’s legal aid clinic. Only a surprising series of events can reconcile a stubborn father, a crusading law student, and a recalcitrant judge. The Judge Who Stole Christmas is a charming, warm, and thought-provoking Christmas tale that explores in a fresh way the real reason for the season.
- Sales Rank: #542063 in Books
- Published on: 2010-08-23
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .65" h x 6.22" w x 8.22" l, .48 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 272 pages
- Paperback, 263 pages, 8 1/4 x 5 1/2 x 3/4 inches
- Author Randy Singer
From Publishers Weekly
This holiday novella's premise is a Christmas-time court battle over a live crèche scene set up in the town square of Possum, Va. Thomas Hammond loves playing Joseph in this crèche, and he is determined to keep turning out for his role regardless of what the ACLU or a decidedly Grinch-like judge has to say about it. His resolve earns him the respect of some of his fellow church-goers, but it also lands him in jail. He is defended by Jasmine Woodfaulk, a third-year law student who sticks with the case even though its notoriety costs her a plum job at a top law firm in New York. By the end of this story, of course, folks who disagree about the constitutionality of crèches manage to unite in the celebration of Christmas. Sometimes it is unclear when the author is aiming for satire and when he is playing it straight. For example, when Jasmine goes to argue her appeal before a three-judge appellate court, the one judge obviously on her side is an African-American Bush appointee conveniently named Judge Clarence. Then there's Theresa, Thomas's wife, who doesn't seem to know what a cell phone is. Nonetheless, this fresh approach to Christmas inspiration will stand out.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Randy Singer is the critically acclaimed author of four legal thrillers, including Self Incrimination, and two nonfiction books. His first novel, Directed Verdict, won the Christy Award in 2003 for the best Christian suspense novel. A veteran trial lawyer, he teaches at Regent Law School and serves as Chief Counsel for the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also President of FamilyNet Television and a member of the Board of Legal Advisors for the American Center for Law and Justice. He and his wife, Rhonda, and their two children live in Atlanta, Georgia.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter 1
Thursday, December 1
Doggone it,” grunted Thomas, glancing toward the Holstein as the big fella lifted its tail. “What’re they feedin’ that thing anyway?”
Theresa smiled to herself and watched the cow pie form on the woodchips blanketing the ground of their makeshift manger. Thomas shook his head then hustled behind the partition that formed the back of their little stall, strategically located on one side of the Possum town square. He returned with a shovel and black plastic bag, scooping up the mess before the family of four climbed out of the Ford Explorer at the edge of the square. Visitors
had been sparse tonight, kept away by a cold and steady drizzle. Plus, people didn’t usually have time to visit the live manger scene this early in the season. There was simply too much
shopping to do.
“I’d help you out, but I just got baby Jesus to sleep,” said Theresa, as she cuddled the plastic doll wrapped in swaddling Wal-Mart blankets. “You know what a momma’s boy He is.”
“Don’t be disrespectful,” muttered Thomas, his voice low so he couldn’t be heard by the approaching family. They had learned that it somehow broke the reverence of the occasion if Mary and Joseph were bickering.
“Didn’t mean no disrespect,” Theresa whispered. She looked lovingly at the baby in her arms, its chubby little face glistening as the spotlight bounced off its plastic cheeks. It was only a doll, but it was special in so many ways. For two years this doll had played the part of the Christ child in the otherwise live Nativity scene. And Theresa, who had been honored to take her shift as a thirtyfive- year-old replica of the teenage Virgin Mary, had seen some pretty amazing things happen when people came to visit.
But the baby doll was special for other reasons as well. It was, after all, the favorite doll of Theresa’s eight-year-old daughter, Hannah, a constant companion that Hannah had named “Bebo” when Hannah was only three. Bebo’s plastic face, hands, and feet, once a clean and fleshy pink, now took on the hue of a Middle Eastern baby, colored by thousands of hugs, kisses, and strokes from Hannah’s grubby little hands and lips. Bebo’s cloth body had been patched twice in an effort to keep the stuffing from falling out. Other dolls and stuffed animals had come and gone in the Hammond household, but Bebo stayed around, sleeping under Hannah’s arm every night.
Because she was nearly human anyway, Bebo was a natural choice to play the Christ child. Nobody outside the Hammond family needed to know that Bebo was really a girl. “What smells?” asked the approaching teenage girl as she turned up her nose and huddled under an umbrella with her mother.
“Maybe one of the shepherds farted,” said her younger brother. Theresa noticed Thomas stiffen, but she knew he would hold his tongue. As soon as the family left, however, Thomas would complain about the lack of discipline in families these days.
“Justin!” snapped the boy’s father. He stood to the boy’s side, hunched down in his own trench coat, seeking protection from the wind and drizzle.
“That’s not even funny,” said the girl.
“ ‘That’s not even funny,’ ” mocked Justin. “You’re such a suck-up.”
Theresa watched as the dad glared at Justin, but the boy avoided his father’s eyes.
Theresa gauged Justin to be junior-high age–thirteen, maybe fourteen. He was listening to his iPod, swaying slightly to its beat, his face shielded by a large hooded sweatshirt. Theresa thought about her own son, a little six-year-old pistol they had nicknamed Tiger. She wondered if she would survive Tiger as a teen.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” the mother said as she stepped closer to Theresa and looked down at the Christ child. “That God loved us enough to send His Son to be born in a place like this.”
Theresa nodded, flashing back to the delivery of her surprise baby–Elizabeth Leigh–ten months ago. The labor was brutal, even with all the comforts of the Virginia Beach General Hospital. But Mary–she delivered Jesus in a barn with Joseph as a midwife and with no epidurals.
“Amazing,” Theresa muttered in agreement.
“It’s not like He was born in Possum,” said Justin. But the mother ignored him and inched a little closer. After locking eyes with Theresa, she touched her fingers to her lips, kissed them, then placed them on the cheek of baby Jesus. Her daughter, without saying a word, did the same.
“Thanks for being out here, even in the rain,” said the mom.
Theresa smiled and nodded. “God bless you,” she said. She watched as the mom and her daughter locked arms under their umbrella, then turned and headed back to the car. As Justin trailed behind them, the dad began to follow but hesitated and turned back toward Theresa. He took a few tentative steps, looked deep into her eyes, and did something that always gave Theresa goose bumps.
He went down on one knee in front of her and bowed his head.
She wanted to tell him to get up. The grass was wet and the Lord knew that nobody should be bowing to her. But the Lord also knew that this man didn’t take a knee out of respect for some thirty-five-year-old mom who lived in a double-wide trailer in Possum. He was bowing before the Christ child, and Theresa had no right to interfere with that. She realized that Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have felt the same sense of unworthiness and awe when the shepherds came to honor her child.
She glanced over at Thomas and saw the look of appreciation in his dark brown eyes. His face was shining, wet from the drizzle, and she could see fatigue in every muscle, but the look reflected her own thoughts–This is why we’re out here.
And then, after a few seconds, the man crossed himself and rose. He reached out and touched Theresa’s hand even as she held tight to the make-believe baby. He squeezed softly. “Thanks,” he said. Then he turned and walked away.
Most helpful customer reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful.
Something of value here
By dobes
First, a disclaimer: I'm Christian, but not A Christian as the religious right has taken over the term. I'm also a lawyer, with a profound appreciation of our Constitution. I'm about as liberal as I can be. And I believe separation of church and state is one of the best ideas the US has ever had.
I read this book 1)to see how the religious right distorts our position to say we are preventing them from celebrating Christmas, and 2) because I like Christmas stories.
The plot involves a man more of action than of words who sets up a creche on the town square with the permission of the town's mayor, and proceeds to pray with and for those who come to see the display. An ACLU lawyer with "slick" hair and appropriately named "Harrod" (!) files suit in the US District Court to stop the display. The judge, also described as markedly unattractive, considers the facts of the case in light of actual recent court decisions on the subject, and, coming down on the side of the ACLU, issues an injunction. The man flouts the injunction (and here the book repeatedly incorrectly substitutes 'flaunts' for 'flouts') and sets up his creche again and again, trying to circumvent established law but only landing himself in jail for contempt of court.
To my surprise, I quite enjoyed the book. Its plot is thin, its characters somewhat weak, its ending maudlin, but it has moments of real humor. I particularly enjoyed the part where the homeless man hastily recruited to play Santa Claus informs the children he dandles on his knee that the measure of whether they are bad or good is how much they give to the homeless! Its explanation of the three Supreme Court cases dealing with Christmas displays on public land was entirely accurate, unbiased, and informative, without being boring. And, as a bonus, its brief but very entertaining section on the history of Christmas made me see the song We Wish You a Merry Christmas in a whole new way!
All in all, it's an easy, enjoyable read and a good choice for anyone who wants to know where our courts stand on the issue of celebrating the religious aspects of Christmas on public land.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
A Great Christmas Story
By S. Peek
This short novel is well written, entertaining, and fun. It also features some thought provoking legal issues.
It features Thomas Hammond who is participating in a live nativity display on town property in Possum, Virginia. The ACLU files suit to stop this Christmas feature on the grounds of separation of church and state.
A federal judge, Cynthia Baker-Kline sides with the ACLU and orders the program halted. Hammond fights it alone as the city fathers leave him hanging out to dry. The story also features a sleazy TV preacher (who is trying to use the controversy as a fund raiser).
As with all of his books, Randy Singer does a great job of creating unexpected twists and surprising the readers. Although the ending is a bit anticlimactic, the conclusion does have quite a surprise that will get readers thinking about both sides of this issue.
I highly recommend this book as well as Singer's others. I think that this was the only one of his that I had not read until now. I am glad that I did. If you are unfamiliar with this great author, try this or one of his others. You will be in for a treat.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
The Legality of Christmas.
By Gayla M. Collins
I purchased this book from Amazon not knowing what to expect. Low and behold I found a real treasure of a story that details separation of church and state. As a Christian I will be honest and say that I am disappointed that this peace loving holiday becomes a battle ground for the ACLU. Yet, I acknowledge and understand their rights and respect what is Caesar's.
Thomas and his wife Theresa have a live nativity crèche set up in the local square. It is called into question by the ACLU attorney who argues it is against the law to have this scene on public property. Thomas is a devout man and refuses to bend to the government's stance, thus the court gets involved.
I could tell you more of the story but this sets up the scenes for a very honest, well researched(the author is an attorney and has written many legal thrillers) and enjoyable read about this honest battle.....with respect for all other religions and cultures, this book looks at all sides of this battle with warmth and fervor.
The tale made me laugh and tear-up. Is it sentimental?...YOU BET!. Is it comforting and gentle in the discussion?....AFFIMATIVE.. Do all sides get a chance to show their concerns...MOST DEFINETLY. Did I enjoy this lovely Christmas story.....YES, YES, YES.
I will now search out Mr. Singer's legal fare and wish you all a Merry Christmas from a heart without malice that wants Peace and Joy on earth to be the rule, not the exception to it.
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