‘Tis the season – to go to war over Nativity scenes, menorahs, other religious symbols in the public square and Christmas carols.

Rather than celebrate and tolerate our religious differences and customs, Americans have become hypersensitive about the holiday season. Ah, make that the Christmas season. Ah, how about the winter solstice? Store clerks aren’t sure whether to greet customers with a “Merry Christmas” or a “Happy holidays.” Either approach can trigger an angry response. Some make lists and check them twice to make sure naughty religionists keep their beliefs private.

The keep-Christ-in-Christmas forces and the anti-Christmas secularists agree on little about the holiday season.

However, there can be little disagreement over the inappropriateness of the float entered by the Potter’s House Church in Coeur d’Alene’s Holiday Lighting Parade. Among marching bands, Santas and waving dignitaries, the Coeur d’Alene church offered an actor-member, drenched in something that looked like blood, crowned with faux thorns and hanging on a spotlighted cross. The float was met with deafening silence. Then anger. Rather than inspire, the Potter’s House shocked an unsuspecting crowd and small children with the in-your-face tactics. It also provided ammunition to those opposed to Christmas celebrations.

Contrite parade organizers should take steps to ensure that neither the Potter’s House nor another religious group misuses the upbeat winter parade to unsettle viewers with an abrupt statement of faith. They should be careful, however, not to toss the Christmas baby out with the fouled water from Black Friday. They should accept a tasteful Christmas scene or carolers from a local church or an appropriate entry sponsored by any of the other great religions.

Unfortunately, the Potter’s House played the old bait-and-switch game with its float.

On the front half of the truck bed, a family mimicked a scene that will be played out throughout the nation Christmas morning – a family huddled around a Christmas tree, with presents to be opened, and a fire roaring in the background. The actor, dressed only in a loincloth to protect him from the chill, hung on a lighted cross behind a partition at the back. The words, “the greatest gift,” were on the side and “His blood” on the back.

Terry Cooper, executive director of the sponsoring Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association, told the Associated Press that the entry was too graphic. But Pastor Chris Wendt of the Potter’s House Church was unapologetic afterward.

Many Americans share Wendt’s belief that Christ’s death was “the greatest gift,” but not all. Wendt and his church took advantage of a huge captive audience to proclaim their faith in a way that even many evangelicals found offensive. Imagine what would happen if Coeur d’Alene’s annual Black Friday celebration were embraced by religious and political groups as an opportunity to present their messages to tens of thousands. It would destroy a wonderful event to kick off winter.

The Potter’s House entered a similar float several years ago. It has now fooled the downtown parade organizers twice. It shouldn’t be allowed to do so again.