'Don’t Mess With Texas': State's Attorney General goes to war with atheists... over nativity scene

The so-called War Against Christmas is coming to a head in a Texas town Saturday, as protesters from across the country will be rallying against a nativity display put up in front of the town's courthouse.

A Wisconsin-based group called the Freedom From Religion Foundation took major issue when they heard that the Christian display was put up outside of the Henderson County courthouse, prompting them to write a letter of complaint.

But a letter from out-of-state isn't going to leave the people of Henderson rattling in their cowboy boots, as the Attorney General Greg Abbott has boosted the beef to a Texas-sized proportions.



Hot spot: The nativity scene outside of the Henderson county Courthouse in Athens, Texas has caused some out-of-state problems

‘Our message to the atheists is don't mess with Texas and out Nativity scenes or the Ten Commandments,' Mr Abbott told Fox News & Community.

Fair warning: The Attorney General stood up for the town's right to a nativity

The FFRF sent a banner to the court house that it wanted displayed, with a very different message then the birth of Christ.

The group's banner read 'At this season of the Winter Solstice, let reason prevail.'

'There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but a myth & superstition that hardens hearts & enslaves minds,' it finished.

A mystery man put the sign up on Wednesday on a tree next to the nativity scene in Athens, Texas, about 70 miles south east of Dallas, but it was removed shortly by sheriff's deputies about 10 minutes later.

Though Judge Richard Sanders may have ordered its removal because of the missing forms and compliance with city procedures, the state's Attorney General is taking a much more philosophical stance.

'I want the Freedom From Religion Foundation to know that our office has a history of defending religious displays in this state,' Mr Abbott told a local Fox News affiliate.

Mr Abbott offered to help the city if they end up in a legal battle over the issue, though there are no signs that it will reach that point.

Response: Atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation had a local volunteer hang the sign condemning the Nativity and the belief in Christ

Hanging no more: Sheriff's deputies took the sign down about 10 minute later

The argument against the nativity scene is that it promotes a social belief that may make those non-believers uncomfortable.

'Anybody walking by that is going to say, "Hmmm. This is a Christian government building. I’m not welcome here if I’m not Christian,"' said FFRF co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor.



'It sends a message of intimidation and exclusion to non-Christians and non-believers this time of year,' she said.



A number of religious leaders from neighboring towns as well as their congregations are planning to show their today at a noon rally with hundreds of tentative attendees on Facebook.



Don't mess: Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said that he would help defend the town if the nativity dispute resulted in legal drama

Since it became popular and often times necessary to be politically correct, the holiday season has brought the now-token freedom of religion arguments,

So far this year, there have been incidents elsewhere in the U.S.