Dieter Bayer |
Now 73, Dieter Bayer is limited by health issues and can currently only work for a few hours each day, needing rest between work periods. Dieter has learned to be very selective about how he spends precious time. So when Ron Wesselius presented him with the opportunity to build a nativity scene to be displayed in the Washington State Capitol, he hesitated…but only for a moment.
"My wife and I discussed it and agreed that this crèche needed to be made, and I wanted to be the one to do it," Dieter says. "Our country is in a spiritual battle, and I was determined not to be left standing on the sidelines, watching the battle for religious freedom. This was truly the best possible use of my time."
Dieter’s story is remarkable in itself. A survivor of the Dresden bombing in World War II, Dieter grew up under both communism and Nazism. He witnessed firsthand the disastrous effects of government oppression on religious expression. Not surprisingly, when he came to America, he quickly embraced the values this country was founded upon, but the relentless attacks of the ACLU and its allies have become of increasing concern to Dieter.
"During the last several years, I have been alarmed by the methodical elimination of our religious freedom in this country," Dieter says. "It is eerily similar to some of what I experienced during my youth in Germany, and it is vital that people of faith stand up and defend those freedoms…before it is too late. Quite frankly, that’s why I knew I had to build this nativity scene."
Religious freedom is indeed under attack. Thanks to the prayerful support and efforts of individuals like Ron Wesselius and Dieter Bayer, we are facing the challenges of the ACLU and its allies and winning. But this battle is one that will require perseverance.
Your gift today will help us meet these challenges in the courts, and preserve Our First Liberty – religious freedom.