NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      LOS ANGELES (CWNews.com) - The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said on Thursday that a local church should have asked permission before installing a star honoring Jesus Christ near the "Walk of Fame" which places star-shaped plaques honoring stage and screen entertainers on the city's sidewalks.

      The Oasis Christian Center placed a star -- similar to the distinctive pink terrazo stars in the "Walk of Fame" -- in front of the church, bearing the words "Jesus Christ" and "Son of God." The Chamber said the church should have asked permission first because the "Walk of Fame" and the stars are legally trademarked. "There is nothing wrong with creating a Walk of Faith or with the church honoring Jesus," the statement said. "The question is whether they should have created a star similar to ours without first checking with us."

      The Chamber said it had not threatened legal action. "We are currently evaluating the issue and will be talking with the Oasis Christian Centre," the statement said. "We feel confident that this can be brought to an amicable conclusion. Pastor Philip Wagner of Oasis Christian Center told the Los Angeles Times that he wants to resolve the dispute and believes that issue is a sensitivity in Hollywood to God and religion.