He Knows if You're The Son of God, So Be Good For Goodness Sake!

The gospels vary somewhat in their accounts of the birth of Jesus.

Mark and John, in fact, skip right over the nativity story and dig right in around the time of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist.

Most of what we know of the nativity comes from the Gospel According to Luke.  Matthew adds a few details, such as King Herod's reaction to rampant stories of the birth of a Jewish Messiah.  (To put it mildly, Herod's reaction was "not pleased.")

However, I believe all four of the gospels missed THIS particular aspect of the story:

Yup, Santa was there, apparently -- at least according to one particular dealer in religious statuary.  I'm assuming that he left the elves and reindeer outside the stable.

I'm looking forward to this organization's Easter statuary offerings, which I can only imagine will feature the Easter Bunny crying at the foot of the cross.

Comments

[pointy stick]

If you REALLY want to see weird, check out a bakery (I can't remember the name) along Carson Street. Two foot tall nativity figures watching reverently over trays of cheese danishes and cookies. Surrounded by Steelers flags.

If that isn't quintessestially "Pittsburgh", I don't know what is.

[Anne]

Oh, hon.

If you want Easter insanity, you can go buy the children's book -- have blocked the name, sorry -- about why we have the Easter Bunny, the explanation of which is that the Bunnies were the first animals to see Jesus rise from the dead.

Oh, lordy, does this go up my nose. Whenever some well meaning idiot trots it out at church meetings, the rest of the altos have to sit on me. Manages to insult the Christians and the Pagans all at once.

Thanks, oh pointystick, for the heads up on the Cheese Danish Adoration Scene. I am SO there.

[Drowsy Reader]

Must've been an awfully warm night in B-town for Santa to take his cap off, revealing his bald pate.

Don't you also love the fact that the Baby Jesu is depicted as nearly as white as Father Christmas?

Is the cradle resting on one of THEE stone tablets?

[Sarah]

We've got a Christmas story board book that shows one of the three wise men bearing a box with what I swear is a Nike swoosh (tm) on it. Just what every young messiah needs - gold, frankincense, and athletic shoes!

[pointy stick]

Hrm. It may or may not be a coincidence, but I recall Nike getting in trouble a few years ago because a (short-lived) stylized version of their "Air" logo looked remarkably like "Allah" -- in Arabic-style script. I'll see if I can dig up the link.

Ah. Here it is:
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1997/06/25/nike_350x492.jpg

[Rachel]

A few years ago, one of my very young cousins went shopping "on her own" and picked out christmas presents for the family. When I opened my gift on Christmas morning, I perplexed to find that she had boutht me an ornament. An ornament that featured a santa, hat respectfully removed, kneeling before the baby jesus and gazing adoringly into the little buggers face. It was all I good to not to burst out in laughter. Even my very serious, very religious family members had to supress a chuckle or two. Children can be very odd. I like that about them. But I still consider that present to be the unfortunate result of a childhood that included too much exposure to religion. Santa and Jesus. How much better can you get? *smirk*

[jet]

That Air Jordan logo is just not even nice looking. Who thought that was a good idea? I wonder if former co-worker who looks a lot like the Tin Man was on that dev team. That would make sense to me.