Local Billboard Advertisement Shows Joseph and Mary in Bed
20 December 2009
View Comments
Posted by Nel
A billboard in Auckland, New Zealand featuring Joseph and Mary in bed, sponsored by a local Anglican Church has drawn condemnation from the Catholic Church, Reuters reports.
The St. Matthew-in-the-City Church has erected the billboard in the hope of putting in to a debate the conception story of Christmas to be able to highlight the real significance of the celebration.
In the billboard, a dejected Joseph lies along a very sad looking Mary under bedcovers. The caption above it said “Poor Joseph, God is a hard act to follow.”
“What we’re trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about. Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?” said the church’s archdeacon Glynn Cardy.
The Catholic Church condemned the billboard and called it “inappropriate” and “disrespectful”.
Family values group Family First meanwhile called it “offensive.” It said that the church can have its debate inside the church, but to present them on a billboard for all to see, church members or not, is no longer necessary and is considered irresponsible.
Due to the attention it got, the church said that their target has already been achieved.
There is another similar “indecent” Christmas-related incident that has hit the news this year. Almost three weeks ago, a Los Angeles store featured a sexy nativity as part of their yuletide advertisement.
OMG a very disrespectful picture
OMG this is a very disrespectful picture
The comic is funny, thought provoking and while treading in dangerous water in the interest of promoting debate, the intention, I believe, is good.
A shift, however, from a “set of supernatural beliefs” towards “Progressive Christianity” is much more disturbing. While we participate in the life of Christ through our actions, words and thoughts we are still called to a deeper spiritual union with and in Christ. We are called to “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”, to wait “IN JOYFUL HOPE” for the coming of our Lord and the “THE DAWN FROM ON HIGH SHALL BREAK UPON US”. Christianity is NOT an outward observance of mere principles in which to live our lives by. “God is our Refuge”, He is our hope, “in Him we Trust”, in Him that “Is”. Christianity is a call to a fuller life in love. We are called to be “perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” and to “pray without ceasing”.
The need to reach out to society “en mass” at a level consistent with the images, humor and attitude we are constantly bombarded with is critical. Without speaking the “language of today” we may fail to reach the “poorest” in our society and thereby fail in our Mission to “spread the good news”, but first, let there be love. Let us “love our brothers as ourselves” and “love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul and all our might”. This is no small command; with the Holy Spirit, in God the father, “who is love” then let us, centered in Christ, reach out and spread the joy we have been given.
stupid peoples
stupid peoples
[...] local advertisement board last Christmas depicting Joseph and Mary, parents of Jesus Christ, having sexual activities was ruled to be not [...]
Leave your response!
Stats
Recent Posts
Categories
Blog Network
Recent Comments
Most Commented