# "Christian" Nativity



## caoclan (Dec 20, 2008)

If you agree or not with nativity scenes, this is happening at our beloved Westminster Abbey (from the Christian Post):

Anglicans Add Hindu Snowmen, Chinese Dragon to Christmas Displays

Some Anglican clergy have added a multicultural twist to Christmas decorations, adding Hindu snowmen, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple to the lawn where the traditional scene of a baby Jesus, angels, and the three wise men used to be displayed alone.

“We’ve done this as it creates a good opportunity for Christians to meet and hear about the stories of people of other faiths,” said the Rev. Jane Hedges, a canon of Westminster Abbey, according to U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper.

“Christmas is an opportunity for everyone to stop and think and is a great opportunity of the different faiths to talk to one another,” she said. “Wherever you’re coming from there should be something to celebrate at Christmas.”

The Abbey’s canon pointed out that the story of Christ’s birth is included in the Koran, and noted that the Hindu snowmen is meant to convey that Hindus have something to celebrate during Christmas too.

“Strictly speaking, the message of Christmas is about the birth of Christ, but it has a much broader message of peace and goodwill,” said Hedges.

Westminster Abbey will showcase life-size snowmen with turbans and bindi dots on their foreheads that is meant to express that Christmas is not exclusively for Christians.


----------



## Zeno333 (Dec 20, 2008)

I have been saying this to myself for the last couple of years...."there will come a day when Christmas as it was once known, will actually be illegal".
The above mentioned story from England is one big step towards that result. SIGH


----------



## Theognome (Dec 20, 2008)

Permission to puke, Sir.


Theognome


----------



## caoclan (Dec 20, 2008)

Theognome said:


> Permission to puke, Sir.
> 
> 
> Theognome



Granted.

-----Added 12/20/2008 at 09:54:53 EST-----

... the story continues:

"The Diocese of Liverpool, part of the Church of England, will stage a nativity that features a Chinese dragon and lantern procession.

But the additions to the Christmas landscape have drawn criticism from those who argue that the multicultural effort is undermining the Christian message."

...Doesn't revelation represent SATAN as a dragon???


----------



## Augusta (Dec 20, 2008)

Oh for Bill.


----------



## BobVigneault (Dec 20, 2008)

Me reverend Tarzan, you reverend Jane. (There's the problem.)


----------



## ManleyBeasley (Dec 20, 2008)

There's so much wrong with that I really can't say anything.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 20, 2008)

Zeno333 said:


> I have been saying this to myself for the last couple of years...."there will come a day when Christmas as it was once known, will actually be illegal".
> The above mentioned story from England is one big step towards that result. SIGH



Christmas-keeping was banned in Scotland from 1560 to the 1950's. It was also outlawed during the Puritan era in England and New England, as well as in Geneva, Switzerland.

1647 Ordinance of English Parliament:



> Forasmuch as the feast of the nativity of Christ, Easter, Whitsuntide, and other festivals, commonly called holy-days, have been heretofore superstitiously used and observed; be it ordained, that the said feasts, and all other festivals, commonly called holy-days, be no longer observed as festivals; any law, statute, custom, constitution, or canon, to the contrary in anywise not withstanding.



1659 Ordinance of the Massachusetts Bay Colony General Court:



> For preventing disorders, arising in several places within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other communities, to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county.


----------



## Hawaiian Puritan (Dec 21, 2008)

Because of the New England missionary influence, here in Hawaii Christmas was not recognized as a holiday until 1862, although prior to that, the King had sometimes proclaimed December 25 as a national day of Thanksgiving.

The reason it was recognized in 1862 is that the new King and Queen had converted to the Anglican faith, and had invited the Church of England to Hawaii. Christmas was pirmarily seen as a British tradition in those days


----------



## Galatians220 (Dec 21, 2008)

Maybe the diminution of Jesus in "the Christmas narrative," which is really the winter solstice festival as adapted by the apostatizing church early on, and the addition of other cultural elements so that people, including us, can see "Christmas" for what it truthfully and historically is will be a good purgative.

Margaret


----------

