Christians outraged by poster showing Mary and Joseph after sex

Cyn: Your post above was caring and eloquent. I like reading your posts because they often remind me to treat other people more gently.

I have regrets about my earlier post. It was an accurate expression of my view, but I could have used more sympathy and less vitriol. After all, we're only human.

Your idea re: having a child work up the art for the billboard was an interesting one. We tend to teach children a simple form of respect/tolerance that we sometimes forget as we get older.

I also agree with your feeling that the belief in a Christ-child, specifically the sacrifice of this person, is a sad and cruel one. I was raised Christian; however, the form my family believed emphasized the aspect of love for all humanity -- it exemplified Jesus' teaching that the "have nots" are worthy of the same amt. of love as the "haves". My family's beliefs did not include feelings of superiority or the fetishization of sacrifice.

Regardless of Jesus' role on earth -- divine, prophet or just a guy with an idea that scared the government -- I would have wanted for him the same happiness, comfort, companionship and love that I'd want for anyone else.

The Jesus character as portrayed in the Christian bible was most likely born in the spring time since no shepherd is going to be out when it is so friggin' cold.

Christmas is in fact a very pagan holiday, but during the early age of the Catholic church, the church "Christianized" everything that was already pagan so that their religion would appeal to the pagan believers. "Oh, you're celebrating Solstice, we'll we're going to call it Christmas now and say that our savior was born on that day."

One word - SATURNALIA